# MLB Pitching Motion: Starting the Windup

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-pitching-motion-starting-the-windup/988067>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** baseball-mlb\
**Created:** [August 4, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-pitching-motion-starting-the-windup/988067 "2023-08-04T18:41:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-pitching-motion-starting-the-windup/988067/1 "2023-08-04T18:41:18Z")

</div>

Maybe I am missing it, but it seems to me the start of a pitching windup simply lifts the glove over the pitcher’s head only to return to a resting position about chest high with the throwing arm about parallel to the ground for a moment just before the pitcher puts his whole body into the seemingly productive part of the windup that propels the baseball towards the plate.

My question is: Does the starting motion, raising the glove only to restore it about “letters high” (i.e., chest high and throwing arm parallel to the ground) have any purpose? I can’t see where any momentum is gained by this part of the windup.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2023, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-pitching-motion-starting-the-windup/988067/2 "2023-08-04T20:35:52Z")

</div>

Do you have a video clip to show what you are talking about? Windups vary among pitchers. Are you talking about a stretch, a simpler form of windup when there are runners on base?