Inverted W

This is a term used to describe the position of a pitcher's arms as he picks up the baseball during the cocking phase of a pitch.

In the Inverted W, the pitcher picks up both of his elbows above his shoulders. Each arm resembles an upside-down 'V', so it is called an inverted 'W'.

People frequently ask why it isn't just called an 'M'. This is not just a font-based issue. The key here is not the 'W', it is the inverted position of the arm. The 'W' is just a method of describing the inversion. Simply calling this an 'M' does not do justice to the inversion of the arm in this and similar positions.

See also: Inverted V, Inverted L.