Laurila: Q&A with Cleveland closer Cody Allen on rotating his spike
From SABR mmeber David Laurila at FanGraphs on August 23, 2018:
Cody Allen throws a lot of curveballs. As a matter of fact, the Cleveland closer has thrown the second-highest percentage (38.9%) of curveballs among qualified relievers since the start of the 2014 season. It’s hard to argue with success. Allen’s signature pitch has helped him amass 147 saves, the most in Indians history.
His grip, while not uncommon, isn’t entirely traditional, either. The 29-year-old right-hander throws a spiked curveball, which he learned and developed through the insistence of someone whose advice he’s always taken to heart. It was career-altering advice. Were it not for the pitch, Allen’s day-to-day experiences with rotation would be markedly different than they are on a mound.
Read the full article here: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/cody-allen-on-rotating-his-spike/
Originally published: August 24, 2018. Last Updated: August 24, 2018.