Yoshinobu Yamamoto Distinct Javelin Throw Pitching Style Expert Analysis on His Unique Form
Yushin joined the Dodgers, the same team as Shohei Ohtani, for a 12-year, 46.2 billion yen contract!
From the fourth to the fifth step, you can see that Yamamoto’s upper body rotates around his left leg, which is firmly planted on the ground. This is the reason why it is called the “Yari-nage” style of pitching.
Many Japanese pitchers throw with their legs bent. This style is fine on a soft Japanese mound, but on a hard major league mound, it is not. But on a hard major league mound, the burden on the lower half of the body increases, and the hip joints become sore. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Koji Uehara, who were plagued by injuries in the United States, are examples of this.
Yamamoto overcomes the difference between Japan and the U.S. by stretching his legs and stepping hard on the ground like a yari-thrower. The key points are the hips and thighs. By using the hamstring (muscles in the back of the thighs) well to hold the stepped leg in place, he is able to rotate his upper body with great momentum and create a large arm flexion.
After winning all the major pitching titles in Japan and the Sawamura Award three years in a row, how well will Yamamoto do in the majors?
Yamamoto’s form is suited for the majors, and he has the potential to win 15 games.
Yamamoto is the only Japanese pitcher who can throw the ball like a sledgehammer, and he will take on the best hitters in the Majors.
From the January 19, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
