Q.  What is SSI's background in pitching mechanics?

A.  We do get asked this question.  We answer once a year, only because it's relevant to the discussion at hand...

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1.  Aikido training attunes an aikidoka to the movement of the center of gravity (CG).

In teaching and in waza training, over the course of time you get a feel for how the movement of this arm, or of that leg, relates to weight transfer.

Weight transfer is connected to intentionality, to passive or aggressive state-of-mind, and to power.  A difference of only a few percent in weight acceleration translates to a huge difference in power.  In pitching, a subtle difference in weight acceleration relates to a huge difference in strain on the arm. 

Tim Lincecum and Ichiro have sports movements that present genuine beauty from this perspective.  The power, and safety, of these movements represent the pinnacle of sports accomplishment.

There is a lot in aikido that is spiritual mumbo-jumbo and, from my perspective, simply fantasy.  But not the part about CG and intentionality.  At some time in the future, these principles will be common knowledge in America.

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2.  Dr. D studied formal pitching mechanics because his son needed a pitching coach.

In the course of this, Dr. D and his son worked with more accomplished pitching coaches, discussing and implementing mechanical corrections. 

This resulted in ERA titles and no-hitters for the youngster, which of course is a very small resume compared to the resumes boasted by serious pitching coaches, but which allowed SSI an on-field perspective and a bit of real-world feedback.

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3.  The 100,000 iterations from the center-field camera, which is a perspective that many community members share, of course :- ) along with the modest background playing slo-pitch SS and flag-football QB.

The study of other sports, such as golf and martial arts, can offer cross-principles. 

The motion used for a pitched fastball is not so different from that used for a yama-zuki in Japanese martial arts.  And if you stand on a mat long enough with a sensei correcting your hip rotation, chin angle, and torso angle while delivering a yama-zuki, it can help you spot irrational movements in somebody else's yama-zuki (or 94 fastball).

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4.  The list of classic checkpoints that we use, when going over a video, are enumerated in (e.g.) this article.

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5.  The open discussion and back-and-forth idea exchange at DOV, MC, now SSI.  As you know, SSI charges in with bare chest against the gatling guns of dissent and correction.  SSI assertions may be off-their-rocker but are accompanied by very specific explanations, and are open for refutation at any time.

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SSI certainly doesn't claim to be state-of-the-art on pitching mechanics :- ) but the Japanese background does, hopefully, provide a unique voice in Seattle.  We're often wrong, but might provide a checkpoint against with other views can be compared.

Or not,

Dr D