watanabe Syunsuke Underhand throw

[JoshuaKIim]

how fast is he throwing.. if he is throwing upper 80's nd low 90's .. thats prettyy impressive.

[yankeesteelerfan4313]

Sounds l9ike he says klondike at 1:47 or 1:48 haha and the first batter was fukudome? or iwamura?

[cruzmissile]

@sideswipe320 swallows in this sense are birds...just like the orioles or blue jays

[you9080]

ふと考えれば、今の時代って佐々木や古田の様な大スター選手が

不在だよなぁ・・・。

今思えば、数年前のプロ野球って魅力的だったんだなって思う。

[imakemovies1234]

Mista SUBmarine!

[RyanTheGreat8]

y r they called the swallows lol

[Strikeout18]

@RyanTheGreat8 It's a type of bird dumbass

[RyanTheGreat8]

@Strikeout18 you must know about both type of 'swallows' then

[DaTwoNinja]

IS that logo a mariners logo??? Or Im Dreaming

[ktg018]

２００４年上り調子の俊介を見ることができてありがたいが

星野一派へのヨイショと肩入れの実況席は超ウゼー

[13shoyu]

素晴しいですね。

フォームが綺麗でボールが浮き上がってきているから打者も打ちに­くいでしょうね

まさに「サブマリン」は芸術物ですね＾＾

[BenderPictures]

Yep, 0:38 "Meestah Suh-muh-reen!"

[simpleejoe]

revolution of throwing ninja stars = epic submarine pitch

[sangakoukou]

達川のいらん話が長すぎる。

渡辺俊介と岩村の対戦なのに星野野球の話なんか長々と語らんでい­い。

こういうバカな解説者が，せっかくの試合の興をそぎ，テレビ中継­を楽しめなくするんだ。

[kennylala25]

its funny how his jersey says Mariners and hes a submarine pitcher

[1124bb1]

@kennylala25

It's the Marines, not mariners

[ebishinjou]

i dont know if some of the guys here noticed but the catcher here is johjima.

[Macgilleanders]

I don't understand, what's so funny about a team called the swallows?

[pgoody]

@Macgilleanders

Have to be between 12-16...

[pcrain9]

aki iwamura is definitely the first batter

[zacRip]

@pcrain9 well the pirates got him now for 4 mil to sit the bench.... we know how wheel & deal

[tenzsam3]

sooo many jappanese players r lefty batters

[TDSUSERS]

i pitch that low in korea, but my coach wont let me in canadian leagues

[TDSUSERS]

can you pitch sub in little league?

[1908cubsfan1908]

hes only topping out at about 77mph. I doubt he could get good velocity with a submarine throw, but 77 is pretty good.

[RapboxingTrio]

Seriously, if i pitched like watanabe, i would be scared of ripping my knuckles into ragged blood cloth from hitting the ground :/

[CARDSrules]

OMG is the guy were a Swallow's shirt?? thats funny shit!!!!

[Jfc1224]

Yeah,. laughing at the name of the team which is named after a bird. Fucking OMG EXCLAMATIONPOINT FUNNY SHIT.

[CARDSrules]

@Jfc1224 umm ok i geuss you cant take a joke now can you.

[ask4ns]

yup, it is Aki

[24RichardJefferson]

is that Aki Iwamura?

[ukuledoj]

japan has really really big strike zone.. ;P

[Killer685]

I am a submarine pitcher myself, I pitch kind of like Ziegler, but Watanabe is fucking awesome.

[RoboLimbs]

lolz haha

second that..swallows

[mizzike20]

hahaha, "swallows"

[retromancer]

lol the gun says 107 kph. that's knuckleball speed.

[romanian1991]

anyone know how fast this guy can throw????

[somepanda1234]

its basically sidearm just to get more movement on the ball or to control

[JLTRAIN233]

hahah the start lol

[SuperrrDT]

damn that second ball looks like it floats! =]

[HendroitI]

There was only one guy with a hit =O

[jmont2608]

It'll also put a lot of batters back on their heels as the pitch is coming in because the release point, combined with the arms movement and angle, make it appear as if the balls going to come straight at you. The guy that strikes out around the 4:30 mark is a perfect example. Watch how he leans back on his heels, then once it's to late, realizes its over the center of the plate, lol. Very effective way of pitching because it's rare, but it's really bad for your arm.

[Zack535]

Actually its more natural for your arm to pitch this way.

[andrewfinn66]

shut up. please just shut up

[ares134]

@jmont2608 i agree with you on your first point, but being a submarine pitcher myself and doing plenty of research on it, its a much more natural motion for your arm which causes less stress and strain. Submarine pitchers have been known to throw 200 pitches without any arm trouble.

[zryang13]

when you throw from that arm angle...ur looking for more deception and movement rather than power. Its all about throwing off the timing of the hitter.

[bimbim007]

the throws 125kph thats really slow our ace pitcher in highschool his a junior throws about 139kph and his only in highschool

[heffychokotto]

submarine pitchers do throw slower~ thats hard compared to throwing an orthodox overhand pitch

[bimbim007]

why is it harder?

[heffychokotto]

the angle and the speed of throwing from overhand and underhand is a major difference. the good thing about submariners r that they come from a different angle and do tend to have more break on breaking balls. so yea~ they r good for technique more than power

[LancerJak]

I heard it's more natural for the arm to throw underarm, lessen the stress than throwing it overhand.

[fatcampguitarist]

Yeah, it's less stress on your arm, but it also means you can't create as much force by rotating the body and throwing your weight forward..not to mention the velocity from good backspin.

[LancerJak]

Well, I never ever face any major league pitchers, I know Greg Maddox's changeup looks like a 110 mph fastball to me. But in the world of video games where I sorta can match up to these legends, the soft tossers always give me a headache, like Jamie Moyer, I can't hit him to save my life. But Verlander, no problem.

[jmont2608]

This type of pitching isn't the same as pitching underhand. His shoulders joint is rotating at an awkward angle, which is horrible for his arm. Sidearm and Submarine pitchers usually have to adapt to a 3/4 or overhand style as the age, or their careers can run short. Pitching underhand allows your shoulders rotator cuff to move in it's natural movement, which is why it's better for your arm. =)

[chessdrummer]

Throwing hard has nothing to do with being a good pitcher. Watanbe could pitch rings around your teammate... I guarantee you. Pitching is about location, changing speeds, mixing and deception.

[fatboynate2]

his jelly arm almost scrapes the dirt everytime

[x0flirtalertx0]

how slow can we make our windup?

[raahr]

hadi-mash-te

[Lysergic32]

oh shit thats iwamura haha cool

[ppfrc91]

soooo yeah this guy probably wouldn't make it in the majors

[ppfrc91]

big papi hit a 520+ft home run against this fool

[ares134]

@ppfrc91 520 ft bomb? I find that a little hard to believe considering the farthest home-run actually officially recorded only went 527 feet and when did Ortiz even face Watanabe?

[sean5725]

with over hand pitching an overhand pither, when he throws, the ball stays down and does not rise. Professional ballplayers have a tendencies of dropping their hand to the ball. With a underhand or submarine throwers the ball usually rises unless you are a sinker ball pitcher like Chad Bradford of the Tampa Bay Rays. Therefor batters against submariners have to rise there hands to the ball , witch takes longer to do there for making it very hard to hit. Im a baseball nerd. Go rays in the MLBS

[JagrJr68]

the batting team is named the swallows?!

[NbaRapLover]

As in the bird.

[hbeagles]

2:05-Aki with the knock...go RAYS!

[atuminougyou]

華麗なフォーーーーーーーーム！！！！！！！！！！

[JagrJr68]

i agree totally

[sidearmpitching]

Many professional hitters actually admit that they would rather face a pitcher throwing in the high 90's rather than to face a sidearmer. Sure, the fear factor in facing a sidearmer isn't as great as it is against a flame thrower, but it takes more skill and focus to hit a sidearmer.

[Erii77]

Shunuske Watanabe, I can see why the US teams were looking into getting this guy. He'd be successful in the majors.

[Erii77]

The reason it's so hard to read an submarine hurler is cause it's harder to tell where a pitch going up will land.

[NbaRapLover]

And major league batters are more used to the overhand-dropping motion of the pitch, instead of going up.

[Erii77]

But on top of that he can throw alot of innings (compared to some of our underhanders who don't last over an inning or two)

[NbaRapLover]

And sidearmers can last longer in the league, unlike overhand or traditional pitchers who will face more shoulder and elbow injuries.

[rockbard]

That's because of bad mechanics. If you have a bad arm release, too high or too low, your shoulder is under far more stress than a sidearm release, resulting in injury.

[12west90]

did the announcer say "Mr. Submarine" at 0:38? I think he did

[Bobberfrank08]

@12west90, yea he definetly did. 

[GirlsGeneratlon]

@12west90 thats what they call him in japan

[thegarretthp]

@12west90 he did

[omega5811]

damn can they throw like this in the mlb?

[princefifa]

yep you can throw almost however you want

[Saxophonater]

its only like 70mph, but it seems so fast

[SirosTV]

Actually in this vid he tops out around 77 mph.

[xxxChriChrixxx]

its actualy harder 2 hit underhanded pitches than it is overhanded

[STR8R1PP1N13]

you really cant say it is iwamura cuz all asians look alike lol

[princefifa]

wtf

[aznfailure]

fagbag

[xXTheDon]

looks like a riser

[WiZ111112]

this pitch is cool and all, but it gets old and once a batter catches on the ball is gonzo....

[fizzerduh]

he is a fantastic pitcher with alot of skill but the submarine windup is bad for his arm

[bimbim007]

but the thing is his arm is use to it

[GuyForChrist32]

when he throws his hand hits the grownd

[BaseballBoxBreaker]

The first batter looks a bit like iwamura

[njdevils327]

thats cuz it is iwamura. he played in japan before coming to the us.

[NODIKprod]

hes like a submarine josh beckett

[brandtard]

I wish he was in the MLB. then I could use his pitching style for my player in mlb 08 the show

[HohGwuhn]

Good pitch really weird wind up, just look at it for a sec, but he is a damn good pitcher

[TheTest1131]

this guys arms gunna fall off in a couple of years haha

[crazfrog2]

Isnt the batter at 1:00 Iwamura from the tampa bay d rays

[Ichron]

They're not the D Rays anymore, just the Rays...but yes, that's Akinori Iwamura.

[JAJAJAXY]

It is said that he will throw the giro ball.

[DominusK10]

his 2 seam gyro resembles a curve that doesnt curve.

[yurijm]

yep, actually according to Ryutaro Himeno (researcher who invented the gyroball) and Watanabe Shunsuke himself, he often throws the 4 and 2 seam gyroball.

Watanabe Shunsuke is listed as an "official" gyroballer.

[goldenjoeblow]

This guy couldn't cut it in the MLB as a starter with how slow his stuff is

[EricAnno]

He's the same way with Mike Myers. Their delivery is so unorthodox and he doesn't rely on speed, but he tries to get the hitters to hit themselves out. Plus, he eats up innings, because his delivery requires much less energy then how most of us throw a baseball.

[goldenjoeblow]

Mike Myers is a bad comparison since he is nothing more than a LH specialist so he is only in games to get one or two outs. This guy's stuff is too soft, especially for a submariner (60-70 mph). Livan Hernandez is an innings eating soft tosser too and he struggles to keep his ERA under 5. Shunsuke would have to same problem here in the MLB unless he was a bullpen pitcher.

[EricAnno]

Ok, fine. Byung-Hyun Kim then. Once again, he doesn't rely on speed. Since his delivery is so bizarre and unique, the hitters have a hard time judging where the ball is going to end up in, and most of the time they swing early and hit themselves into an out. And Livan Hernandez isn't a submarine pitcher. Since Watanabe's delivery doesn't require a lot of energy, he pitches for longer.

[goldenjoeblow]

Kim throws harder than Shunsuke ever has (80-90 mph) and has never been good as a starter and has had mixed success as a reliever. The fact he is an innings eater wouldn't really matter since Watanabe could never make it as a starter in the MLB, his breaking pitches are in the 50s and 60s range and batters would eat him alive. Submarine pitching isn't as deceptive as you think and the Japanese Majors are on a level equivalent to AAA or AA ball.

[pawapuroproject]

Joe Morgan, is that you? You're a fucking idiot. Just shut up before you make yourself look even more ridiculous. I know this revelation is going to blow your mind, but you know jack shit about baseball. Stick to being a fan and quit all the analyst/scout stuff. Leave that to people who have college degrees or actual MLB experience.

[goldenjoeblow]

nice point by point counter argument there.

[pawapuroproject]

I apologize for not engaging in SERIOUS BUSINESS with you.

[gza2k7]

he could definitely "make it" in the MLB. he routinely puts up sub 3 eras over there in japan and he did really well in the WBC as well. He pitched well for 3 innings against the Brewers in an exhibition game, and afterward the Brewers manager, who was very impressed, said that Watanabe could definitely pitch in the MLB. His fastball is only in the mid 70s but it is never straight, and his changeup/curveball are somewhere in the 60s. He's got excellent change of speeds and above average control

[gza2k7]

he could definitely "make it" in the MLB. he routinely puts up sub 3 eras over there in japan and he did really well in the WBC as well. He pitched well for 3 innings against the Brewers in an exhibition game, and afterward the Brewers manager, who was very impressed, said that Watanabe could definitely pitch in the MLB. His fastball is only in the mid 70s but it is never straight, and his changeup/curveball are somewhere in the 60s. He's got excellent change of speeds and above average control

[freecarbon]

wtf, japanese majors are on AAA or AA ball? thats why they won the wbc idiot

[ppfrc91]

Yea but who ass rapes japan all the time during the MLB japan all star series. THE MLB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­! dip shit

[FElFEI]

did you just compared a overhand pitcher to a submarine pitcher....? what a idiot... speed really is not the point of pitching.

[goldenjoeblow]

Yeah, because junk balling leads to great careers, doesnt it? . He'd be Kei Igawa v. 2 if he ever pitched in the states as a starter. He could probably have a some what effective bull pen career here though.

[TDSUSERS]

exgacly!!

[Willster54321]

@FElFEI speed is a major factor is pitching. thats why in the major leagues 99% of pitchers can hit the 90mph mark consistantly with a few exceptions

its true that if you can decieve with your pitch, then speed doesn't matter, but speed makes the hitter think much faster and quicken his pace and even the best hitters make errors.

[tsferg]

@FElFEI Speed sure helps.An inability to throw hard (Knucleballers aside) will definitely hurt your chances of going far.

[SmellsLikeCokeCola]

@tsferg yes i agree, but the beauty of submarine is that from the batters view the ball seems to flow.

when they got used to overhand pitcher and try to hit a submarine it becomes very difficult, and thats why a 70mph soft ball is harder to hit than a 90mph baseball (there is a video from Discovery Channel that talks about this) anyway my points is hitting the spot is more important than how hard you can throw. maybe i'm wrong but thats what i think... and excuse my poor english

[Nerdicusable]

@FElFEI

I agree. I'd rather be an accurate, stylistic pitcher than fast.

[tictac4884]

speed isnt the main part in pitching

[goldenjoeblow]

certainly not, but its very tough to make it by as a starter without an above average fastball which is generally falls some where in the low 90s to high 80s. You have to have really good off speed stuff, which Watanabe just doesn't have. Hes throwing his curveballs in the 50s and his sinkers in the 60s.

[futureKazmir]

to the person who said Joe Morgan never played in the MLB then your a total dumbass Joe Morgan is in the HOF

[DevilDawg02]

is that team called swallows? haha

[Contral88]

oh cool.. the japanese all star game