C.J. Wilson: Loss of flexibility in left hip affected delivery, velocity
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Los Angeles Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson said he thinks his hip - and not sprained ankle - is to blame for his struggles prior to landing on the disabled list.
The Angels left-hander has been sidelined since July 10 with a "moderate" right ankle sprain, but Wilson told the Orange County Register that tightening in his left hip limited his ability to fully extend his delivery.
"It had the effect of dragging the ball back over the middle of the plate, which is bad," said Wilson, who failed to pitch beyond the fifth inning in four straight starts before hitting the DL. "That’s where they hit the ball."
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said it's possible Wilson could return as soon as Saturday in Tampa Bay after a promising rehab outing and bullpen sessions this week.
"Yeah, it’s better, way better," Wilson said after allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings at Double-Arkansas on Monday. "The sharpness of the breaking ball is the biggest thing. I can get all the way extended. And velocity was a lot easier to come by."
While the average velocity of Wilson's four-seam fastball has remained consistent over the year, he's experiencing a steady decline in the pitch's top-out speed as the season wears on.
[Courtesy: Brooks Baseball]
Wilson, 33, struck out 107 batters in 116 1/3 innings with a 4.33 ERA in 19 starts prior to the injury.