Head Position Through 3X Mechanics

This is the full list of the 3X Mechanics which is included in the 3X Pitching Programs. The 3X Pitching Programs include a full detailed description of every one of these components. These descriptions will only include the head positioning.

1. Lift Leg Momentum – This component begins the delivery and the head position should be over the belt buckle. When what we call the “First Move” occurs, the head must stay tucked and behind the belt buckle.
2. The “Load” Position – This is the component of the 3X Mechanics which is just before the launch phase of the delivery when power production occurs. The head again must be behind the belt buckle in this position. It also must be balanced over the shoulders. This means it is not hanging over the chest. Pitchers like Tim Lincecum like to even “Tilt” their heads back over their butt in this position.
3. 3X and Separation – This is the foundation of 3X Pitching and it is the toughest component to implement effectively into your delivery. Every single power pitcher uses it and the 3X Pitching Velocity program will train you to master it. The head during this position must be tucked hard behind the belt buckle and balanced again over the shoulders. If the head flies out of this position during this launch phase then power production is limited. If the chin begins to push forward past the belt buckle during this component this is fine unless it reduces the implementation of the following component.
4. Chest Thrust External Rotation – This is the first component in the 3X mechanics that is almost eliminated completely from the delivery when the head has been out of position most of the delivery. This means the easiest way to implement this 3X component more effectively is by working on the head position through the entire delivery.  When I see my pitchers not implementing this component, I always start with the head position from the previous components. The head position for this component is tucked  but this is the first time that the head can push out with the torso in front of the belt buckle. The key is to continue to tuck the chin like you are trying to keep it behind the belt buckle but the force of the upper kinetic chain is to great.
5. Elbow Extension – This component emphasizes the importance of NOT pulling down your arm to release. The head position does not change from the previous component.
6. Stabilization – This may be shocking to those who are not familiar with the revolutionary pitching mechanics called 3X Pitching but yes the head never moves out of the tucked position. As you continue to stabilize your front leg, you must continue to stabilize your head position and not let it relax until ball release.

The head position is so critical through all of the 3X mechanics because once the head throws itself forward, it will always bring the arm with it. I suggest you try this to fully understand the effect. Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Tuck your glove arm and lift your throwing elbow above the shoulder. Now let your arm externally rotate behind your head while tucking your chin into your throat. From this position quickly and aggressively throw your head forward out over your toes and down. Notice how your arm follows your head.

The reason this head movement will kill pitching velocity is because velocity comes when the body has built power before the arm begins to throw the pitch. The earlier the arm throws the ball in the delivery then less power has been produced and converted into the velocity of the ball.

The 3X Pitching Mechanics are proven power pitching mechanics that will increase pitching velocity and prevent injury. To learn more, check out this revolutionary program here that has been sweeping the country.

The Problems with Changing your Arm Path

If you define the pitching delivery in the two phases as labeled here in this article called, How to Throw Hard and even Harder, you will learn that when the arm is starting to apply the force to the ball which happens after external rotation of the throwing arm, the arm path is moving in a straight line towards the target. This means that when conventional wisdom says you should have a short arm path in the beginning of the delivery and a long arm path at the end, this changing of the arm path actually has no effect on the velocity of the ball. What this is doing is making a mechanical change to your delivery which is the why your velocity is changing.

If you look in Professional Baseball you find all different styles of arm path and no relationship with velocity. This is because velocity is based around stride speed or power and the relationship between the rotational pivots which are the hips and shoulders. Being that the arm is connected to the shoulders, it does have some control of the shoulder pivot but ultimately the shoulders are in control. Based on the 3X Mechanics velocity is mainly influenced by the relationship of the hips to shoulders at front foot strike. The arm path can go almost anywhere it wants, as long as the shoulders are closed while the hips are open at front foot strike. You could pitch like Tim Lincecum and put the arm down behind your back during your stride, or like Zach Outman who looks like he is stretching his throwing arm while he is striding, either arm path will have an effect on velocity if their other mechanics do not change.

The lesson learned here is never focus on arm path, it does not control the legs, core or shoulders and it will more than likely have a negative effect on your pitching velocity. If you want to learn good mechanics to increase pitching velocity then stay away from conventional wisdom and learn to implement the 3X mechanics which you can see here in this pitching 101 video.

This is a great pitching mechanics 101 video to watch if you are first learning this approach to pitching. This approach to pitching in this pitching 101 video will not only add 5-10 mph to your velocity but it will help reduce the chance of injury, increase longevity and give you more confidence on the mound. Here is what is included in this introductory video to 3x Pitching.

3X Pitching 101 – 3x mechanics

• 2 Phase Delivery
  • Stride Phase
  • Throwing Phase
• 3X Components
  • Lift Leg Momentum
  • The Load
  • Triple Extension & Separation
  • Chest Thrust & External Rotation
  • Internal Rotation & Elbow Extension
  • Stabilization

Pitching Mechanics 101 Video

You can view this pitching mechanics 101 video above or here at youtube under pitching 101. If you like this pitching 101 video then please select the thumbs up or the like button. Thanks and I hope this pitching 101 video helps you reach your pitching velocity goals.

If you have completed this pitching mechanics 101 video and you are interested in learning more or starting the 3X Pitching Velocity Program then please check out the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.

All of the 6 components of 3X Pitching Velocity are representative of a ballistic or explosive movement during a specific point in time. If the pitcher tries to implement these components into their deliver as choreography then the final result will be negative. It is critical that you use drills to develop the motor coordination of each component of the delivery as you move through the entire sequence. This way the final result will always be positive.

This is the revolutionary approach behind 3X Pitching. The problem is most pitchers who start 3X Pitching are searching for a program to help them increase velocity. This means they have mechanical issues and most of these mechanical issues are the negative results of the lack of power in their deliveries.

When you are dealing with power issues in the pitching delivery then trying to solve the problem through mechanical adjustments is like beating your head against a wall. So I have decided to list the Top 3 Pitching Power Issues here to help prevent those who feel they have encountered the same issues and would like to stop beating their heads against the wall.

The Top 3 Pitching Power Issues

1. A Weak Drive Leg – This will cause the pitcher to land with a short stride without achieving triple extension before front foot strike. This will force the hips to open after front foot strike reducing hip rotation speeds which will effect hip to shoulder separation.
2. A Weak Landing Leg – This will lead to lead knee flexion at front foot strike which will effect momentum transfer and core torque.
3. A Weak Core – The core muscles of the body are in the stomach and back area. This will effect the elastic energy transfer from hip to shoulder to forward trunk tilt and external rotation of the throwing arm. The failure to transfer this energy through the kinetic chain into the ball, will force the pitcher to finish standing up at release or force the pitcher to rock forward at release. Both of these mechanical flaws will produce a negative result.

These top 3 pitching power issues carry with them all of the major components of high velocity deliveries. This proves that most of these mechanical flaws can be solved by leg and core development. Specifically training the athlete to produce more leg and core power. I have found through my practice of coaching and training 3X Pitching that I find quicker results in the weight room because these power issues are being solved a lot faster than in the throwing program. It is critical though that the 3X velocity System which is the 3X throwing program, be used during the training process to implement the motor coordination during muscle development. This way we know that our new power development is being implemented into our deliveries and not wasted.

The 3X Pitching Velocity Program continues to have success because of this revolutionary approach to pitching velocity. You will find similar approaches in Olympic Sports and Speed training and you would think that this approach to pitching would be used more often in the game of baseball but it isn’t. If you are working to increase velocity in your pitching delivery and you are not aware of or dealing with your power issues then you need a program that is going to help you combine strength and conditioning,  with pitching mechanics, without it working against each other. 3X Pitching is that program!

If you have been following this site then you know that I am totally against this approach to pitching. Here is a quick summary of why I am against this type of training. The American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) proves in their latest case study here that this type of long toss creates elbow varus torque in the arm and uses different mechanics than those used on the mound. In defence, Alan Jaeger says that the athletics of the 300 foot throw when restricted to 60 feet, through his “Pull Down” phase, forces the pitcher to be more open and explosive. The reason that the revolutionary approach to pitching velocity, 3X Pitching, is far superior to this extreme long toss approach is because the 3X approach defines each component of its 3X Pitching Mechanics and uses drills and a complete training program to train the pitcher to implement these mechanics into their delivery, without abusing the arm. Alan Jaeger’s program never seems to mention anything about good mechanics. This is a major reason why I am against his extreme long toss and speak out against it, because if you do not have good mechanics when building your throws to 300 feet, you are extremely vulnerable to injury as proven in the ASMI case study and the reason why ASMI advises against this type of training. Another big reason is the fact that what he is trying to teach athletically, through his extreme long toss program, can be done without putting the pitcher through this type of rotator cuff and elbow abuse.

If Alan Jaeger understood the mechanics of this own training then he would learn that throwing long toss at extreme distances trains the pitcher to build elastic energy early in the delivery. This means it forces the pitcher to get good external rotation in the arm, along with building elastic energy through the chest cavity and hip flexors early. This occurs because the trajectory of release is a lot higher than throwing off of the mound, which forces the pitcher to throw the ball behind the front leg. Alan Jaeger then attempts to correct this mechanical flaw by taking these mechanics through his “Pull Down” phase, down to 60 feet, which forces the pitcher to finish over the front leg. This would be a good approach if he used good mechanics to keep pitchers safe from this extreme training. Just like it is critical to have good lifting mechanics when training to get bigger, stronger and faster but the main reason that 3X Pitching is a far superior approach to pitching velocity is because it trains the pitcher to do the same as an extreme long toss program without putting the abuse on the arm. This is why 3X Pitching wins hands down!

In the 3X Pitching Velocity Program the medicine ball drills are training the pitcher to develop elastic energy early in the delivery as effectively as extreme long toss but you are only throwing the 2 lb med ball 40 feet while focusing to hit all of the 3X Mechanics. You then take these mechanics into the target throws with the 5 ounce baseball. This is why 3X Pitching is so effective in increasing velocity and it is injury free. With Alan Jaeger’s extreme long toss program, I know he can not say the same!

I wanted to title this article, “Why Some Athletes Throw Harder than Others?” but conventional wisdom does not label pitchers as athletes yet so I didn’t want to confuse anyone. I hope I can help change this perspective of us Pitchers in the near future.

The results of the study showed that hard throwing pitchers had more external rotation of the throwing shoulder after front foot strike and also had more forward trunk tilt at ball release. You can read the results and more of the study here.

I believe these results are true because it is a part of my 6 components to velocity in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. The reason that the results of this study do not answer the question, “Why Some Pitchers Throw Harder than Others?” is because you can’t answer a question with another question. The final results of this study leaves us with a new question, “Why Do Some Pitchers Have More External Rotation and More Forward Trunk Tilt than Others?” The answers to this question was attempted in the study but neglected, I believe because the researchers were more focused on physics than biology in finding the answer. I have nothing against a physics approach but it doesn’t give us all the answers and most researchers today, performing these baseball studies, are not focusing enough on biology. Now that we have a pretty good understanding of efficient and effective velocity focused pitching mechanics, we now need to understand more about the athletes or pitchers who are performing these mechanics.

The point in this study when the researchers attempted to answer the question, that inspired this study, was when they stated that, “The greater external rotation produced by the FAST group may increase the stretch-shortening action of the internal rotators, and consequently, contribute to greater ball velocity.” The reference to the stretch-shortening cycle should have pulled them into biology to continue searching for the final answer, but they left us hanging as if their money ran out and they had no more time to continue on. So, I would like to continue the study for them here. First we need to learn more about the stretch-shortening cycle before we continue.

The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) can be defined as an active stretch (eccentric contraction) of a muscle followed by an immediate shortening (concentric contraction) of that same muscle.

This makes perfect sense because the reason the harder throwers have more external rotation and forward trunk tilt is to maximize the SSC but now the question becomes will all pitchers have the same velocities with the same degrees of external rotation? The answer to this question is, NO. All athletes are different because of their muscular, skeletal, and chemical makeup. This is what separates us physically from each other. The harder throwers will get more velocity from the same external rotation than the slower throwers because they have physical attributes that allow them to move with more power. Power is strength and speed combined. This would mean you could take two different body types, with the exact same pitching mechanics and receive two different velocities.

The Final Answer To Pitching Velocity

Why do some pitchers throw harder than others? Because they have more external rotation after front foot strike, more forward trunk tilt, and they are able to generate more power with their muscular, skeletal, and chemical makeup, through the stretch-shortening cycle, during external rotation.

In conclusion, this study shows us pitchers that we must create more external rotation after front foot strike, along with more forward trunk tilt. This will allow us to maximize our body’s potential to reach its top velocity. Once we accomplish this then we must train our body’s to produce more power than we are capable of creating. This is only possible through a strength and conditioning program that is focused on modeling more fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers are the only muscle fibers that can generate power. This is why I highly recommend the Ace Pitcher Handbook. It takes this exact strategy to gaining velocity, with the Velocity drills, which train you to develop more external rotation with the 3X approach and forward trunk tilt, along with the Fusion System, which is a strength and conditioning program that focuses on modeling more fast twitch muscle fibers.

The next study I will be looking out for is, the one that shows us athletes how to model more fast twitch muscle fibers in a short amount of time, which will increase the power we can generate during the stretch-shortening cycle. Stay Tuned!

Articles on Hard Throwing Pitchers

Here are some of the latest articles and discussions on hard throwing pitchers. You are welcome to join in on the discussion or debate. You have to register before you can comment. Registration is FREE!

Justin Verlander Pitching Mechanics

Sports Illustrated Trevor Bauer article

Tim Lincecum Teaches Top Velocity

Before I give you these keys you need to prepare your mind for success because these keys will change how you look at pitching and velocity. More than likely the knowledge you have of pitching velocity is not getting the job done and YES you can gain knowledge from a source like TopVelocity.net which will guide you to pitching velocity that you have dreamed of reaching. Obviously, I am proud of these 3 Keys to Pitching Velocity because I am gloating but I did have to pay a heavy price for this knowledge. I had to overcome a career ending rotator cuff tear before playing pro ball, along with over ten years of searching and searching for this knowledge and abusing my body through trial and error. These 3 Keys helped me to reach my velocity goals after several doctors told me I would never pitch again. So here goes!

The 3 Keys to Pitching Velocity

1. Triple Extension
2. Optimal Hip to Shoulder Separation
3. 180 degrees of External Rotation

That is it! This list is the Holy Grail to Pitching Velocity and you now have it. I am sure you have no idea what you have, so I will take the rest of this article to explain what each one of these keys mean to you.

Triple Extension

This is the foundation of my 3X program which is apart of the Ace Pitcher Handbook and the 3X Velocity Camp Instruction Videos. Triple Extension is defined as the extension of the ankle joint, the knee joint and the hip flexor. This is the first phase of generating velocity. If performed effectively this key will increase velocity by 4-5 mph. To be performed effectively it must occur JUST BEFORE FRONT FOOT STRIKE. This is when the lift leg lands and opens to the target. If Triple Extension does not occur JUST BEFORE FRONT FOOT STRIKE then it will have a limited effect on velocity. To learn more read the article here at TopVelocity.net on 3X Pitching.

Optimal Hip to Shoulder Separation

This key to Pitching Velocity is the hardest to learn out of all the keys. It is also what separates high velocity throwers from low velocity throwers. The reason for its difficulty is that your lower half must separate from your upper half and most young pitchers do not have this coordination. Try it the next time you are throwing and you will feel how awkward it is when you first experiment with it. You can perform this component by driving your drive leg forward and at the same time cocking your throwing arm back. What this key does is build what I call core torque. Putting majority torque in your core will not only allow you to generate more velocity, it will protect your arm from injury. It will protect your arm because when you build more core torque you have a better chance of not abducting your arm into the red zone. It will generate more velocity because you are now using a big explosive muscle group to assist momentum. To learn more about this key and how to implement it into your delivery I recommend the Ace Pitcher Handbook.

180 degrees of External Rotation

This key only comes when you have mastered the two keys before this. This key component should not be implemented or worked on until you have mastered the two keys before this one. The day you are able to externally rotate your arm to 180 degrees after building optimal hip to shoulder separation, you will experience a mental high that you have never felt before. The day that ball rips out of your fingers at 90 or 95 plus, you will not look back. This key will also only occur when your arm is completely relaxed to allow these eccentric forces to take control of the ball. This is the point in the delivery that Nolan Ryan would say he would then just let it ride. No pulling the ball down to finish the pitch, only tucking your chin and thrusting your chest forward while relaxing your arm and letting your arm externally rotate. Once your arm is stretched out then all you need to do is let it fire by allowing it to internally rotate to release as quick as possible.

Like I said before this may not make much since to the pitcher who has been brain washed by conventional wisdom. So do yourself a favor if you are that guy and watch the Matrix. Yes, watch the movie the Matrix and then stop listening to the same old stuff that everyone is telling you and has been telling you on the ball field and cut through the BS. Velocity is the product of an explosive kinetic chain of events that move through the entire body and transfer efficiently and effectively into the ball. For a pitcher to reach velocities as high as 90 or 100 mph he must fire and stretch his muscles and skeletal structure to its limits without causing injury over time. If you are to reach these velocities you must push yourself to these limits and train your body to max out its potential by using everything that it has in its power. You can rely on luck or you can get down to business and learn how to implement these 3 keys of pitching velocity into your mechanics and training.

Pitching velocity is the product of momentum and torque. You can read countless articles on this site about Momentum and Torque. Pulling the ball down during release prevents early internal rotation which is a key component to velocity as stated in the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) case study called Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries.

Dr. Andrews case study states:

….the maximum shoulder horizontal adduction occurred later and maximum shoulder internal rotation occurred earlier at greater ball velocities.

Notice that Tim Lincecum, who’s fastball averages in the high nineties, proves this component in the case study true in his picture above. He is releasing the ball above his shoulder and head. He couldn’t release the ball any earlier than in his picture. There is no pull down phase in this high velocity delivery.  Early internal rotation occurred  because he has met ever component of greater ball velocity described in the ASMI case study. He has “less lead knee flexion velocity after front foot contact” which we find just before this image, “greater lead knee extension velocity at the time of ball release,” “Maximum shoulder external rotation” which also occurred before this picture and finally “forward trunk tilt at ball release.” Tim Lincecum is the epitome of this ASMI case study, especially early internal rotation.

To give an example of a pitcher who is fighting against his potential velocity by pulling the ball down to release would be this picture here. This happens because of a flaw in timing. When the front foot lands and momentum is slowing down then the arm must take over. The pitcher must pull the ball down to create more external rotation that was lost when his momentum slowed down. Momentum must accelerate all the way to ball release to support top velocity. Just like a plane taking off, momentum must not stop or velocity will suffer. In the case of pitching the arm suffers as well because this adds more wear and tear on the arm. Notice that both of these pitchers are almost in the exact same position but the pitcher here is releasing the ball in front of his face and his elbow has not extended. This tells me that his momentum has stopped and his arm is doing the majority of the work. This also means he created poor hip to shoulder separation at front foot strike which caused his arm to throw the ball too early in the delivery. The most important perspective of the ASMI Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries is the timing of each component. If any of the four velocity components stated in the case study initiate too early then the proceeding component will not reach its maximum potential.

When you find yourself losing momentum and pulling the ball down to release you will notice that your ball pulls down as well as it reaches the plate but when you get early internal rotation you will notice that your ball jumps out of your hand and looks like it is rising as it reaches the plate. This is an increase in velocity. To prevent launching the ball high you must make sure you are achieving maximum forward trunk tilt at ball release.

When working to improve on these four components of velocity you must practice them in reverse not continuing until each component is mastered. This is the only way to develop top velocity and to break the conventional wisdom that says these mechanics can not be taught.

In conclusion, Alan Jaeger’s Long Toss program may sound good on video or his website but scientifically it fails. Next time you find yourself trying to pull the ball down at release to create velocity check your momentum because your velocity is slowing down.

I have stated on this website that long toss is not as effective in developing velocity because it forces the thrower to use more of the arm to throw the ball a long distance like 300 feet. I also said that if you want to increase velocity you must develop throwing mechanics that use more big muscle groups, like the core and legs, rather than the small muscle groups, like the shoulders and arm. Once you have learned these “Total Body Mechanics,” like I talk about constantly on this site and have listed in detail in the Ace Pitcher Handbook, you will not only begin to throw harder but you will take more stress off of the arm which will allow you to throw longer.

Now for the research Mr. Jaeger!

I will use Dr. James Andrews and his studies on proper throwing mechanics at the American Sports Medicine Institute to support my claims above. You can read his case studies here http://www.asmi.org/asmiweb/research/baseball.htm.

A quote from Dr. Andrews’ case study on “Interval Throwing Program” states:

“Throwing from flat ground produced a shorter stride and less shoulder external rotation at foot contact, more elbow varus torque during arm cocking, a more upright trunk at ball release……”

A quote from,  Dr. Andrews’ case study on “Shoulder Abduction and Lateral Trunk Tilt Influence the Peak Elbow Varus Torque During Pitching” states:

“The combination of 10 degrees of lateral trunk tilt and 100 degrees of shoulder abduction produced the minimum peak varus torque among all conditions in the study. Thus, the results of this simulation study clearly show that shoulder abduction angle and lateral trunk tilt have an affect on elbow varus torque and thus can be helpful in reducing stressful forces on the shoulder and elbow during pitching.”

A quote from Dr. Andrews’ case study on “Flat-Ground Throwing” states:

“Elbow varus torque was greatest during 180 ft’ throwing.”

You can read Dr. Andrews’ case study on “Biomechanics of Elbow Injuries During Throwing” to learn about Elbow Varus Torque here http://www.asmi.org/asmiweb/research/usedarticles/elbow_injuries.htm

Based on these three studies performed by the most respective Doctor in the game of baseball, we learn that throwing long toss at only 180 ft, which was the farthest distance used in the study, causes more elbow varus torque because of the shorter stride and the lack of forward trunk tilt than pitching on a mound. Could you imagine the results of these case studies if they used 300 ft instead of 180 ft?

Mr. Jaeger, I am sure you have an answer for all of this and your Long Toss Program addresses these issues but there is a better way then using this “Old School” approach to “Arm Development.” I believe that better way is learning “Total body mechanics” by using normal throwing distances because we do not throw with just our arms. We also never throw the ball 300 feet in the game. If you want to develop more velocity and decrease injury, you must also work hard to develop fast twitch muscle fibers in the weight room using total body lifts, like the Olympic lifts, along with plyometric training and speed/agility work.

I warn all pitchers that perform a long toss program, that pushes the distances to 300 feet, you better make sure you have “total body mechanics” because if not, based on Dr. Andrews’ case studies above, you are putting extreme amounts of pressure on your elbow which could ruin your arm and end your career.

I am not the only pitching coach against long toss programs. Dick Mill’s has a similar opinion in this video.

Dr. James Andrews at ASMI put together a study of low velocity pitchers to high velocity pitchers to determine the difference in pitching mechanics. It was a good feeling after reading this study because the same information coming from Dr. Andrews is the same information Top Velocity has been preaching for years. It proves why I overcame a rotator cuff tear and was able to reach 94 mph on my fastball post surgery.

What these high velocity pitchers where doing different was transferring more momentum to the ball faster and more efficiently than the low velocity pitchers. There was four significant differences and these differences did not start until front foot strike. This means it doesn’t matter how you build momentum but you must build as much momentum as you can, then when your front foot lands your front leg must stabilize and continue to extend back into the hips before ball release. This front knee extension mainly occurred with the high velocity group of pitchers. The next major component of high velocity came with maximum external rotation of the arm when the trunk was tilted all the way over the front foot due to the excessive amounts of momentum generated into front foot strike. The study states that the reason for this maximum external rotation is because

“Greater shoulder external rotation causes a stretch of the internal rotators allowing energy to be stored in these muscles, and creating greater internal rotation during the arm acceleration phase.”

This leads into the next and most important component of the study. This component is by far a major component of not only velocity but arm health and pitch location. The study finishes with describing the importance of early elbow extension and internal rotation once the arm begins its launch to the target. I can’t stress the importance of this component enough. I have to admit that Top Velocity has not focused enough on this component and doesn’t have it in the Ace Pitcher Handbook. This will be added soon!

Early elbow extension and internal rotation is even more important when throwing a football. This is because to throw a good spiral you must have early elbow extension and early internal rotation to spiral the ball to your target. I recommend using a football in your warm ups to help improve on this component. The key to getting early elbow extension and internal rotation is keeping the arm relaxed the entire pitching delivery. The main focus of the arm is to be in position to receive the transfer of momentum and to transfer that momentum quickly and almost effortlessly. The only part of the arm doing work is the forearm. It is holding onto the ball with the finger tips. This is what controls pitch movement and location.

To learn more about this study please read the reference article here:
Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries