Joe Maddon on Carl Edwards Illegal Windup & Kyle Schwarber’s Vast Improvements
Fanatics View caught up with Cub’s manager Joe Maddon where he discussed Carl Edwards illegal windup and Kyle Schwarber’s new presence on the field.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, Edwards performed a Kenley Jansen-esque windup while pitching to the Rangers’ star shortstop, Elvis Andrus, which has generated some buzz regarding the windup’s legality. During the at-bat, Edwards began his windup by raising his knee and proceeded to lower his foot back on the rubber before finishing with his delivery. While the hard throwing righty might have been performing a “hold” to mix up his timing, Edwards’ foot reunited with the pitching rubber during his delivery, creating an illegal windup.
“He was very good with it in camp”, Maddon told Fanatics View and the media regarding Edwards’ new pitching mechanics. The young Cubs’ reliever worked during the off season to further develop his new delivery, which features a ‘hold’, or pause, to improve his mechanics and timing on the mound. Maddon followed up, saying that Edwards might have been trying to do “too many things at once” to disrupt the timing of the Rangers’ lineup.
“I’ve not seen that before”, Maddon commented in respect to the club’s power-hitting force Kyle Schwarber, who went 3 for 5 at the plate on Saturday, knocking in a home run, as well an impressive bunt to beat the shift in the 9th inning. “Hes got much better control of his body”, Maddon told media, expressing his excitement for the slugger’s new versatile additions. According to the club’s manager, Schwarber’s balance, base-running, and swing have seen great improvements from his hard work and mindset during the off-season, which has led the slugger to rejuvenate the all-star caliber performance he displayed in 2016 before tearing his ACL against the Diamondbacks. As the season progresses for the Cubs, Schwarber’s improvements have been felt throughout the club, and will continue to be a driving force at the plate, on the bases, and in the outfield.
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