Carter Capps' delivery could make sustainable success challenging

It is not a secret any longer. Carter Capps has a notably odd delivery and it has caught the attention of baseball coaches, fans and front office executives.

When the Marlins acquired him, they had to have known that. But the thought process almost certainly was the organization would be able to adjust his delivery.

Since he has been in Miami, Capps has been injured on numerous occasions. Last season, he spent time on the disabled list with an elbow injury. That might be the case again.

Capps is set to visit Dr. James Andrews Monday after suffering from elbow pain early last week. The Marlins are not planning to consider adding relief help immediately. Instead, the organization will be patient.

Although there might not necessarily be a correlation, it should at least be considered Capps' delivery has something to do with the fact he has been plagued by elbow issues. In case you forgot what it looks like, here it is, courtesy of MLB.com:

As he delivers the ball, Capps appears to take a hop and leap forward. He has been successful, with his fastball routinely clocking in at or close 100 mph. For that reason, the Marlins felt he would be an ideal candidate to close games.

But to close games, he also has to remain healthy.

Capps' delivery was deemed legal by Major League Baseball but was consistently questioned since he appears to hop off the rubber as he moves toward home plate.

Our Michael Jong related Capps' velocity to his delivery. Given Capps' history of injuries, though, his injuries might be tied to his motion to the plate.

Capps, when healthy, is a valuable asset. His fastball, if he can command it, is seemingly untouchable, and his slider is notable effective against right-handed hitters.

Last season, Capps only tossed 31 innings. In 2014, he tossed just over 20.

The Marlins were hoping to enter Spring Training holding a competition for the closing job. It might be difficult to assess late inning relievers as spring games progress, but the Marlins wanted to see Capps and A.J. Ramos compete. Now, there is a chance that doesn't happen.

Although he is under club control, Capps might not have a long leash with the Marlins. He is a talented pitcher but he has yet to prove he can remain healthy.

Pitching guru Jim Benedict could help Capps adjust his delivery. But his motion to the plate might be the reason he cannot remain healthy. As a result, the Marlins could soon be in a position to move on.