Pags Thinks Hughes Has Poor Mechanics

Steve Lombardi from WasWatching.com sent an email to former Yankee Mike Pagliarulo asking about Phil Hughes' velocity, and how he's gone from a guy who was supposed to throw 92-95 to someone who throws 89-92. Pags posted a response on his blog Dugout Central tonight, and here's what he thinks:

The reason Phil Hughes isn’t throwing his fastball faster than 91 MPH is mechanics – and nothing else...

What to do about Hughes? He needs to change his delivery, just as Roger Clemens did when he went from Boston to Toronto. Hughes’ mechanics are the weakest during pitching stages three and four, the time in which he takes the ball out of glove to when the ball leaves his hand. Two issues: First, he’s not getting full arm extension after taking the ball out of his glove – and this creates an inconsistent release point and, therefore, an inconsistent pitcher. Second, he’s leading with his head instead of staying back and throwing “around” his head – something that young, aggressive hitters can be guilty of.

The effects of these issues:

• Reduced velocity on his fastball, because he isn’t able to fully leverage his lower half.
• His changeup is ending up off the plate to Hughes’ arm-side of home plate.
• His curve (normally a 70/75 grade pitch on a 20-80 scale) is being left up in the zone

You’ll notice that Hughes has been throwing his slider more often, despite the fact it’s just his fourth best pitch. Because of his mechanics, Hughes’ arm slot is lower than ideal and, thus, his slider is the only breaking pitch that he can command effectively. It’s the same reason you don’t see three quarter or side arm pitchers with good curveballs. It’s also why if you’re looking at Hughes behind home plate his curve ball is breaking at a 10 to 4 angle as opposed to its typical 12 to 6.

He thinks the problems can be fixed, but says that depends on how coachable Hughes is. From everything I've heard from and about him, I'd say he is very coachable.

Here's what Hughes himself said on his blog in January about his mechanics:

After coming back from my injury last season my mechanics were a little out of whack. This led to a little loss of velocity and command. When Dave (Eiland) arrived in September we were able to work out some things and I think that had a lot to do with the success I had at the end of the season. It was nice to finish off the year on a good note so I have something to work toward to get back to my normal self in 2008.

Last September and October he seemed to be throwing harder and his numbers improved greatly. But in his first start of the year on Wednesday he was only throwing 88-91 so the mechanical issues he faced last year may have sprung up again.

If Hughes could work out his mechanics and get his velocity up to 92-95 he can be a dominating pitcher in this league, and not in a few years, but right now.