POTD Yu Darvish

Yu Darvish, as an amateur, was sort of the Japanese version of Stephen Strasburg, though a high-schooler.  He threw a no-hitter for famed Tohoku High, in general had super results ... more to the point, he is unusually tall and strong for a Japanese youngster (Darvish's father is Iranian) and was lighting up the radar guns in a way very seldom seen there.

He also seems to have something of a rebel-without-a-cause persona, is good-looking and stylish, and has the mystique to go with the electric arm.  Some Japanese seem look to Darvish as a type of savior of NPB popularity in the midst of the emigrations, sort of like Americans looked to Kobe and LeBron to resuscitate a lull after Michael Jordan.

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Perhaps the MLB team most interested in Darvish has been the LA Angels.  Trey Hillman, an American coach expert in both MLB, and NPB, said,

"How good do I think he can be? I think he can be the best in the world. He's not there yet ... but I think he can potentially pass a guy like Matsuzaka."

Darvish debuted in NPB at 18, was a quality pitcher at 19, and a full-on ace by 20.  His results have matched the hype, though not the results are not as good as they eventually will be if he stays healthy (compare MLB's Felix Hernandez, Johann Santana or Roy Halladay, and their results as they refined their command and their offspeed games).

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Dr. D had a chance to watch the famed Darvish in the WBC.  His delivery reminds greatly of Kazuhiro Sasaki's.  Does somebody want to explain to me how all of these Japanese pitchers get the same aiki harmony in their motions?  :- )

Thusly:

1.  Fluid knee kick that raises the CG - as his hands raise a bit (ten chi 'floating' movement)

2.  Pronounced sink as the hands also sink to express the ki intentionality (heaven-to-earth movement)

3.  Hip crooks forward as torso leans back towards CF to synch the weight with the path of the ball in backstroke

4.  Circular movement of both hands together as back knee compresses

5.  "Splay" of all 4 limbs, glove and lead shoe flying towards hitter in harmony

6.  Nice drive down centerline, head and eyes rock-steady all the way through

7.  Easy, comfortable deceleration with all body parts harmonizing

8.  Light "bounce" of right arm as pitcher finishes in balanced "horse kung fu" position

This style creates a very fluid relationship between the shoulders and the arc of the ball. This is one of the big "secrets" that allow Matsuzaka, Sasaki, et al to endure much more workload than American pitchers.

The arm does not fight against the shoulders — the shoulders and left arm are in harmony with the right arm from start to finish.  This is emphasized by the rearward lean of the shoulders — in America it is only the arm that "reaches for the CF."  In Japan the entire torso reaches for the CF.

It's a wonderful movement wherein Yu "floats" his weight before dropping it.  This isn't the American "stand tall in your leg kick" (to straighten the spine and head on the CL).  This is floating the weight aikido-style — the hands express it.

It allows Yu to ease into his sink gracefully and create a "circular" weight movement.  It is a "raising of the hammer" before it falls, and because the raising is gentle, the falling is gentle.

Darvish doesn't get as low as Matsuzaka, and he shouldn't.  He's too long to do that; he'd get off balance.

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Pitching analysts who don't like the infamous "inverted W" should be made VERY nervous by the photo above. Not only is Darvish's elbow nice and high, but his hand is also low, which magnifies the stress on the shoulder many fold.  This is the aikido "Sankyo" pin, in which tori spirals the hand into the armpit to create enough stress for submission.

In my own humble opinion, this probably is a small consideration, in proportion to the beautiful way in which Yu synchronizes his CG and shoulders to the ball.  It's one thing to hold up a can of Coke in the wrong way.  It's another thing to lift a 45-lb dumbell in the wrong way.  The Japanese style doesn't put much stress on the arm to begin with.

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The stuff is excellent, though in the WBC I wasn't as overwhelmed as I was hoping to be.  Darvish throws an easy 94-96, and throws three different offspeed pitches, all so-so.  His command appeared to be average with each of these pitches, but I did like his arm action on the 78 mph pitch, whatever he calls that.

Of course this is only a few innings' sample -- "sample" could be the correct word in this context :- ) IF we're talking about a fairly randomized representation of Yu's pitch universe, and not one biased by relieving, by the time of year, etc -- so NPB experts can correct me where I'm wrong here.

It's important to remember that he's only 22, so there is room for a lot of refinement as he goes along. As it stands right now, I would expect him to have adjustment issues as he entered the major leagues, unlike a Stephen Strasburg, whose stuff is nuclear and who we predict for instant and overwhelming success.

MLB doesn't have to worry about it, of course, since it's another four years, anyway, before Darvish will be available.  But by that time he's liable to have (probable to have!) honed that talent into something very tough to deal with.

Cheers,

Dr D