Part 1

=== Throughstroke ===

For all that, DePaula's arm stroke is absolutely scintillating.

After he steps easily down the CL, the front shoulder unsnaps, and then the Felix Hernandez-like arm asserts itself.  The amazing RPM develops into a whistling release that you can almost hear through the videos.

DePaula is the definition of "easy velocity" and, mechanics aside, it is the arm itself that is the bill of goods with this pitcher.

Obviously from the beginning of the motion forward, you've got a Grade A+ that is producing the $1,000,000 rumors.

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We've got to add, we aiki-trained with an individual who looked a lot like Rafael DePaula.  The ligaments in his elbow were preposterous; you could bend his elbow around twice as far as a normal man's, it seemed like.

DePaula is, evidently, just one of those kids with an arm that is put on weird.  In a good way.

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=== King Felix Comparisons ===

Felix was supposedly throwing 94 mph at age 14, and there won't be another King Felix until you've got another 18-, 19-year-old destroying the high minors with 97 mph and four pitches.

Still, if DePaula is indeed 17-18, then yes.  If you had another Felix, this is what he'd look like on a grainy internet video.

The reports are that DePaula not only throws 94-97, but that he has three offspeed pitches that are much too advanced for his age.  That was the case with the King, also.  The arc is just way high super young, and so it peaks super high.

Remember that 80%, 90% of all teenage pitching phenoms get hurt.  And lots of 10-star blue chippers become something a little less than Felix even if everything goes right -- such as with Ervin Santana and Edwin Jackson.

But those caveats in place, if DePaula indeed is throwing upper-minors-caliber offspeed stuff right now, and if he's 17-18, then you can see the 80%-of-Felix dreams about DePaula.

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=== Deceleration ===

Grade A here also.  DePaula's weight travels over his front foot effortlessly, and by the time he leans over parallel to the ground, his arm has nothing but clean, loose air as his energy dissipates like a wisp of smoke.

He lands lightly, the front leg is springy, the weight arc slows nicely and everything is perfect for his nose-to-leather finish.

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=== Dr's Diagnosis ===

Both the very beginning, and very end, of DePaula's motion remind very much of Tim Lincecum's.  In fact, you could say this is what Lincecum's motion would look like, if Lincecum did not much involve his CG in his delivery.

Very clean, light, and harmonious motion, with the only quibble being that DePaula's motion is far from a drop-and-drive archetype.

Of course there are many HOF pitchers who chose the simpler, fewer-moving-parts archetype of less CG involvement, among them Randy Johnson and Felix Hernandez.  (If DePaula literally had a Unit-, King Felix-class arm, then the simplified CG transfer would be a plus, since it would avoid the fatigue/command syndrome.)

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Toolbox, sabermetrics etc. being a different question -- who knows what his sabermetrics are?, he didn't pitch college -- Rafael DePaula's arm-and-motion are unquestionably a $1,000,000 combination.

If the Mariners are in love with DePaula, we can definitely understand why.

My $0.02,

Jeff

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SSI's persective on pitching mechanics