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Questions/Answers 2009 |
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On Sunday, January 04, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 001. Yes I guess the A's did win the '74 World series, just a bit of wishful thinking on my part. (Also perhaps a bit of revisionist history.) I do remember Joe Ferguson's throw from right field to nail a runner at the plate. He had a tremendous arm. Once after a game in Sept. '74 I passed my self off as Steve Yeager with the help of a friend. I signed a number of autographs and for about 5 minutes I knew what it was like to be a Dodger. Davey Lopes saw what was going on and he just kind of smiled and winked at me. He was kind enuff to not blow my cover. I was only 18 yrs old at the time. My friend's girl friend tried to get your autograph for her brother, but you didn't sign. You did however tell her that she really just wanted to talk to you, not get an autograph. I remember she was puzzled at your remark. Oh well, that was a long time ago. There is a guy who goes to my church. His name is Perry Husband. He breaks down hitters swings the way you do for pitchers. Have you heard of him? I guess he has his fair share of baseball disciples, some even at the major league levels. Are you still teaching at University level, or are you busy with your baseball pitching/consulting business? Thanks for responding. P.S. Do you have your own version of baseball's all time top ten pitchers? Mine would include, Koufax, Clemens, Seaver, Gibson, Carlton, Maddox, Mathewson, Johnson, Spahn, & Martinez. I know there are many others as well. P.S.S. Who is the best hitter you ever faced? Where does Mr. Steroids (Bonds) fit into the all-time greats? What would have McCovey, Stargell, Killebrew or Schmidt done on steriods? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The purpose of my website is to eliminate pitching injuries. I do not participate in memorabilia and am not interested in nostalgia. I have never heard of Mr. Husband. I am retired. Other than administer my website, whenever invited, I present my information at baseball conventions and clinics. I do not make top ten lists. While not the most successful baseball batter against me, I consider Joe Morgan the most difficult baseball batter for me to get out. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 002. I should have understood earlier. Admittedly, I won’t be bringing the potato salad to any Mensa meetings but I can read “purdy gud”. Yet somehow, despite my best efforts, I failed to understand two important aspects of your pitching motion. You cleared them up during my last visit and they are making a big difference in a myriad of ways and I thought I’d share them in case they would help some of your other faithful readers. (1) “Towards second base”: I completely misunderstood applying force “towards second base” with the glove foot. I was “pushing dirt” towards home plate mistakenly thinking that that was the oppositely-directed force required to counteract the “towards home plate” force of my pitching arm. But as you pointed out, I was, in fact, pushing toward home plate. You want us to “push dirt” toward second base with the glove foot as if running towards home plate. What a revelation! My sons and my drivelines are much longer and straighter and, of course, much closer towards home plate. All of the other aspects of your motion; the vertical upper arm, inwardly rotating, shoulder tilt, pronating and finishing “with the hand in the back pocket” seem to happen more naturally (or is this just my imagination?). The verbal key that is working for us is “push-push” – meaning we push forward toward home plate with the pitching foot and then again with the glove foot. I’m using this verbal key because you have to allow the center of mass of your body to get ahead of the glove foot to be able to “push” towards second base. My 13 year old, immediately and easily made this important change – it was probably a relief to no longer be “swimming against the current”! One thing I’ve noticed, the pitching knee and pitching elbow seem to be moving “together” once we start to forwardly rotate. I’m assuming this is good because our pitching knee is well ahead of our glove knee at release. This brings me to my second lack of understanding. (2) “Inwardly rotating the pitching upper arm”: I just didn’t get it. Now it’s clear; when you bring the pitching hand forward from the slingshot position with the pitching hand inside of vertical, you are inwardly rotating the pitching upper arm! Duh. We pretty much were doing it but clearly understanding makes a difference. As always, thanks for your help. By the way, writing this e-mail and trying to be precise was exhausting. I’m going to go lie down now for a well deserved rest. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have explained these two critical skills of baseball pitching very well. I am sure that readers understand what you wrote better than what I wrote. Push-push works for me. We are still working on standardizing the drill that we are doing to teach baseball pitchers how to more powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. The Extreme Cross-Panel drill works. However, it has some drawbacks. 01. It requires a lot of room. If everybody had a baseball infield in their backyard, then, while facing the glove side base, they could throw from home plate to second base. 02. It requires baseball pitchers to release their throws at upward angles. Specificity of training requires that we train baseball pitcher to release their throws at the same angles that they release their pitches in competition. Therefore, at present: 01. I am having the guys stand on my pitching mounds in my Wind-Up Drop Out Competitive Baseball Pitching Motion facing away from the net into which they throw. 02. Then, to throw the baseball four feet to either side of home plate, which now becomes second base, I ask them to disengage the pitching rubber with their pitching foot, 03. drop their pitching arm out of their glove to pointing vertically downward by their side, 04. reverse rotate their hips and shoulders one hundred and eighty degrees until they point their acromial line at the new second base, 05. pendulum swing their pitching arm backward and upward to driveline height to arrive when their pitching foot lands on the line between the new home plate and second base, 06. pull straight back toward the new home plate with their glove arm and 07. drive the baseball straight toward where the shortstop or second baseman should be to pick a base runner off second base using either their Maxline or Torque force application technique. Because I want them to use this action to actually pick base runners off second base in competition: 01. they need to stand tall and rotate, 02. keep the center of mass of their body on line to their target, 03. move their body and arms synchronously, 04. transcribe a perfect elliptical pathway with their pitching arm, 05. point their glove arm directly at the target, 06. never take their pitching hand laterally behind their acromial line, 07. apply force straight toward the target, 08. powerfully inwardly roll their pitching shoulder behind their pitching upper arm, 09. powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, 10. powerfully extend their pitching elbow, 11. powerfully pronate their pitching forearm, 12. powerfully ulnar or radially flex their wrist, 13. powerfully flex their hand and 14. powerfully flex their index and middle fingers. When baseball pitchers perfect these actions, they will have used their pitching arm in the most powerful way to maximally accelerate baseballs toward home plate. When combined with my Drop Step Maxline body action and my Heel Toe Let It Go Torque body action, where they move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that they can 'push' backward toward second base with their glove foot, they will have perfected the baseball pitching motion that I recommend. If your young men has learned how to move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that they can push back toward second base with their glove foot, then they are indeed 'moving their pitching knee and pitching elbow toward home plate together.' At release, we definitely want the pitching knee well ahead of the glove knee. And, as you correctly noted, when baseball pitchers do this, they will inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, tilt their shoulder line to forty-five degrees and higher, release their pitches with their pitching forearm vertical or inside of vertical, pronate their pitching forearm, 'stick' their pitching hand in the strike zone and put their pitching hand in the back pocket on their pitching arm side 'naturally.' My congratulations to you and your sons. Contrary to Dr. Fleisig's teachings, when baseball pitchers powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, they do not put their Ulnar Collateral Ligament in danger. Instead, they prevent the Ulnar Collateral Ligament from receiving any stress at all. Therefore, contrary to Dr. Fleisig's teachings, it is impossible for baseball pitchers to inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm or extend their pitching elbow or pronate their pitching forearm too powerfully. Therefore, again contrary to Dr. Fleisig's teachings, the maximum release velocity that baseball pitchers can achieve is not 'just North of one hundred miles per hour. Instead, I believe that, after completing all my interval-training programs, the maximum release velocity that baseball pitchers can achieve depends on how perfectly they perform my baseball pitching motion. When asked this question at the 2007 Sabermetrics Convention, I answered that I believe that today's baseball pitchers have the genetics with which to throw one hundred and ten miles per hour. Whether pitching baseballs, throwing javelins, serving tennis balls, spiking volleyballs or performing any other sport action that requires maximum overhead velocity, to apply maximum force without any injurious stress, athletes must powerfully forwardly rotate their acromial line, inwardly rotate their upper arm, extend their elbow, pronate their forearm, flex their wrist, flex their hand and flex their fingers. These actions compliment each other, such that they sequentially fit together perfectly. My new Second Base Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm actions drill teaches baseball pitchers how to perfectly perform these skills. As you can see, your email did not exhaust me. Instead, your email energized me. What a great early morning pick-me-up. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 003. You might find this kinesiologist and physical therapist's article interesting: Eric Cressey article. Specifically, this portion: "They do a lot of Tommy John surgeries and ulnar nerve transpositions for elbow issues that can often be resolved with improving internal rotation range-of-motion at the shoulder, or cleaning up soft tissue restrictions on flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis, pronator teres, etc." Does this sound like something that would be applicable to your training protocol; specifically, how you attempt to increase the density of the humerus through iron ball training and the strength of the pronator teres through wrist weight training? ------------------------------------------------- Posted on Thursday, 17th January 2008 by admin Studying for the Wrong Test? Inefficiency vs. Pathology Q: I read with great interest your baseball interview at T-Nation, as I have two sons who play high school baseball. More interestingly to me, though, was this statement: “Pathology (e.g., labral fraying) isn’t as important as dysfunction; you can have a pathology, but not be symptomatic if you still move well and haven’t hit “threshold” from a degenerative or traumatic standpoint.” Is this something that can be applied to the rest of the body? A: Great question – and the answer is a resounding “Absolutely!” Many musculoskeletal issues are a function of cumulative trauma on a body with some degree of underlying inefficiency. People reach threshold when they do crazy stuff – or ignore inefficiencies – for long enough. Here are a few examples: Lower Back Pain As I touched on in a recent newsletter, we put a lot of compressive loading on our spines in the typical weight-training lifestyle – and you’d be surprised at how many people have spondylolysis (vertebral fractures) that aren’t symptomatic. But there’s more… A 1994 study in the New England Journal of Medicine sent MRIs of 98 “healthy” backs to various doctors, and asked them to diagnose them. The doctors were not told that the patients felt fine and had no history of back pain. 80% of the MRI interpretations came back with disc herniations and bulges. In 38% of the patients, there was involvement of more than one disc. It’s estimated that 85% of lower back pain patients don’t get a precise diagnosis. Shoulders You’d be amazed at how many people are walking around with labral fraying, partially torn rotator cuffs, and bone spurs. However, only a handful of people are in debilitating pain – and others just have a testy shoulder that acts up here and there. What’s the issue? These individuals might have a fundamental defect in place, but they’ve likely improved scapular stability, rotator cuff strength/endurance, thoracic spine range-of-motion, soft tissue quality, cervical spine function, breathing patterns, mobility of the opposite hip/ankle, and a host of other contributing factors – to the point that their issues don’t become symptomatic. Elbows They do a lot of Tommy John surgeries and ulnar nerve transpositions for elbow issues that can often be resolved with improving internal rotation range-of-motion at the shoulder, or cleaning up soft tissue restrictions on flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis, pronator teres, etc. According to Dr. Glenn Fleisig, during the throwing motion, at maximal external rotation during the cocking phase, there is roughly 64 Nm of varus torque at the elbow in elite pitchers. This is equivalent to having a 40-pound weight pulling the hand down. The other day, I emailed back and forth with my good friend, physical therapist John Pallof about elbows in throwing athletes, and he said the following: “Over the long term, bone changes just like any other connective tissue according to the stresses that are placed on it. Most every pitcher I see has some structural and/or alignment abnormality – it’s just a question of whether it becomes symptomatic. Many have significant valgus deformities. Just disgusting forces put on a joint over and over and over again.” Makes you wonder who is really “healthy,” doesn’t it? Carpal Tunnel I can’t tell you how many carpal tunnel surgeries can be avoided when people get soft tissue work done on scalenes, pec minor, coracobrachialis, and several other upper extremity adhesion sites – or adjustments at the cervical spine – but I can tell you it’s a lot. Knee Pain Many ACL tears go completely undiagnosed; people never become symptomatic. I know several people who have ruptured PCLs from car crashes or contact injuries – but they work around them. Some athletes have big chunks of the menisci taken out, but they can function at 100% while other athletes are in worlds of pain with their entire menisci in place. Many knee issues resolve when you clear up adhesions in glute medius, popliteus, rectus femoris, ITB/TFL, psoas, and the calves/peroneals; improve ankle and hip mobility; and get the glutes firing. I’m of the belief that all stress on our systems is shared by the active restraints and passive restraints. Active restraints include muscles and tendons – the dynamic models of our bodies. Passive restraints include labrums, menisci, ligaments, and bone; some of them can get a bit stronger (particularly bone), but on the whole, they aren’t as dynamic as muscles and tendons. Now, if the stress is shared between active and passive restraints, wouldn’t it make sense that strong and mobile active restraints would protect ligaments, menisci, and labrums? The conventional medical model – whether it’s because of watered-down physical therapy due to stingy insurance companies or just a desire to do more surgeries – fixes the passive restraints first. In some cases, this is good. In other cases, it does a disservice to the dynamic ability of the body to protect itself with adaptation. I’m also of the belief that there are only a handful of exercises that are genuinely bad; upright rows, leg presses, and leg extensions are a few examples. The rest are just exercises that are bad for certain people – or exercises that are bad when performed with incorrect technique. With these latter two issues in mind, find the inefficiency, fix it, and you’d be surprised at how well your body works when it moves efficiently. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rather than an article, Mr. Cressey answers a question. In the question, a parent of two high school baseball players wants to know at what point pathologies become injuries. In essence, Mr. Cressey answers that, whenever humans perform activities beyond normal every day basic needs, the stresses that they place on their body cause damage that require many repetitions to become debilities. To illustrate his point: 01. He cited a 1994 New England Journal of Medicine article in which orthopedic surgeons found serious vertebral column pathologies in patients without symptoms. 02. Without any scientific verification, he claimed that people also have shoulder pathologies without symptoms. 03. He also claimed that, instead of replacing ruptured Ulnar Collateral Ligaments and relocating the Ulnar Nerve from its groove behind the medial epicondyle, symptomatic baseball pitchers simply need to improve the inward rotation range-of-motion of their pitching upper arm or 'clean' up soft tissue restrictions of the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle. Next, without defining the asymptomatic pathology, he credited Dr. Glenn Fleisig with the finding that, during outward rotation, Elite baseball pitchers generate the equivalent of forty pounds of force on their pitching elbow. However, he then cited Mr. Pallor, a physical therapist, who stated that bones change as a result of stress. Growth and Development researchers have understood that bone tissue changes as a result of activity for over one hundred years since, in 1895, Roentgen invented the X-ray machine. In 1967, I demonstrated that, as a result of 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' 'traditional' baseball pitchers enlarged the coronoid process of their Ulna bone. 04. Mr. Cressey continued with some nonsense that Carpal Tunnel relates to muscles in the neck, collar bone and upper arm, presumably due to irritations to the Brachial Plexus. 05. Mr. Cressey further continued with silliness that the Gluteus Medius, Rectus Femoris, Psoas Major and other muscles contribute to knee problems. However, although, by including labrums, menisci and bone, he went too far, he did recognize that muscles actively protect ligaments. And, although not properly defining efficiency, he recognized that, to be effective, training requires specificity of training. In short, I found Mr. Cressey's comments short on scientific verification and severely lacking credibility. To specifically answer your question as to whether baseball pitchers can overcome ruptures of their Ulnar Collateral Ligament and Ulnar Nerve discomfort by improving the inward rotation range-of-motion of their pitching upper arm or 'cleaning' up soft tissue restrictions of the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle: 01. If they use my baseball pitching motion, to pitch competitively, baseball pitchers do not even need an Ulnar Collateral Ligament. However, I still recommend that they have one. 02. Therefore, once they ruptured their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, I recommend that 'traditional' baseball pitchers have Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgery. However, to never rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, baseball pitchers only need to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand facing upward and pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height in one smooth, continuous movement. After the have Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgery, to avoid re-rupturing their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, baseball pitchers have to learn how to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand facing upward and pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height in one smooth, continuous movement. The muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle have nothing to do with inward rotation of the upper arm. Therefore, Mr. Cressey's comment that baseball pitchers should 'clean' up tissue restrictions involving these muscles is nonsense. Further, even if these muscles had something to do with inward rotation of the pitching upper arm, they do not have any tissue restrictions that need any cleaning up. 03. On the other hand, I agree with Mr. Cressey that baseball pitchers with Ulnar Nerve discomfort do not need surgery to relocate their Ulnar Collateral Ligament to the front of the elbow joint. When, immediately before their start to pull their pitching elbow forward, 'traditional' baseball pitchers move their pitching hand close to their head, they cause an injurious flaw that I call, 'Looping,' where their pitching hand moves backward and outward before it starts moving forward. To eliminate this injurious flaw, 'traditional' baseball pitchers need to learn how to keep their pitching hand the full length of their pitching forearm behind their pitching elbow. 04. Mr. Cressey wrongly quoted Dr. Fleisig. In his Pathomechanics: Injuries to the Pitching Elbow article, Dr. Fleisig attributed rupturing the Ulnar Collateral Ligament to excessive inward rotation velocity, not outward rotation like Mr. Cressey said. However, Dr. Fleisig is wrong. 'Traditional' baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament during outward rotation of their pitching upper arm, not during inward rotation. Therefore, by misquoting Dr. Fleisig, I suppose that one could say that Mr. Cressey was correct. Unfortunately, being right by being wrong does not count. In conclusion, neither Mr. Cressey nor Dr. Fleisig know what they are talking about. However, when Mr. Cressey sort of correctly stated that muscle actions protect ligaments, he almost got something right. Unfortunately, Dr. Fleisig does not understand the difference between active and passive tissues. He thinks that the Ulnar Collateral Ligament 'pulls' the pitching forearm forward. In my baseball pitching motion, I teach my baseball pitchers to powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, extend their pitching elbow and pronate their pitching forearm. By pronating their pitching forearm, they contract the muscles of their medial epicondyle, which protect the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. With my wrist weight exercises and iron ball throws, my baseball pitchers increase the density of the involved bone tissue. Therefore, because my baseball pitching motion properly stresses bone tissue beyond the ability of normal bone tissue to withstand, to avoid injury, they need to increase their bone density. As evidence, Dr. Fleisig correctly found that, without any discomfort, my baseball pitchers inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm more powerfully than his Elite baseball pitchers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 004. For what its worth I thought the letter of the year was Charlie's retirement letter. That was about as moving a letter as you will find in all your letters. I think it should be on your Home page as an example of what being the best you can be is all about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recently, Charlie visited for a couple of days. Although, because he has detrained for a couple of months, he suffered significant lack of fitness muscle soreness the next day, he loved showing off the quality of the Maxline Pronation Curves that he throws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 005. Week of 12/29/08. Was wondering if you have anyone training this week? If so, then what is the normal time? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That week, we will be training all seven days. We train from 9:00 to 10:30AM. We are at the corner of Hwy 301 (Gall Blvd) and Vinson Avenue in Zephyrhills, FL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 006. In perusing your Q&A files, it seems like 2008 has been quite a year for all devotees Marshallian. Many successes for Marshall pitchers, and many facets of the Marshall technique seem to be finding their way into professional baseball. The amazing 12 year old pitcher is amazing indeed; watching him leap forward with his GAS leg is poetry in motion (not to mention the spin axes he is getting on his pitches.) It is indeed unfortunate that there are so many nay-sayers attempting to demean this young man's accomplishments. As you've said, he's a motor skill genius, but best of all, he seems to be having a heck of a good time throwing the ball with his unique style! It will be interesting to note how various rules committees react as the Marshall technique gains popularity as more and more youngsters master it. You've mentioned Dick Fosbury as someone who was ridiculed for introducing an advance in motor skill as related to sport. Another one who comes to mind is Hank Luisetti, who in the 1930's, revolutionized the game of basketball with his running one-handed shot, at a time when the two-handed set shot was the standard. (Luisetti was the first college player to score 50 points in a single game.) Were it not for Hank Luisetti, would we have ever had Pete Maravich? (now, the Pistol was a REAL motor skills genius!) I'm also reminded of David Berkoff, he of the "Berkoff Blastoff," which was quickly banned from international swimming competition in 1988, after Berkoff's rivals began copying him. Here's a link for you and your readers to enjoy regarding the "dolphin kick" and Berkoff: Washington Post article ------------------------------------------------- A Revolution That Began With a Kick Washington Post Staff Writer By Amy Shipley Friday, June 20, 2008 Even longtime swimming coaches profess to being baffled by the more than three dozen world records broken in the last 18 months in pools around the world. They wonder how to fully explain such a sudden and widespread explosion of speed in a sport contested since the first Olympics more than a century ago. The answer, they say, cannot lie solely in the latest high-tech swimsuits introduced amid a swirl of controversy this winter, because the world-record smashing began at last year's world championships -- long before the newest of the newfangled apparel came out. Swimmers, coaches and scientists say it is impossible to pinpoint one explanation. They cite many contributing factors, ranging from professional training groups that have sprouted across the United States to greater access to underwater cameras and other advanced technology. But some say the most significant breakthrough has been a revival of a swimming maneuver developed more than 70 years ago by one of the physicists who worked on the atomic bomb. Though utilized for decades, the underwater dolphin kick had not been fully exploited by the swimming mainstream until Olympic megastar Michael Phelps and a few other stars began polishing it -- and crushing other swimmers with it -- in recent years. Some say the revival has caused a quiet sensation that has been largely drowned out by the reaction to the suits, whose tightness, futuristic fabric and seam-free design make swimmers sleeker and more streamlined. It is the use of the dolphin kick, coaches point out, that keeps swimmers where they can best take advantage of whatever advantages the suits offer: underwater. "You cannot succeed without this skill," said Mark Schubert, the head coach and general manager of USA Swimming's national team. "It's a weapon," said Jonty Skinner, the performance science director for the U.S. national team. "It's been a quantum-leap difference," said Phelps's longtime coach, Bob Bowman. "Michael's going 13 meters underwater [using the kick] instead of five. That was what he did that Ian Thorpe didn't." Bowman was referring to Phelps's demolition of Thorpe's world record in the 200-meter freestyle last year, an achievement that stunned fans at the world championships in Melbourne, Australia. The mark set by the now-retired Thorpe, the greatest swimmer of his era, had been considered virtually untouchable before Phelps's swim. But Bowman said the difference in Phelps's record race (1 minute 43.86 seconds) and Thorpe's 2001 effort (1:44.06) was plain: Phelps stayed underwater longer off the turns, executing the undulating motion with his entire body that is designed to mimic a dolphin's use of its flipper. It wasn't that Thorpe did not use the dolphin kick. All elite freestylers have for years, rather than the old-fashioned flutter kick. But Thorpe came to the surface earlier throughout his race, dolphin-kicking less and relying more on his freestyle stroke. The problem for Thorpe? When executed properly, experts say, the underwater dolphin kick is faster than any stroke except a full-out freestyle sprint over 50 meters. Phelps's turns and underwater kicking were the difference, Bowman said. "Free-swimming 200 straight meters, Ian would probably win handily." Also known as the fly kick because of its connection with the butterfly stroke, the underwater dolphin kick has become so important, some coaches contend, it has earned its own classification. "There are now five strokes," Schubert said. "The fifth stroke is the underwater dolphin kick." Origins of the Kick The underwater dolphin kick attracted the interest of swimming innovators as early as the 1930s. The late Volney C. Wilson explored its possibilities before diving into later work on nuclear fission and the atomic bomb, according to David Schrader, a research professor at Marquette University who is Wilson's biographer. Schrader said Wilson, an alternate on the 1932 Olympic water polo team who studied fish propulsion at a Chicago aquarium, claimed to have shown the kick to Johnny Weissmuller, a training mate at the Illinois Athletic Club. "Weissmuller reproduced it perfectly, but was not impressed by it," said Schrader in a phone interview, recalling a conversation with Wilson. Indeed, the kick did not immediately take off. For years, swimmers relied on the flutter kick in the freestyle. The dolphin kick has always been associated with the butterfly, which was not contested in the Olympics until 1956. One of the first swimmers to turn heads with the underwater dolphin kick was David Berkoff, a Harvard graduate who became known for the "Berkoff Blastoff." In 1988, Berkoff set several world records in the 100 backstroke by dolphin-kicking for 35 meters underwater at the start of the race. When rivals began doing the same, FINA, the sport's international governing body, acted quickly, banning underwater swimming in the backstroke for more than 10 meters, then later, 15 meters. Seven years later, Arizona-based swim coach Bob Gillet urged his young butterfly star, Misty Hyman, not only to do the dolphin kick underwater as long as she could, but also to swim on her side to enhance the stroke's effects. By 1997, she was winning butterfly races by swimming 35 meters underwater. A year later, FINA banned swimming underwater more than 15 meters for the butterfly and freestyle. (In the breaststroke, swimming underwater has been banned since the 1950s; however, since 2005, competitors have been allowed one downward dolphin kick off the turns.) 'We All Studied Him' Despite the success of Berkoff, Hyman and others, few coaches were tempted to try to maximize the available 15 meters of underwater opportunity. Some looked at the success of Berkoff and Hyman as something of a fluke, figuring that extra time underwater would provide only temporary gains. They thought swimmers would surge ahead but fade at the end of races out of pure exhaustion, particularly in races longer than 100 meters. They also worried about safety; no one wanted swimmers passing out during practice while trying to hold their breath longer than usual. And because the kick was executed underwater, coaches added, it was a difficult skill to teach and evaluate. No one really knew the perfect way to do it. No one really knew whether it would be a big plus or not. So for years, many coaches and athletes worked on it only perfunctorily. "Nobody figures out what's faster until somebody goes faster using it, then all of the coaches sit in the video room saying, 'How are we going to beat this guy?' " Schubert said. Among the first swimmers to perfect the maneuver within the 15-meter limit, Schubert said, was American Neil Walker, who used to frustrate four-time Olympic gold medal winner Lenny Krayzelburg in backstroke races in 25-meter pools (as opposed to the Olympic 50-meter distance) in the late 1990s and early 2000s. With the extra turns, Walker could routinely defeat the more acclaimed Krayzelburg, surging ahead in the underwater portion of races. "We all studied him," Schubert said. "He was the first great dolphin kicker. We all studied his underwater technique and copied it." Then there was Phelps. In August 2002, Phelps broke the 400 individual medley record in a close race against teammate Erik Vendt at the U.S. championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In that race, Schubert recalled, Phelps -- then a rising teenage star -- passed Vendt in the last 50 meters by catapulting ahead with his dolphin kick. Back then, however, Phelps was just learning to use the kick to his advantage. He has mastered it only recently, coaches say, putting him in an elite group along with Americans Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol. A year before the 2004 Olympics in Athens, U.S. swimming coaches got together and agreed they needed to better understand this dolphin kick. Clearly it was important. But there was virtually no body of research on the topic. How much of a difference did it make? How should they teach it? Which was the best approach? They got in touch with group of scientists at George Washington University who had been studying how fish swim in an effort to aid in the design of small submarines for the Navy. USA Swimming's biomechanics coordinator, Russell Mark, immediately set the GW team -- which included professors Rajat Mittal and James Hahn and student Alfred von Loebbecke -- to the task of studying the underwater dolphin kick. The USA Swimming-sponsored research, which began in 2003, continues to this day. "The advantages of doing it," Mittal said, "are very apparent to everybody." The race has since been on to implement the kick. "I've talked to people about the fly kick being a weapon for your swimming that you must have," said Eddie Reese, a two-time Olympic team coach at the University of Texas. But in years past, "I was always disappointed I wouldn't see [school-age swimmers] doing the fly kick underwater. In the last five years, I've been seeing it more and more. "Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Aaron Peirsol -- you can't compete with them unless you can fly kick." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for the very interesting information. These examples show that, when someone invents something that greatly improves performances, others resist. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 007. I'm very impressed with this 12 yr. old and all he has learned in just a short time. He does so many things correctly and will be awesome by the time he reaches High School. In viewing him throwing the maxline true screwball, it looks as though he never gets to the "Lock" position and appears at driveline height he turns and bends his wrist with his thumb forward early. My understanding is you wanted your pitchers to position their wrist and hand for each pitch in the acceleration phase. Is this correct? If he continues without changing, would you be concerned that he may allow the batter to see when the screwball will be thrown early? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More important than tipping the pitch is, by leading his screwball with his thumb, he will never achieve his maximum Maxline True Screwball spin velocity. To properly release my Maxline True Screwball, I want my baseball pitchers to have the palm of their pitching hand facing forward with their middle finger horizontally driving through the top seam of the baseball. When baseball pitchers try to rotate their wrist, they will never achieve maximum spin velocities. The only way that baseball pitchers can achieve maximum spin velocity is by driving the tip of the middle finger through the top seam of the baseball toward home plate. With all that this young man has learned in such a short time, I did not want to add this detail to the mix. This is something that, with my Maxline True Screwball, until my baseball pitchers have their driveline perfected, I regularly wait to explain the proper middle fingertip release action. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 008. This is Amazing's father. I've been giving more thought to a variant of the first part of your motion. Of course I'm trying to appease what I believe will be rule changes in the future without introducing harmful elements. Here goes: 1) Both feet on the rubber, toes pointed straight ahead. 2) Hands come up to right pectoralis. 3) Full step backwards with right foot. 4) Acromial line forty five degrees (passively rotated). Above steps can be done slowly, following steps are in rapid succession. 5) Weight is shifted over right foot in a slight rocking motion. Left hand moves straight towards home plate, ending thumb down while right hand moves straight towards second ending with palm up. This is not a pendulum swing - the hands are driven directly toward home and second from the start position high on the chest. 6) Push off of right leg and complete the normal motion. I see a great possibility for limiting grab by not swinging the pitching arm up. Also, the "pivot" foot will be no farther from the rubber than a traditional pitcher's foot would be. However, the release point would also be more in line with a traditionalist's release point and, while we are still adding the body's velocity to the velocity generated by the arm, this added velocity would undoubtedly be reduced from what it is now. Please don't choke on your breakfast while reading this - I know many have altered your motion before - with unfortunate results. Believe me, I would love to see all kids release the baseball six to eight feet in front of the rubber, but we all know that's not going to be allowed so let's plan preemptively and be ready. Any huge problem in driving the hands straight outwardly from a high chest position towards home and second? I am assuming we can initiate a forward motion with the g/s heel beginning the instant the arms reach full extension. I know, for my son, this would allow me to address an almost insurmountable problem and that is the p/s arm swinging up, up and away until he transitions into a grab and ends up holding the baseball way over his head. I feel lousy even mentioning this to you because I know you've spent most of your life thinking about it, but I want your motion to be in the ballpark - not a museum. We HAVE TO conform just enough to get in the door. Then we'll blow their socks off. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If I understand what you wrote correctly, even though your son is right-handed, you want him to step backward off the pitching rubber with his pitching foot. Then, you want him to jump forward off his glove foot that remains on the pitching rubber. If they will make a rule that prevents my baseball pitchers from releasing their pitches eight feet in front of the pitching rubber, then they will make a rule that prevents baseball pitchers from pitching with their glove foot on the pitching rubber. I recommend that your son continue to practice his maximally extended driveline motion. I want to force the local rule makers to make a rule against it. Then, when they do, I want your son to be ready with another baseball pitching motion. With the new baseball pitching motion, I want him to use the one that I envisioned, where my baseball pitchers move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot and push back, but do not jump forward as your son does. To do this, instead of jumping off his pitching foot, then jumping off his glove foot, all he needs to do is step forward off with his glove foot and jump forward off the pitching rubber with his pitching foot. If he releases his pitches after he moves his pitching knee in front of his glove knee with his acromial line pointing as close a possible toward home plate, then he will release his pitches with his pitching foot close to his glove foot. With his pitching foot close to his glove foot, nobody will complain about where he releases his pitches. It is the final kick of his pitching foot toward home plate that he does that makes it obvious that he is releasing his pitches so far forward. Nevertheless, I believe that what he has invented is marvelous and the best possible way for baseball pitchers to throw their pitches. To correct for his 'looping,' I recommend that your son do my new Second Base Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm actions drill that I explained in Question/Answer 2009 #002. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 009. Tire drill for hitting I would appreciate if you would comment on this tire drill. I will have a clip of it in the attached video. Tire drill for hitting article. The tires are tractor tires. They weigh anywhere from 80 to 150 lbs. They are about 24 inches tall when laying flat on the ground. They stack the tire parallel to the ground, alternating heights to create different stimuli of the hitting zone. They hit the tires with sledgehammers that are 6, 8 and 10 lbs and are the standard length. According to the coach, these high school kids can perform 2 handed as well as top hand slams with precision, control and power. And they can do this without allowing the hammer to bounce too far from the point of contact. I take it the kids do this 2-4 time a week. I thought it would be nice for you to see what these kids are doing these days. I think the coach I am talking to places the tires up higher on some kind of platform so the kids can more readily mimic the baseball swing. The clip should give you a pretty good idea what I am asking. You have written that the tire drill slams the forearm bones into the distal humerus bone. I could not find any mention of shoulder trauma. My questions: 1. I have to assume there is no way you would want under 16 y/o biological baseball players doing this drill. Correct? 2. Wouldn't this drill traumatize the shoulder of under 19 y/o biologicals? If so, would it be the front of the shoulder. 3. Even if the shoulder growth plates were closed would this drill traumatize the shoulder? 4. Would it be correct to say that the benefit of swinging a sledge hammer would quickly dissipate because you would not have to recruit the muscles that help swing the heavier bat? Assuming this is true, how would a laymen that believed in Specificity of Training understand this? The coach is trying to replicate the swing with a heavier implement. So from a laymen's perspective, he has a specific swing and he is using the Overload Principle. Once again the coach does the drill with more specificity than is shown in the clip. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The video that I watched showed only a few seconds of kids swinging sledge hammers at tractor tires. They did not stack the tires. They had only one tire laying on the ground. The kids swung downward and hit the top and side of the tire. You are correct. The critical principle in all sport skill training is Specificity. The key to successful batting is quickness and directness to the pitched baseball. With six, eight and ten pound sledge hammers, the athletes would train the muscles that hold these weights up, not swing the weights horizontally toward pitched baseballs. I am not very concerned for the involved growth plates as I am for the incorrectness of the force-couple technique. These guys will develop loops through which baseball pitchers can drive a tractor through. This video is a perfect example of when you have no idea what you are doing, at least keep everything moving. I saw nothing of value to playing baseball. This guy is nuts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 010. The ASMI 27th Annual Injuries in Baseball Course. When I read through the list of presentations, I noticed that not one talked about the causes of pitching injuries and how to prevent them. Instead, they talked about how to diagnose injuries, how to do surgeries and how to rehabilitate injuries. If you were to "crash" this gathering and tell them what causes pitching injuries and how to prevent them, then you would put all these people out of business. The ASMI 27th Annual Injuries in Baseball Course ------------------------------------------------- The ASMI 27th Annual Injuries in Baseball Course International Hotel, Houston, Texas FRIDAY, January 23, 2009 7:10 a.m. LIVE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Shoulder Anatomy; Manuj Singhal, M.D. 7:30 a.m. LIVE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Physical Exam of the Shoulder; Neal S. ElAttrache, M.D. and Lonnie Paulos, M.D. 7:50 a.m. Biomechanics of the Shoulder; Glenn S. Fleisig, Ph.D. 8:10 a.m. Diagnostic Studies of the Shoulder: X-Ray, MRI, CT and Ultra Sound; Dave Lintner (Houston Astros MD) 8:30 a.m. Operative Management of Rotator Cuff Pathology in Throwers; Neal S. ElAttrache, M.D. 8:50 a.m. Other Less Common Pathologies in the Throwers Shoulder; Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D. 9:10 a.m. Rehabilitation of Rotator Cuff Injuries; Michael M. Reinold, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 10:15 a.m. Introduction to the Labrum: Anatomy, Pathology and Diagnosis; Walt Lowe, M.D. 10:35 a.m. Injuries to the Labrum; Russ Paine, P.T. 10:55 a.m. Labral Pathology: Operative Management to Include Complete 360 Degree Labral Tears. The Extreme SLAP; E. Lyle Cain, Jr., M.D. 11:15 a.m. The Loss of Internal Rotation in Throwers: Causes and Treatment. Does This Cause Injury? New Research; Kevin E. Wilk, D.P.T. 11:35 a.m. Capsular Microinstability in Throwers; Lonnie Paulos, M.D. 11:55 a.m. The Batters Shoulder: Post Instability; Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D. 12:15 p.m. Biceps Tendon Injuries in the Thrower; Walt Lowe, M.D. 12:35 p.m. Putting It All Together: What I Have Learned About the Throwing Shoulder in the Last 35 Years; James R. Andrews, M.D. 2:20 p.m. Scapular Training, Strengthening and Muscular Education Techniques; Russ Paine, P.T. 2:40 p.m. Techniques to Keep the Pitchers Healthier Through the Season; Jamie Reed, M.S., A.T.,C. 3:00 p.m. Dynamic Stabilization Exercises for the Upper Extremity in Throwers; Kevin E. Wilk, D.P.T. 3:20 p.m. Dynamic Reactive Exercises for the Shoulder; Ken Crenshaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 3:40 p.m. Changes in Strength ROM Over the Course of the Season: Efficacy of Stretching and Strengthening; Michael M. Reinold, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 4:00 p.m. Hamstring Injuries in Baseball Players: Recognition and Treatment; Bob Mangine, M.Ed., P.T., A.T.,C. 4:20 p.m. Special Rehab Considerations for the Windmill Pitcher; Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Sc.D., P.T., F.A.P.T.A. 5:05 p.m. Plyometrics to Enhance Baseball Performance; Russell Orr, M.S., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S., L.M.T. 5:45 p.m. In Season Conditioning to Maximize Performance; Nathan Shaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 6:05 p.m. Advance (Complex) Periodization; Javair Gillett, C.S.C.S. 6:25 p.m. Protecting the Starting Pitcher; Perry Castellano, C.S.C.S. - R 6:45 p.m. More Core Training Drills;Russell Orr, M.S., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S., L.M.T. SATURDAY, January 24, 2009 8:05 a.m. LIVE VIDEO DEOMNSTRATION: Anatomy of the Elbow; Tom Gill, M.D. (Red Sox) 8:25 a.m. Biomechanics of the Elbow; Dave Fortenbaugh, M.S. 8:45 a.m. LIVE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Physical Exam of the Thrower’s Elbow; Walt Lowe 9:05 a.m. Valgus Extension Overload: Pathophysiology and treatment of Posterior problems in the thrower’s elbow; Keith Meister, M.D. 9:25 a.m. Non-Operative Treatment of Specific Elbow Pathologies; Lenny Macrina, MS, PT, SCS 10:10 a.m. Diagnosis of Medial Elbow Pain in the Throwing Athlete; J.P. Bramhall, M.D. 10:30 a.m. Rehabilitation for the Painful In-season Thrower’s Elbow; Ken Crenshaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 10:50 a.m. The Tommy John Injury Epidemic: Risk Factors and Outcome with Reconstruction; E. Lyle Cain, Jr., MD 11:10 a.m. Rehabilitation Following UCL Surgery; Kevin E. Wilk, D.P.T. 11:30 a.m. UCL Reconstruction in Patients with Intraligamentous Bony Pathology; Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D. 11:50 a.m. Newer Alternative Techniques for UCL Reconstruction; Neal S. ElAttrache, M.D. 12:10 p.m. Rehabilitation Following UCL Surgery; Kevin E. Wilk, D.P.T. 2:05 p.m. Smokeless Tobacco Update; John F. Wisniewski, D.M.D., M.S. 2:25 p.m. Hydration and Possible Dangers of “Energy Drinks”; TBA 2:45 p.m. What You Need to Know About Lasiks Eye Surgery; TBA 3:05 p.m. Developing an Emergency Action Plan; Tracy R. Ray, M.D. 3:25 p.m. Baseball Voodoo; Craig Young, M.D. 4:30 p.m. Common Biomechanical Faults of Adolescent Pitchers; Becky Bolt, M.S. 4:50 p.m. The Epidemic and Overview of Throwing Arm Injuries in Youth Baseball; Tom Gill, M.D. 5:10 p.m. Guidelines for Strengthening and Stretching Exercises for the Adolescent Thrower; Michael M. Reinold, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 5:30 p.m. Four Week Training Program for Adolescent Baseball Players; Rafael Escamilla, Ph.D., P.T., C.S.C.S., F.A.C.S.M. 5:50 p.m. Practice Makes Perfect: Athletic Development Practice On-The Field; Javair Gillett, C.S.C.S. 6:10 p.m. Youth Health and Performance: There’s Gotta Be a Better Way; Tom House, Ph.D. 6:30 p.m. TBA; Michael J. Axe, M.D. 6:50 p.m. Throwing Guidelines for Youth Baseball Players: Scientific Data; Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Sc.D., P.T., F.A.P.T.A. SUNDAY, January 25, 2009 8:05 a.m. Preventing and Dealing with Knee Injuries in Catchers; William G. Clancy, Jr., M.D. 8:25 a.m. Rehab Following ACL Injury and Surgery Guidelines; Russ Paine, P.T. 8:45 a.m. Squat and Lunge Exercises for Knee Rehabilitation; Rafael Escamilla, Ph.D., P.T., C.S.C.S., F.A.C.S.M. 9:50 a.m. How Trunk Motion and Arm Slot Affect Arm Torque; Arnel Aguinaldo, M.S, A.T.,C. 10:10 a.m. Biomechanics of the Lower Extremities During Pitching; David Stodden, Ph.D., C.S.C.S. 10:30 a.m. Common Mechanical Traits of Power Pitchers; Bill Thurston 10:50 a.m. Do Biomechanical Evaluations Help? Clinical Outcome for 100 Pitchers; Glenn S. Fleisig, Ph.D. 11:10 a.m. TBA; Rick Peterson 12:20 p.m. Pregame Meal Planning; Local Nutritionist 12:40 p.m. Practical Approach to Dermatology; David Braunreiter, M.D. 1:00 p.m. Headaches; Craig Young, M.D. or José O. Ortega, M.D. 1:20 p.m. Managing Seasonal Allergies and Asthma; Craig Young, M.D. or José O. Ortega, M.D. 12:20 p.m. Core Function and Training Techniques; Ken Crenshaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 12:40 p.m. Core Training Techniques: Part II; Nathan Shaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 1:00 p.m. Techniques to Enhance Neuromuscular Control for the Lower Extremity – Knee and Ankle: Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Sc.D., P.T., F.A.P.T.A. 1:20 p.m. High Ankle Sprain Management; Bob Mangine, M.Ed., P.T., A.T.,C. 1:40 p.m. Techniques to Improve Shoulder Motion; Russ Paine, P.T 2:00 p.m. Techniques to Measure Shoulder ROM: Which One is Best?; Leonard C. Macrina, P.T., C.S.C.S. 2:20 p.m. Training the Hip and Pelvis for Explosive Power in Baseball; Todd Hooks 2:40 p.m. TBA 3:00 p.m. New Concepts and Techniques for Stretching; Mike Ryan, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 3:20 p.m. Explosive Speed and Strength Training; Robert E. Mangine, M.Ed., P.T., A.T.,C. 12:20 p.m. Arm Care for the Youth Pitcher; Ron Wolforth 12:50 p.m. TBA; Dick Mills 1:20 p.m. TBA; Rick Peterson 1:50 p.m. TBA; E. David Osinski, M.A. 2:20 p.m. Building an Efficient Motion: How to Get the Most Out of Your Body; Bill Thurston ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over the twenty-seven years that the American Sports Medicine Institute has offered this Annual Injuries in Baseball Course, baseball pitching injuries have dramatically increased and the nonsense that they present is a major cause of that dramatic increase. To tell us about the injuries they see, they have a long list of orthopedic surgeons that know nothing about the baseball pitching motion. 01. James R. Andrews, M.D. 02. Michael J. Axe, M.D. 03. J.P. Bramhall, M.D. 04. David Braunreiter, M.D. 05. E. Lyle Cain, Jr., M.D. 06. William G. Clancy, Jr., M.D. 07. Jeffrey R. Dugas, M.D. 08. Neal S. ElAttrache, M.D. 09. Tom Gill, M.D. 10. Dave Lintner M.D. 11. Walt Lowe, M.D. 12. José O. Ortega, M.D. 13. Lonnie Paulos, M.D. 14. Tracy R. Ray, M.D. 15. Manuj Singhal, M.D. 16. Craig Young, M.D. To tell us how to rehabilitate these injuries, they have a short list of biomechanists that know nothing about the baseball pitching motion. 01. Becky Bolt, M.S. 02. David Donatucci, M.Ed., C.S.C.S. 03. Glenn S. Fleisig, Ph.D. 04. David Stodden, Ph.D., C.S.C.S. To tell us how to rehabilitate these injuries, they have a long list of physical therapists that know nothing about the baseball pitching motion. 01. Arnel Aguinaldo, M.S., A.T.,C. 02. Perry Castellano, C.S.C.S. - R 03. Ken Crenshaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 04. Rafael Escamilla, Ph.D., P.T., C.S.C.S., F.A.C.S.M. 05. Javair Gillett, C.S.C.S. 06. Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Sc.D., P.T., F.A.P.T.A. 07. Robert E. Mangine, M.Ed., P.T., A.T.,C. 08. Russell Orr, M.S., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S., L.M.T. 09. E. David Osinski, M.A. 10. Russ Paine, PT 11. Michael M. Reinold, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 12. Nathan Shaw, A.T.,C., C.S.C.S. 13. Kevin E. Wilk, D.P.T. 14. John F. Wisniewski, D.M.D., M.S. To tell us about the baseball pitching motion, they have a short list of the usual suspects that teach the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion that destroys baseball pitchers. 01. Tom House, Ph.D. 02. Dick Mills 03. Rick Peterson 04. Bill Thurston 05. Ron Wolforth For three days of worthless information, they charge physicians $550.00 and everybody else $450.00. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 011. 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program edit suggestions. In your Question/Answer file, you have said that youth baseball pitchers can complete your 60-Day program and to do so does not count against their sixty days of competitive pitching. I think that you should add a sentence saying this in your 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program. I also added a question about whether youth baseball pitchers should continue to do their wrist weight exercises and iron ball throws throughout the year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are also correct that, to improve their skills, especially their releases, I want youngsters to use my 60-Day program at least once during their off-season. To improve their fitness, I also want them to complete my 60-Day program before their competitive season. However, I only want them to do my 60-Day program IF THEY want to do them. When they are not completing my 60-Day program, I do not recommend that they continue to do my wrist weight exercises and iron ball throws. However, if they want to fool around with my lid throws, plastic javelin throws and appropriately-sized football throws, I would have no objection. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 012. Finger pain. My son is a high school pitcher, He is 6'1" 160 lbs. a Junior, 85 mph fast ball. He has pitched rather well for size. Colleges and scouts have been watching him. In November while throwing, his middle pitching finger began having so much pain that he cannot throw anymore. This pain is behind the finger nail next to the joint. He did have some swelling in this joint when it first happened. I have taken him to three sports doctors and they all have different methods of treatment. None of these treatments have relieved the pain. I did get an X-ray of his finger. It looked normal. I have asked for an MRI but was told that an MRI would not show anything. They keep telling me they can't feel any tissue damage. The pain is only when he throws baseball or positions the tip of his middle finger towards his palm and pulls on the finger tip. I have searched the internet and have found articles that state a pitchers middle finger is prone to injuries. I'm running out of time and doctors. Do you have any suggestions? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The tendons of the Flexor Digitorum Profundus muscle attach to both sides of the distal phalange of the middle finger. It sounds as though your son has injured one or both of these attachments. I would think that a MRI of his hand would be the best way to determine whether these attachments are still sound. He could also have a problem with the joint between the distal and middle phalanges of his middle finger. For example, he could have inflamed hyaline cartilage on one or both of the articular surfaces. Perhaps, he has an arthritic condition. Again, I would think that a MRI of his hand would be the best way to determine the status of this joint. Perhaps, instead of a sports doctor, you should see muscle and joint specialist. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 013. Torque fastball. My question concerns striding closed on your Torque fastball. In Q#285, you write about traditional pitchers: "If they stride closed, then they can still injure the front of their pitching shoulder." It looks like your guys stride closed on your Torque pitches. 1. Why don't your guys hurt the front of their shoulders. Also, on your torque pitches, you want your guys to step forward BEFORE the baseball gets to their pitching hip. Therefore their glove foot lands before the baseball gets to driveline height. It seems to me this gives your guys a better chance to get their pitching hip ahead of their glove hip. Yet, on Maxline pitches, you want your guys to step forward after the baseball clears the hip and arrive at driveline height at the same time that the glove foot lands. 2. Can you explain why you have different body actions for Maxline and Torque pitches as it relates to the position of the baseball when the glove foot lands? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. When my baseball pitchers throw my Torque pitches, even though I teach them to step on the line between their pitching foot and straight forward, unlike 'traditional' baseball pitchers, they do not injure the front of their pitching shoulder because they do not have 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' which, to get the baseball in the seventeen inch width of home plate, they do not have to pull their pitching upper arm across the front of their body. 02. With my Maxline pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to make the baseball move to the pitching arm side of home plate. To be able to do this: a. My baseball pitchers have to rotate their acromial line forward to point as closely toward home plate as possible. To facilitate their ability to rotate their shoulders forward to point as close toward home plate as possible, I teach my baseball pitchers to stand with their pitching foot on the three and one-half inches of the glove arm side of the pitching rubber, step at a forty-five degree angle to the glove arm side of their body and, after their glove foot lands, drive their pitching knee toward their glove knee. This action forces my baseball pitchers to rotate their hips forty-five degrees in front of perpendicular to the driveline toward home plate. Then, when my baseball pitchers move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that they can accelerate the center of mass of their body toward home plate, they can extend the time over which they can continue to rotate their hips and shoulders forward. Then, after their glove foot push-back, they can pull their glove forearm straight backward toward second base and continue to rotate their pitching shoulder forward. b. My baseball pitchers have to release my Maxline pitches as far to the glove side of home plate as possible. Because, with my Maxline pitches, my baseball pitchers point their pitching upper arm as vertically as possible, tilt the line across the top of their shoulders to the glove arm side as far as possible and drive their pitching forearm as far inside of vertical as possible, my baseball pitchers release their pitches over their pitching shoulder. After they drop step at forty-five degrees to the glove arm side of their body off the extreme glove side of the pitching rubber, my baseball pitchers release their Maxline pitches outside of the glove arm side of home plate. Therefore, in addition to spin axes that cause the baseball to move to their pitching arm side of home plate, my baseball pitchers can apply lateral force to their Maxline pitches and still throw the baseball in the seventeen inches of the width of home plate. To be able to apply force to the pitching arm side of home plate, my baseball pitchers have to get their pitching hand inside of vertical and drive their pitching hand to the pitching arm side of their body. To succeed, they cannot pull their pitching upper arm across the front of their body. Therefore, when their glove foot lands, they have to have their pitching hand at driveline height. If they do not, then, when they push off their glove foot, because they would have to pull their pitching upper arm forward, they will unnecessarily stress the front of their pitching shoulder. That is why, with my Maxline force application technique, I make sure that my baseball pitchers do not step forward until their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body. 03. With my Torque pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to make the baseball move to the glove arm side of home plate. To be able to do this: a. My baseball pitchers have to turn the straight driveline toward home plate to the glove arm side of home plate. To facilitate their ability to drive their pitching hand toward the glove arm side of home plate, I teach my baseball pitchers to stand with their pitching foot on the three and one-half inches of the pitching arm side of the pitching rubber, land with their glove foot heel on the line between their pitching foot and straight forward, roll forward over the full length of their glove foot and, when they come up on their glove toes, sharply turn their shoulders to forty-five degree angle to the glove arm side of their body and drive their pitching knee toward the glove arm side of home plate. This action forces my baseball pitchers to rotate their hips forty-five degrees in front of perpendicular to the driveline toward home plate. Then, when my baseball pitchers move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that they can accelerate the center of mass of their body toward home plate, they can extend the time over which they can continue to rotate their hips and shoulders forward. Then, after their glove foot push-back, they can pull their glove forearm straight backward toward second base and continue to rotate their pitching shoulder forward. b. My baseball pitchers have to release my Torque pitches as far to the pitching arm side of home plate as possible. Because, with my Torque pitches, my baseball pitchers point their pitching upper arm as vertically as possible, tilt the line across the top of their shoulders to the glove arm side as far as possible and drive their pitching forearm as far inside of vertical as possible, my baseball pitchers release their pitches over their pitching shoulder. After they step on the line between their pitching foot and straight forward off the extreme pitching arm side of the pitching rubber, my baseball pitchers release their Torque pitches slightly outside of the pitching arm side of home plate. Therefore, in addition to spin axes that cause the baseball to move to their glove arm side of home plate, my baseball pitchers can apply lateral force to their Torque pitches and still throw the baseball within the seventeen inches of the width of home plate. To be able to apply force to the glove arm side of home plate, my baseball pitchers have to get their pitching hand outside of vertical and drive their pitching hand to the glove arm side of their body. To succeed, they have to apply a side force to their pitching arm. To apply this side force, they step closed and turn their hips and shoulders toward the glove side of home plate. With their pitching upper arm vertical, this sudden turn of their hips and shoulders to the glove side of home plate centrifugally slings the pitching forearm laterally away from their body. Therefore, when the heel of their glove foot lands, they have to have their pitching hand below driveline height. To centrifugally sling their pitching forearm laterally away from their body, they have to delay their pitching arm reaching driveline height until they roll across the entire length of their glove foot and come up on their glove toes when they sharply rotate their hips and shoulders to the glove arm side of home plate. If they have their pitching arm at driveline height when their glove foot lands, then they will release the baseball before roll across the entire length of their glove foot and come up on their glove toe when they sharply rotate their hips and shoulders to the glove side of home plate and the baseball will stay to the pitching arm side of home plate. That is why, with my Torque force application technique, I make sure that my baseball pitchers step forward before they start to pendulum swing their pitching arm downward. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 014. IHSBC Chicago, Jan 30-31, 2009. I read on your site Wednesday that you plan to be appearing at an upcoming Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association clinic, but that you did not yet know the precise location and time of your presentation. Therefore, I sent an email to the association's Clinic Director, Chuck Gandolfi, to see if he could provide the specific information. In his reply, he said you had not been confirmed as a clinician and that he would contact me next week should anything change. I'm hopeful whatever is necessary to secure your participation in this clinic can be worked out. I'm excited about the possibility my son's coaches could hear about your work in person. One would think educators, entrusted with the care of young arms during some of their most vulnerable years, would be the most receptive audience for academic research on "how to eliminate all baseball pitching injuries while increasing release velocity, pitch variety, pitch quality and release consistency." I will be watching, optimistically, for good news about a Dr. Marshall trip to Chicago this month! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A couple of months ago, Mr. Gandolfi asked me to present at the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Clinic. I immediately agreed. He told me that I am presenting on Friday night January 30, 2009 and Saturday morning January 31, 2009. I have purchased the airline tickets. I have reserved the car. To meet with whomever wants to talk baseball pitching, we will be at the White Sox Training Center in Lisle, IL from noon on Friday until they close the place and again on Saturday from when they open the place until 4:00PM when we have to leave for the Midway Airport. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************************************** On Sunday, January 11, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 015. Looked for your 2009 Q&A file to usher in the New Year and was profoundly disappointed to get my coffee, pop tart and not be able to find it! Hope all is well. On an aside, you make mention of Casio's EX series camera in your equipment files and that is great. However, I would not direct readers to a specific distributor as something untoward may come about and you could find yourself in the middle of it. As an example, I bought mine mid '08 when it was exceedingly difficult to find one in this country and I had difficulty with some of these camera "storefronts" before I found a reputable retailer. I know nothing about the distributor you direct your readers to but you may want to insert a caveat for your protection. Pitching question: By shortening the p/s stride (or leap), my son should be able to rotate much faster, right? I had him try it a couple of times last night while he was inside, in his socks - nonetheless to my eye he appeared to rotate much faster. This correlates to bringing the arms in for the spinning skater (angular momentum or some such thing) to increase rotational velocity. For our purposes it would be facilitating movement of the g/s towards second thereby increasing the directed force of the p/s to home. You know I'm starting to get so good at throwing out technical terms I barely understand that I impress myself - I should open a website! Anyway, am I right? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry about the delay in this week's Question/Answer file. On Sunday, I received an email that I wanted to include and it is taking me several hours to respond. With any luck, I will finish it this morning. I will put a disclaimer in my Equipment Vendors file. Thank you. I believe that how quickly baseball pitchers rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching arm forward depends on how powerfully they pull their glove forearm straight backward and how powerfully they drive their pitching knee toward their glove knee. However, with balance a factor, I can see how shorter glove foot steps would help. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 016. I would like for you to read this article regarding internal rotation in the pitching motion: Mr. Somers article In it, the author documents that he believes extending the pitching arm before internally rotating the shoulder will increase release velocity and help to protect the arm from UCL-related injuries. I emailed him to note that ASMI documented significantly higher internal rotation velocities in your "torque group" as compared to the ASMI "elite" pitcher, yet the lack of UCL-related injuries in your camp would indicate that valgus stress caused by internal rotation may not be the cause of UCL ruptures. Can you please speak to this article and give your educated opinion on it? I would be most interested. Thank you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First, I appreciate that you took the time to tell me about this article. Second, I appreciate that you emailed Mr. Somers that my baseball pitchers achieve significantly higher inward rotation velocities than ASMI's Elite group, yet never suffer Ulnar Collateral Ligament injuries. Because I have decided to review this article sentence by sentence, I will not waste the space needed to rewrite the entire article. However, I will distinguish what Mr. Somers wrote with bold text and what I write without bold text. -------------------------------------------------- Mr. Somers wrote, "In the previous article Biomechanics: Ulnar Collateral Ligament, the discussion centered on what causes UCL tearing and how to prevent it." I appreciate that Mr. Somers is trying to determine what causes baseball pitchers to rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament and what baseball pitchers have to do to prevent this injury. Mr. Somers wrote, "One of my conclusions was to delay internal rotation until after arm extension." Apparently, Mr. Somers concluded that one solution to baseball pitchers rupturing their Ulnar Collateral Ligament is for baseball pitchers to extend their pitching elbow until after they inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. Mr. Somers wrote, "This article will discuss that concept in greater detail. Until I learn more about this concept, I will wait to comment. Mr. Somers wrote, "Delayed internal rotation is the term I use to describe arm action that involves the triceps brachii as the primary accelerator of the forearm as opposed to the muscles of the rotator cuff." I have two problems with this statement. 01. With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, baseball pitchers do not actively extend their pitching elbow. Therefore, they do not use their Triceps Brachii muscle. In the video of Nolan Ryan that Mr. Somers included in this article, viewers can see where Mr. Ryan's pitching elbow moves from bent at ninety-degrees to one hundred and eighty degrees straight. However, Mr. Ryan did not use his Triceps Brachii muscle to straighten his pitching elbow. Instead, because right-handed Mr. Ryan took his pitching arm laterally behind his body toward first base, to throw the baseball toward home plate, he had to return his pitching arm to the pitching arm side of his body. Therefore, he applied toward-third-base force to his pitching arm. However, because he wants to throw the baseball toward home plate, not third base, Mr. Ryan has to stop the baseball from going toward third base and turn it toward home plate. This action generates a toward-third-base centripetal force that 'slings' his pitching forearm laterally away from his body toward third base. It is this centripetal force that straightens his pitching elbow, not his Triceps Brachii muscle. To prevent his olecranon process from slamming into its fossa, Mr. Ryan reflexively contracts the Brachialis muscle. However, because the centripetal force is very strong, even though it is contracting, his Brachialis muscle lengthens. In Kinesiological terms, this is called, an 'eccentric muscle action.' 02. The rotator cuff muscles do not accelerate the pitching forearm. Four muscles make up the rotator cuff. The Subscapularis muscle inwardly rotates the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm. The Supraspinatus muscle abducts the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm. The Infraspinatus muscle outwardly rotates the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm. And, the Teres Minor muscle outwardly rotates the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm. We now know that Mr. Somers is Anatomically and Kinesiologically challenged. Mr. Somers wrote, "Internal rotation and arm extension occur in perpendicular planes... ." During shoulder joint inward rotation, the anterior surface of the Humerus bone rotates inwardly. During elbow joint extension, the anterior surface of the Ulna bone moves away from the anterior surface of the Humerus bone. What planes is he talking about? Mr. Somers wrote, "so sequencing is important for efficient energy transfer through the kinetic chain." I agree that, to efficiently transfer force from the Shoulder Girdle, to the Shoulder Joint, to the Elbow joint, to the Forearm Joint, to the Wrist Joint, to the Hand Joint and the Finger Joints, each joint of the pitching arm has to sequentially apply force on top of the force generated by the preceding joint or joints. Mr. Somers wrote, "The kinetic chain starts at the ground, moves up through the body, and ends in the finger tips. Because, after the glove foot lands, the baseball is not moving toward home plate, 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not have a kinetic chain that starts at the ground. Mr. Somers wrote, "Since the focus here is on arm acceleration, the analysis of the chain will start at the shoulder with the upper arm in an externally rotated position." The 'externally rotated position' to which Mr. Somers refers is that moment in the pitching motion where the pitching forearm is horizontally behind the pitching elbow when the pitching elbow is moving toward home plate. I prefer to call this position, the maximum pitching forearm acceleration position. Mr. Somers wrote, "From the shoulder, a series of arm movements is responsible for completing the chain." Actually, the joint that starts the kinetic chain for the pitching arm is the Shoulder Girdle, which means the movement of the Scapula bone. To drive the baseball toward home plate, all baseball pitchers abduct their Scapula bone, which means that the Scapula bone moves away from the vertebral column. The second joint in the kinetic chain for the pitching arm is the Shoulder Joint, which means the movement of the Humerus bone. To drive the baseball toward home plate, 'traditional' baseball pitchers horizontally flex their Humerus bone, which means that the Humerus bone moves horizontally forward and across the front of their body. The third joint in the kinetic chain for the pitching arm is the Elbow Joint, which means the movement of the Ulna bone. However, 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not drive their Ulna bone toward home plate. Therefore, because the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion does not use the muscles of the elbow joint to accelerate the baseball, their baseball pitchers do not have a kinetic chain for their pitching arm. Mr. Somers wrote, "As the trunk accelerates, the shoulder toward the plate, the humerus establishes a plane of motion." To accelerate their pitching arm toward home plate, baseball pitchers rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward. Because, at release, 'traditional' baseball pitchers align their entire pitching arm with the line across the top of their shoulders, the angle at which they lean the line across the top of their shoulders determines the angle at which they release their pitches. Therefore, contrary to Mr. Somers' comment, the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm does not establish the plane of motion, the line across the top of the shoulders establishes the plane of motion. Mr. Somers provided a graphic of a circle with a straight line arrow showing how baseball pitchers release their pitches tangent to the arc that their pitching hand transcribed. I agree that 'traditional' baseball pitchers apply force to their pitches along a curvilinear pathway. Therefore, as Sir Isaac Newton's Law of Inertia explains, to maintain the baseball on this curvilinear pathway, instead of applying force to the baseball, 'traditional' baseball pitchers have to apply force back toward their body. As a result, 'traditional' baseball pitchers waste force. Mr. Somers wrote, "Within this plane, the humerus moves in an arc." With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, because their baseball pitchers take their pitching upper arm laterally behind their body, they have to return their pitching upper arm to the pitching arm side of their body and, then, turn their pitching upper arm toward home plate. Therefore, 'traditional' baseball pitchers do move their pitching upper arm along a curvilinear pathway. However, I teach my baseball pitchers to point their pitching upper arm at second base. Therefore, my baseball pitchers do not take their Humerus bone behind their body. From pointing at second base, I teach my baseball pitchers to immediately raise their pitching elbow to driveline height. Therefore, my baseball pitchers move their Humerus bone in straight lines toward home plate. Mr. Somers wrote, "The distal end of the humerus (near the elbow) reaches peak forward velocity shortly after the humerus is perpendicular to the ball's path to the plate." First, for 'traditional' baseball pitchers, the paths of the baseball and the pitching upper arm (Humerus bone) toward home plate are curvilinear. Therefore, it is impossible for the Humerus bone to ever be perpendicular to the path of the baseball. What Mr. Somers should have written is when the Humerus bone is perpendicular to the straight line between second base and home plate. Second, the toward-home-plate velocity stops at the same time that the rotation of the shoulders forward stops. The rotation of the shoulders forward stops when the shoulders are perpendicular to the driveline toward home plate. According to the American Sports Medicine Institute, their Elite pitchers stop rotating their shoulders forward when they are half-way between the first forward movement of the baseball and when they release their pitches. Therefore, instead of reaching its peak velocity, when the Humerus bone is perpendicular to the straight line between second base and home plate, the distal end of the Humerus bone has stopped moving forward. Mr. Somers wrote, "Beyond this moment, velocity of the humerus is directed somewhere other than the target." Throughout the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, the pathway of the pitching hand and baseball dictates the path of the distal end of the Humerus bone. After the pitching hand and baseball returns to the pitching arm side of the body from laterally behind their body, after release, the pitching hand will continue along its centripetal force pathway back to laterally in front of their body. Mr. Somers wrote, "If the humerus moves past perpendicular, the rest of the arm and the ball move with it." The pathway of the pitching hand dictates the pathway of the pitching upper arm, not the other way around. It seems as though Mr. Somers has everything backward. Mr. Somers wrote, "The kinetic chain weakens when the forearm and wrist compensate to put the ball's path back in line with the target." With this statement, Mr. Somers appears to recognize that when baseball pitchers apply force along a curvilinear pathway, they cannot achieve their maximum release velocity. Therefore, I wonder why he recommends that 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. Mr. Somers wrote, "To maintain the integrity of the kinetic chain, all parts of the arm must apply force in the same direction." With this statement, Mr. Somers appears to understand the meaning in Sir Isaac Newton's Law of Inertia. Let me give him a hint. To achieve their maximum release velocity, baseball pitchers have to apply force in straight lines toward home plate. That sounds like my baseball pitching motion. Mr. Somers wrote, "Arm extension and internal rotation are motions that also create arcs, so the same rules apply." To apply force in straight lines toward home plate, I teach my baseball pitchers to inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, to extend their pitching elbow and pronate their pitching forearm. To teach my baseball pitchers how to drive down their acromial line, I have them perform my Second Baseball Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm actions drill. Therefore, shoulder joint inward rotation and elbow joint extension are not joint actions that create curvilinear pathways. Mr. Somers wrote, "When internal rotation occurs before arm extension, the forearm is perpendicular to the plate before the triceps extends the arm." Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not actively extend their pitching elbow, they cannot inwardly rotate their shoulder joint before they extend their pitching elbow. Mr. Somers wrote, "In this sequence, the arc created by arm extension is in a plane that is perpendicular to the arc created by the humerus." The centripetal force that 'slings' the pitching forearm laterally away from the body creates the curvilinear pathway that the pitching hand and baseball follow, not elbow extension. At release, 'traditional' baseball pitchers align their pitching forearm with their pitching upper arm. Therefore, the curvilinear pathways of the pitching hand and baseball follows the same curvilinear pathways of the pitching upper arm. Mr. Somers wrote, "Even though the triceps extends rapidly, its contribution to forward velocity is minimal, making it a weak link in the kinetic chain. To extend their pitching elbow, 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not use their Triceps Brachii muscle. Therefore, the Triceps Brachii muscle does not contribute anything to release velocity. The Triceps Brachii muscle is not the weak link in the kinetic chain, because the elbow joint does not contribute to release velocity, the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion does not have a kinetic chain. Mr. Somers wrote, "Arm extension after this point also results in valgus extension overload syndrome which can lead to a number of pathophysiological conditions that includes tearing of the ulnar collateral ligament." Like Dr. Glenn Fleisig, the director of the American Sports Medicine Institute, Mr. Somers wrongly believes that baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament during the acceleration phase of the baseball pitching motion. Mr. Somers wrote, "However, when the arm extends before internal rotation, the triceps can accelerate the forearm directly toward home plate in the same plane as the humerus." Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers never contract their Triceps Brachii muscle, this statement is ridiculous. If they never contract their Triceps Brachii muscle, then their Triceps Brachii muscle cannot accelerate the pitching forearm toward home plate whatever the plane of the Humerus bone. Mr. Somers wrote, "In this sequence, the triceps maximally contributes to forward velocity and is a strong link in the kinetic chain." With my baseball pitching motion, as viewed from overhead, because my baseball pitchers apply force to the baseball in straight lines toward home plate, to actively extend their pitching elbow, they do powerfully use their Triceps Brachii muscle. Therefore, with my baseball pitching motion, the Triceps Brachii muscle is a very strong link in a real kinetic chain. Mr. Somers wrote, "After the arm extends, pronation, wrist flexion, and internal rotation can further extend the kinetic chain and powerfully finish the pitch directly toward home plate." With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, it appears that the shoulder joint inwardly rotates through release. However, the shoulder joint never actively inwardly rotates. What actually happens is when baseball pitchers flex their wrist through release, the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone pronate the pitching forearm. This pronation action forces the pitching upper arm to follow the action of the pitching forearm. Therefore, it appears that the pitching upper arm inwardly rotates, but it does not. A HALL OF FAME EXAMPLE Mr. Somers provide a three frame video of Nolan Ryan throwing a fastball. In the first frame, Mr. Ryan has his pitching arm in what I call, the maximum acceleration position. Mr. Somers calls it, the maximum outwardly rotated position. Mr. Somers wrote, "In the first frame, you can clearly see that external rotation has taken place." Unfortunately, Mr. Somers failed to provide video evidence of how Mr. Ryan assumed this position. Nevertheless, to achieve the maximum acceleration position, I believe that Mr. Ryan did outwardly rotate his pitching upper arm. However, just because baseball pitchers have their pitching forearm horizontally behind their pitching elbow does not mean that they outwardly rotated their pitching upper arm to get in this position. To get their pitching arm in the maximum acceleration position, I teach my baseball pitchers to pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward in straight lines toward second base to driveline height with the palm of their pitching hand facing away from their body in one smooth, continuous movement pointing at second base. From this position, I teach them to immediately raise their pitching elbow to driveline height. Therefore, with their pitching hand still at driveline height, when they raise their pitching elbow to driveline height, they have their pitching forearm the full length of their pitching forearm behind their pitching elbow. In this way, rather than raising their pitching hand and baseball to driveline height by outwardly rotating their pitching upper arm, my baseball pitchers assume the maximum acceleration position by raising their pitching elbow to driveline height. Mr. Somers wrote, "The forearm must trail the elbow for the triceps to be able to accelerate the forearm toward home plate." Because, to drive the baseball toward home plate, it is impossible for baseball pitchers to have their pitching forearm in front of their pitching elbow, I guess that that part of this statement is true. However, once again, 'traditional' baseball pitchers do NOT use their Triceps Brachii muscle. Mr. Somers wrote, "External rotation positions the arm for this, but Dr. Mike Marshall believes that his pitchers do this without external rotation." As I said above, for my baseball pitchers to raise the pitching elbow to driveline height after the pitching hand and baseball have reached driveline height, they do NOT actively outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. In the second frame, the centripetal force that Mr. Ryan generates has moved his pitching forearm about half-way to fully extended. Mr. Somers wrote, "In frame 2, Ryan has finished accelerating his elbow and is beginning arm extension." While I agree that Mr. Ryan's pitching upper arm has stopped moving forward, I would not say that he has finished accelerating his pitching elbow. Instead, Mr. Ryan has finished rotating his shoulders forward. I strongly disagree that Mr. Ryan is beginning to extend his pitching elbow. Instead, the centripetal force that Mr. Ryan generates is 'slinging' his pitching forearm laterally away from his body. I call this action, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.' Mr. Somers wrote, "You can see that his forearm still trails his elbow in a laid back position allowing arm extension to occur in roughly the same plane established by his humerus." I agree with Mr. Somers. Mr. Ryan's pitching forearm is about to align with his pitching upper arm, which aligns with the line across the top of his shoulders. In the third frame, the centripetal force that Mr. Ryan generates has moved his pitching forearm to fully extended at release. Mr. Somers wrote, "In frames 3 and 4, Ryan's arm approaches full extension, internal rotation begins, and his forearm starts to turn forward toward the plate." As I explained earlier, Mr. Somers mistakes the movement of the shoulder joint as inward rotation. Actually, Mr. Ryan's pitching upper arm is simply following the reflexive pronation action of the pitching forearm. Mr. Somers wrote, "As he releases the pitch, forearm pronation occurs, and internal rotation occurs through the deceleration phase." That Mr. Ryan is throwing a fastball means that, to some limited extent, he is actively pronating his pitching forearm. However, if Mr. Ryan were to throw his breaking ball, then he would be actively supinating his pitching forearm. Mr. Somers mistakes the action of the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone that flex the wrist as active pitching forearm pronation. Under the heading of PAUL NYMAN AND DR. MIKE MARSHALL AGREE... SORT OF, Mr. Somers wrote, "They don't agree 100% on this issue, but they have very similar things to say." I want to see this. Mr. Somers wrote, "In an article written for The Hardball Times in May 2008, Paul Nyman said, "What is critical in all arm actions is creating external rotation of the shoulder." Well, I strongly disagree with this statement. Other than to safely decelerate their pitching upper arm after powerfully inwardly rotating their pitching upper arm, I never want my baseball pitchers to actively outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. Mr. Somers quotes Mr. Nyman as saying, "Torso rotation (transverse and sagittal) creates the change in direction necessary to cause the forearm to lay back (external rotation of the throwing shoulder)." Kinesiologically, the human body has three planes. 01. The Sagittal or anterioposterior plane, which vertically transects the body from the front to the back. 02. The Frontal or lateral plane, which vertically transects the body side to side. 03. The Horizontal or transverse plane, which horizontally transects the body below the iliac crest. Therefore, Mr. Nyman was simply saying that 'traditional' baseball pitchers: 01. Rotate their hips (acetabular line) forward rotate from pointing at well beyond second base to about forty-five degrees short of perpendicular to the line between second base and home plate. 02. Rotate their shoulders (acromial line) also from well beyond second base to perpendicular to the line between second base and home plate. 03. After these actions, the excessive length of their glove foot strides forces 'traditional' baseball pitchers to bend forward at their waist. With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, the following six actions sequentially move the pitching forearm to horizontally behind their pitching elbow: 01. 'Traditional' baseball pitchers take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball. 02. Therefore, they raise their pitching upper arm to shoulder height before their pitching hand and baseball. 03. To raise their pitching hand and baseball to driveline height, 'traditional' baseball pitchers have to raise their pitching hand and baseball vertically upward. 04. When their pitching forearm points vertically upward, their glove foot lands. 05. When their glove foot lands, 'traditional' baseball pitchers start to rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward. 06. With their pitching hand and baseball moving upward, the forward movement of their pitching elbow forces the pitching forearm to move downward to horizontal. Mr. Somers quotes Mr. Nyman as saying, "The forearm lays back as a result of its inertia; i.e., a sudden change in direction (rotation of the upper torso) leaves the forearm behind." I would say that Mr. Nyman has been reading my website. I am positive that he did not figure this out on his own. Mr. Somers quotes me as saying, "Dr. Marshall agrees that the ball should be kept at full forearm length behind the elbow, that the forearm should lay back." Duh, for over forty years, I have described this position as the position of the pitching arm that enables baseball pitchers to achieve their maximum release velocity. However, what is write is: I want my baseball pitchers to keep their pitching hand and baseball horizontally the full length of their pitching forearm behind their pitching elbow. Of course, when I say this, I am discussing the tendency of baseball pitchers to move their pitching hand and baseball close to their pitching shoulder in an action that I call, 'grabbing.' Mr. Somers wrote, "Similarly, both agree that this laid back forearm position allows the triceps to maximally accelerate the forearm toward home plate." Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers take their pitching arm several feet laterally behind their body, before they can release their pitches toward home plate, they have to return their pitching arm to the pitching arm side of their body. Therefore, when 'traditional' baseball pitchers assume the maximum acceleration position, their pitching forearm is moving laterally away from their body. As a result, to prevent their olecranon process from slamming into its fossa, 'traditional' baseball pitchers reflexively contract their Brachialis muscle. With their Brachialis muscle contracted, they cannot contract their Triceps Brachii muscle. Nevertheless, the Triceps Brachii muscle moves the anterior surface of the Ulna bone away from the anterior surface of the Humerus bone. Therefore, to maximally accelerate the Ulna bone, baseball pitchers would have to point their Humerus bone at home plate, not have it horizontally beside their body. Mr. Somers wrote, "Where they differ is in Nyman's belief that external rotation is necessary." Mr. Nyman has never had a clue what he is talking about. Mr. Somers wrote, "Dr. Marshall believes that his pitchers do not externally rotate their upper arms, so he obviously does not believe that external rotation is necessary." With their pitching arm at driveline height pointing at second base with the palm of their pitching hand facing away from their body, to assume the maximum acceleration position, all baseball pitchers need to do is raise their pitching elbow to driveline height. Mr. Somers wrote, "Strictly speaking, for the triceps to be able to accelerate the forearm toward the plate in this manner, the upper arm must be oriented in such a way that the triceps faces home plate." This statement is correct. For the Triceps Brachii muscle to accelerate the Ulna bone toward home plate, baseball pitchers must point their pitching upper arm at home plate. He is arguing that what he said above, "...this laid back forearm position allows the triceps to maximally accelerate the forearm toward home plate," is wrong. I teach my baseball pitchers to rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward and point their acromial line as close as possible at home plate. If their acromial line points at home plate, then their pitching upper arm points at home plate. Wala, my baseball pitchers and only my baseball pitchers can use their Triceps Brachii muscle to accelerate their Ulna bone toward home plate. Mr. Somers wrote, "Without external rotation, the only way to accomplish this is to flex the anterior deltoid raising the elbow above shoulder height." When they complete my wrist weight exercises, my iron ball throws, my lid throws, my plastic javelin throws and my appropriately-sized football throws, my baseball pitchers raise their pitching upper arm above the line across the top of their shoulders. I also believe that, when they throw baseballs, they raise their pitching upper arm above the line across the top of their shoulders. Unfortunately, in the two DVDs in my 2008 baseball pitchers file, neither of the baseball pitchers raised their pitching upper arm above the line across the top of their shoulders. Instead, to get the pitching forearm vertical at release, they dramatically leaned the line across the top of their shoulders to their glove side of their body. Nevertheless, they WERE able to get their pitching forearm vertical at release. Therefore, they were able to use their Triceps Brachii muscle to accelerate their Ulna bone toward home plate. Similarly, my amazing twelve year old baseball pitcher has his pitching forearm vertical at release. We continue to work on raising the pitching upper arm above the line across the top of their shoulders. However, as the Nolan Ryan video shows, with their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' 'traditional' baseball pitchers cannot get their pitching forearm vertical at release. Mr. Somers wrote, "Since this does not take place in either Dr. Marshall's delivery or the traditional delivery, I believe that Dr. Marshall's pitchers do externally rotate their upper arms." To raise the pitching hand and baseball from their waist to driveline height, 'traditional' baseball pitchers have to outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. I call this action, "Late Pitching Forearm Turnover." With my Maxline force application technique, my baseball pitchers pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height straight at second base in one smooth, continuous movement to arrive with the palm of their pitching hand facing away from their body at the same time that their glove foot lands. My baseball pitchers do not have 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.' Therefore, they do not vertically raise their pitching hand and baseball from their waist to driveline height. However, when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body, they turn the palm of their pitching hand from facing toward home plate to facing away from their body. To do this, they supinate their pitching forearm. Therefore, when their pitching hand reaches driveline height, the palm of their pitching hand faces away from their body. Because, when they supinate their pitching forearm, their pitching upper arm has to similarly adjust its position, they unknowingly outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm ninety degrees. After their pitching arm reaches driveline height, I teach my baseball pitchers to immediately raise their pitching elbow vertically upward to driveline height. This action 'locks' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders. It also unknowingly outwardly rotates their pitching upper arm another ninety degrees. Therefore, without actively outwardly rotating their pitching upper arm, my baseball pitchers unstressfully assume the maximum acceleration position. At this time, I will explain to Mr. Somers why 'traditional' baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, what baseball pitchers have to do to eliminate injuries to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament and, despite inwardly rotating their pitching upper arm more powerfully than the American Sports Medicine Institute's Elite group of baseball pitchers, many of which have the fastest release velocities in the major leagues, why my baseball pitchers do not injury their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 01. Why 'traditional' baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligaments. 'Traditional' baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament at the moment when their pitching forearm stops moving downward as their pitching elbow starts moving forward. During 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' with their pitching upper arm already at shoulder height, 'traditional' baseball pitchers vertically raise their pitching hand and baseball from their waist to above their shoulders. To do this, they outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. In their pitching elbow, they contract their Brachioradialis muscle, which lies on the lateral aspect of their elbow. When their pitching forearm points vertically upward, their glove foot lands and they start to rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward. With their pitching forearm pointing vertically upward, the forward movement of their pitching upper arm causes their pitching forearm to move downward to horizontal. However, the downward force of this action causes their pitching hand and baseball to move below horizontal. I call this action, 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' Remember, when 'traditional' baseball pitchers outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, to move their pitching forearm upward, 'traditional' baseball pitches contract the Brachioradialis muscle of their pitching elbow. Therefore, when the inside of their pitching elbow bounces downward, the only structure that prevents the Ulna bone from separating from the Humerus bone in the medial side of the elbow is the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. If the angle of the pitching forearm is at or near ninety degrees during their 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' and 'traditional' baseball pitchers powerfully accelerate their pitching upper arm forward, then the downward force on the unprotected Ulnar Collateral Ligament microscopically tears some of the connective tissue fibers that make up the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. After sufficient numbers of these insults, probably in the tens of thousands of maximum intensity competitive pitches, 'traditional' baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 02. What baseball pitchers have to do to eliminate injuries to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. To eliminate Ulnar Collateral Ligament ruptures, 'traditional' baseball pitchers only need to eliminate their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' which leads to their 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' This means that they only need to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball, pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward to forty-five degrees behind their body, supinate their pitching forearm until the palm of their pitching hand faces away from their body and in one smooth, continuous movement continue to pendulum swing their pitching arm upward to driveline height. 03. Why, despite inwardly rotating their pitching upper arm more powerfully than the American Sports Medicine Institute's Elite group of baseball pitchers, many of which have the fastest release velocities in the major leagues, my baseball pitchers do not injury their Ulnar Collateral Ligament? When my baseball pitchers vertically raise their pitching upper arm to driveline height, they use the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm to also raise their pitching forearm to driveline height. The muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone attach to the medial epicondyle and to the Radius bone, two carpal bones, a palmar aponeurosis and the middle phalange of the fingers. The Ulnar Collateral Ligament attaches to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone and to the coronoid process of the Ulna bone. Therefore, the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone hold the Ulna bone tightly to the Humerus bone. Therefore, when they use my baseball pitching motion, baseball pitchers do not even need an Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Consequently, when my baseball pitchers use their Teres Major and Latissimus Dorsi muscles to powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, their Triceps Brachii muscle to extend their pitching elbow and their Pronator Teres muscle to pronate their pitching forearm, the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of their Humerus bone prevents the stress from arriving at their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. In conclusion, Mr. Somers does not know what he is talking about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 017. Jan 30, 31, 2009 Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Clinic That is great. I will send you the final clinic information ASAP. I was in San Diego when you called waiting for seat confirmation to come home today. We do not have any financing except we will provide the Marriott for lodging and food expenses etc. while at the clinic. Looking forward to hearing your presentation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I checked my email earlier and did not see your email. I just finished leaving a telephone message and decided to check my email again and found your email. Joe and I are very excited about the opportunity to speak with your group. We plan on arriving at the White Sox Training Center in the early afternoon on Friday and do not plan to leave on Saturday until well after the clinic ends. We want to meet and speak with as many high school baseball coaches as possible. We hope to be at the Marriott before noon on Friday. Don't concern yourself with the inability to provide money for our presentations; it is sufficient that we get to talk about baseball pitching. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 018. I have been training over 1 year with outstanding results. However, for the first time in my life I'm experiencing medial epicondyle pain. It has not restricted my 20 lbs WW or IB training, nor has it been very noticeable when throwing baseballs. But, it is very sore to the touch. I have not been supinating any pitches. During a recent travel period, I was forced to train with only 6.5 lbs WW vice 20 lbs for 8 days. I've resumed my normal weight. It is since resuming my normal weight that I've noticed the pain. Could it be physiologic adaptation? I will continue to train at appropriate intensities. Is pain in the medial epicondyle an early indicator of UCL problems? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unless you have decided to have a 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and a 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' I doubt that you have done anything to your Ulnar Collateral Ligament. However, you have changed something that has stressed the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle more than before. When baseball pitchers supinate the release of their pitches, the injury they suffer is slamming their olecranon process into its fossa, not stressing their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. It does not see possible that lowering the weight of your wrist weights for eight days than returning to your normal weight would cause the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle to have to make a physiological adjustment. That the discomfort does not limit you from completing your normal wrist weight exercises or baseball throws indicates that you do not have any structural damage. That the medial epicondyle area is sore to the touch is irritating. But, when the soreness does not prevent you from training indicates that you should continue training. I recommend that you back down your intensity for a few days. Let's see whether the soreness goes away or worsens. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 019. This is Trip Somers. Mr. Boddy was kind enough to forward to me your response to my recent article regarding internal rotation and arm extension. Under your scrutiny, it has become clear how poorly I explained a few of the concepts I talk about. In the future, I will definitely make an effort to be more clear, especially since my target audience is not as bright as you or I. Based on your feedback, it may come as a shock that I am in nearly complete agreement with you on injury prevention and mechanical efficiency. I was an honors physics student in high school and tested out of mechanical physics going into college. Where I lack, as you bluntly pointed out, is in my anatomical and kinesiological knowledge. In the opening of your email, there seemed to be some confusion about the order in which my two articles were published. My first article discussed the anatomy of the UCL and the causes of valgus stress. In it, I cover a lot of what you discuss as part of my failure in the second article. I will freely admit that it isn't perfect. My primary regret with the first article is that I did not explain in enough detail how forced external rotation ("picking the ball up with the elbow" as some describe it) and late forearm turnover affect internal rotation and valgus torque during early arm acceleration. Here's the link, if you care to have a look: Mr. Somers revised article One thing I kept noticing throughout your response was an assumption (or something like it) that I favor a 'traditional' delivery over yours. This is simply not true. My concept of "delayed internal rotation" is specifically about the two major actions of the upper arm during the acceleration phase and the order in which they occur, nothing more. I made sure not to discriminate in regards to a pre-defined delivery, in short, because if I told people I was a fan of your delivery, a large portion of my audience would run away screaming. The key point that I attempt to make is that internal rotation with a flexed elbow will create large amounts of valgus torque in the UCL. For this reason, I concluded that internal rotation should *not* occur with a flexed elbow. The 4-frame Nolan Ryan image was not intended to show ideal arm action. I meant it solely as a visual example of what delayed internal rotation looks like. There are also a lot of disagreements based on what seem to be terminology confusion. I routinely refer to passive actions (external rotation, internal rotation, arm extension) without the "passive" label. As I used the terms, "arm extension" can be passive or active. In the future I will clarify this more precisely. I will now address specific points in your email to Mr. Boddy in order to clarify some points of confusion. -------------------------- You wrote, "rotator cuff muscles do not accelerate the pitching forearm" and "During elbow joint extension, the anterior surface of the Ulna bone moves away from the anterior surface of the Humerus bone. What planes is he talking about?" (1) You are obviously correct with both of your statements. (2) I'm guilty of a poor choice of words in referring to "perpendicular planes". The first plane is actually a plane - the plane established by flexing and/or extending the elbow. The second plane is not really a plane at all, and it isn't always perpendicular; it's the "plane" (for lack of a better word) established by the movement of the forearm around the humeral-length axis. In my imaginary model, the elbow was flexed to 90 degrees, and I mistakenly referred to the path as a plane for this reason. You wrote, "What Mr. Somers should have written is when the Humerus bone is perpendicular to the straight line between second base and home plate." I absolutely agree. It is only my second article, so I am still trying to develop my terminology. You wrote, "Mr. Somers wrongly believes that baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament during the acceleration phase of the baseball pitching motion." This is actually not entirely true. For lack of a better way to describe it, I believe that the majority of UCL damage occurs when a 'traditional' pitcher stops his arm and forearm from going backwards. This is basically my attempt at describing 'reverse forearm bounce' when the inertia created by late external rotation of the humerus is strongly opposed by the rotator cuff as it tries to counteract this backwards movement. I do, however, believe that the valgus component of valgus extension overload syndrome should not be ignored as an agitator of the UCL. You wrote, "With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, it appears that the shoulder joint inwardly rotates through release. However, the shoulder joint never inwardly rotates." I find this to be untrue in many cases, obviously with pitchers who have horrible mechanics by any standard. I have noticed on several occasions with adolescent pitchers that their pitching arms are flexed to 90 degrees with their forearms vertical when their acromial lines are perpendicular to the line between second base and home plate. This position 'requires' valgus torque (though not necessarily internal rotation) just to be able to maintain such posture. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. Does it happen? I believe it does. --------------------------- I've read just about every pitching opinion on the internet that I can find. I continue to be frustrated by the fact that so many people are getting by on and receiving acclaim for what amounts to guess work. No one seems to be using any concrete science to back their opinions other than you. I'm a technical person, so I always want things to be proved. I tend to not take anything for granted, including your work. I trust that you know what you're doing, but I will still verify because that's the type of person I am. And I will tell you this, the more research I do, the more I agree with you. You have influenced me more than anyone else I've read and for good reason. If I can overcome my terminology issues and explain myself in better detail, I believe you will find my future articles far more to your liking. I appreciate the feedback, and I look forward to more of it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I appreciate that Mr. Boddy took the time to send you my comments about your article. I was planning to do the same this morning. Collegial discourse is essential for advancing knowledge in any scientific field. When I wrote two papers for Dr. Fleisig in which I carefully scrutinized his work, I did so to advance our knowledge. Unfortunately, he refused to read and respond to my comments. Like I said in my response to your comments, I appreciate that you are trying to advance the knowledge of pitching injuries. I even more appreciate that you took the time to respond. As I feel is my collegial responsibility, I will always respond to your comments. ------------------------------------------------- I went to the link you provided and made a copy of your article. Unfortunately, at this time, because I am preparing materials for a presentation I have this weekend in Baton Rouge, LA, I will not be able to give it the full attention it deserves. Nevertheless, when I have time, I will scrutinize it for you. Whether you favor the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion over mine did not enter my mind. In fact, I believe that I read something you wrote where you recognized the increased spin velocity that my Maxline Pronation Curve release technique enables baseball pitchers to achieve. Therefore, I thought that you are a thoughtful person. We certainly do not want readers to put you in the frightening category into which they have placed me. In person, I am even more frightening. Baseball pitching requires the coordination of all the joints associated with the pitching arm. 01. The Shoulder Girdle muscles initiate the force. 02. The Shoulder Joint muscles build on the force from the Shoulder Girdle. 03. The Elbow Joint muscles should build on the force generated by the Shoulder Girdle and Shoulder Joint muscles. 04. The Forearm Joint muscles should build on the force generated by the Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint and Elbow Joint muscles. 05. The Wrist Joint muscles should build on the force generated by the Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint and Forearm Joint muscles. 06. The Hand Joint muscles should build on the force generated by the Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint, Forearm Joint and Wrist Joint muscles. 07. The Finger Joint muscles should build on the force generated by the Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint, Forearm Joint, Wrist Joint and Hand Joint muscles. Unfortunately, the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion skips the Elbow Joint. Nevertheless, baseball pitchers cannot alter the order in which they use the muscles of the joints in their pitching arm. Therefore, your concept of 'delayed inward rotation' is not possible. When, from the maximum pitching forearm acceleration position, baseball pitchers inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, they contract the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone in their pitching upper arm. Therefore, in addition to their specific joint actions, the Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris and a portion of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis muscles hold the proximal end of the Ulna bone tightly against the distal end of the Humerus bone. Because the Ulnar Collateral Ligament attaches to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone and to the coronoid process of the Ulna bone, its job is to hold the proximal end of the Ulna bone to the distal end of the Humerus bone. This means that, during inward rotation of the pitching upper arm, the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle remove all stress from the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Therefore, when you say, "... internal rotation with a flexed elbow will create large amounts of valgus torque in the UCL," you are wrong. Inward rotation with a flexed elbow does not injure the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. However, outward rotation with a flexed elbow does injure the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. The Nolan Ryan video does not show what delayed internal rotation looks like. Instead, it shows that, like all 'traditional' baseball pitchers, after they release their pitches, the pitching upper arm follows the reflexive pronation action of the pitching forearm. I believe that it was you who said that ligaments act passively. That is correct. Without any contractile properties, ligaments cannot apply force. Therefore, all ligaments do is resist force. Muscles have contractile properties. Therefore, muscles generate force. Therefore, muscles act actively. However, after they release their pitches, when baseball pitchers reflexively pronate their pitching forearm, their pitching upper arm passively inwardly rotates. These joints did not rearrange their order of active contraction. When my baseball pitchers pendulum swing their pitching arm downward and backward to forty-five degrees behind their body with the palm of their pitching hand facing home plate, they are adducting their Shoulder Girdle and extending their Shoulder Joint. However, when, to turn the palm of their pitching hand to face away from their body, they then supinate their pitching forearm, they passively outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. When, after 'traditional' baseball pitchers take the baseball laterally behind their body, they drive their pitching arm back to the pitching arm side of their body, they generate forces toward the pitching arm side of their body that 'slings' their pitching forearm laterally away from their body. I am not sure we can call this action passive. However, it is clearly not active elbow extension. It is resistive elbow extension, which means that the muscles that flex the elbow are trying to prevent the elbow from fully extending. I call this, plioanglos, which means lengthening joint action. Kinesiologists call this, eccentric muscle contraction, which means that even though the muscles that operate across the joint are lengthening, those muscles are still contracting. I do not agree that the four rotator cuff muscles accelerate the pitching forearm. I do not agree that the only rotator cuff muscle that could inwardly rotate the pitching upper arm, the Subscapularis muscle, accelerates the pitching forearm. I believe that, with their Pectoralis Major muscle, 'traditional' baseball pitchers horizontally flex their pitching upper arm. The Pectoralis Major muscle attaches to the outside edge of the bicipital groove on the anterior surface of the head of the Humerus bone. In the maximum pitching forearm acceleration position, the bicipital groove is outwardly rotated. Therefore, when 'traditional' baseball pitchers contract their Pectoralis Major muscle, in addition to horizontally flexing their pitching upper arm, they also inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. You wrote, "I believe that the majority of UCL damage occurs when a 'traditional' pitcher stops his arm and forearm from going backwards." If you replace the word, 'majority' with all, then your statement would be correct. We can ignore the valgus component of valgus extension overload syndrome as an agitator of the UCL. Actually, there is no such thing as the 'valgus extension overload syndrome.' It is nonsense. Because of the forces that cause 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' 'traditional' baseball pitchers never use their Teres Major and Latissimus Dorsi muscles to inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. Therefore, 'traditional' baseball pitchers never inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. Instead, they horizontally flex their pitching upper arm. I love it when someone challenges what I say. I constantly hope that someone will think of something that I have not already considered. Unfortunately, in the over forty years of researching baseball pitching, nobody has ever said something that I had not already considered. However, my Kinesiology professor came close one time, but, after further discussions, we agreed that how I interpreted how baseball pitchers should incorporate Newton's Law of Reaction was correct. Nevertheless, I keep hoping. Therefore, please keep trying. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 020. Quick Question. Mixed into the lengthy email you sent to Mr. Boddy about my article, you made a comment about the humerus point directly to home plate. You wrote, "To maximally accelerate the Ulna bone, baseball pitchers would have to point their Humerus bone at home plate, not have it horizontally beside their body." I do not fully understand the arm position you describe here. The immediate questions that come to mind are: (1) In this position, how can the arm extend and maintain the forearm in a vertical position with the humerus pointing directly to home plate? (2) In nearly every video I have seen of your pitchers, they release the ball with their arms nearly perpendicular to the line between second base and home plate. This seems to be a discrepancy. What am I missing? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. When baseball pitchers point the Humerus bone of their pitching upper arm laterally away from their body, they cannot get their pitching forearm vertical at release. Therefore, when baseball pitchers have their pitching forearm vertical at release, they must have pointed the Humerus bone toward home plate. Consequently as seen from the overhead view, they are using their Triceps Brachii muscle to extend their pitching elbow straight toward home plate. 02. While I agree that my baseball pitchers have not yet fully forwardly rotated their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm to point directly at home plate, like Dr. Fleisig reported, my baseball pitchers forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm over seventy percent of the length of their driveline. When compared with ASMI's Elite group, who forwardly rotate their hips about thirty percent of the driveline length and forwardly rotate their shoulders about fifty percent of the driveline, my baseball pitchers forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm significantly more. Nevertheless, we are continuing to work on forwardly rotating our hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm one hundred percent of the length of our drivelines. Like my amazing twelve year old baseball pitcher showed that baseball pitchers can apply a powerful force toward second base with their glove leg, I am hoping that someone will show that baseball pitchers can forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm to point directly at home plate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 021. Two questions: 1. Do you recommend that position players throw using a version of your throwing technique to throw to the bases? 2. Can a pitcher who uses your pitching style maximally throw just as hard as a pitcher who utilizes the traditional method maximally? Meaning can a pitcher reach speeds of 100 mph with your technique? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. Absolutely. 02. I believe that, with the baseball pitching motion that I recommend, baseball pitchers throw at least ten miles per hour faster than with the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. In addition, without ever suffering pitching injuries, they can throw a wider variety of high quality pitches. In the off-season after the 1989 season, I worked with Rudy Seanez for a couple of months. He said that, in his set position, he threw 88 miles per hour, but, during the 1990 season, he regularly threw 102 miles per hour. Therefore, I believe that, after mastering my baseball pitching motion and completing my Interval-Training programs, I believe that there are several major league pitchers in the game today that would be able to throw well over one hundred mile per hour fastballs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 022. The Possible Future for the Pirates Two Pitching Prospects From India. I hope someone lets the two Pirates pitching prospects see their potential future in training with Tom House and the Pittsburgh organization: -------------------------------------------------- Pirates notes: Bradley says he's no bust By John Perrotto, Times Sports Staff Sunday, January 4, 2009 12:15 AM EST Bobby Bradley will be remembered as one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ many failed pitching prospects of this decade. He isn’t entirely happy about that. “I’ve read things where people said I was a bust and I don’t think that is necessarily fair,” said Bradley, the Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 1999 from Wellington (Fla.) Community High School, who never reached the majors. “I pitched pretty well when I was healthy but I had injuries. I had Tommy John surgery on my elbow. I had shoulder surgery. At the end of my career, I couldn’t feel the fingers on my left hand and had surgery to repair a nerve. I did everything I could to pitch.” Bradley has had an interesting life since the Pirates released him from their minor-league system in 2005. He has become an avid golfer and regularly competes and wins long-driving contests around the country. He also has become a top-notch poker player and won $96,000 in a tournament in Las Vegas last year. Bradley is also a salesman for Pure Power Edge, a company based in Nova Scotia that makes customized mouthpieces for professional and college athletes. He was at baseball’s winter meetings in Las Vegas last month drumming up business. “My life has been anything but dull,” Bradley said with a laugh. “The only thing I miss about baseball is my teammates but I don’t miss all the surgeries and all the time in the trainer’s room. I gave it my very best shot and my only regret is I never got to pitch in the major leagues. Just one time would have been a great memory but it didn’t happen.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are correct. Mr. Bradley's story is but one of thousands. Do these pitching coaches have no shame? How about the general managers who hire these pitching coaches? How about the owners who hire these general managers? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 023. This is Trip Somers. You wrote, "I went to the link you provided and made a copy of your article. Unfortunately, at this time, because I am preparing materials for a presentation I have this weekend in Baton Rouge, LA, at this time, I will not be able to give it the full attention it deserves." In an effort to clarify some points and better explain myself, I have heavily edited the article you copied (as well as the one you already reviewed). Before you devote time to it, I recommend visiting the site again to get the latest version. Mr. Somers revised revised article Frankly, I'm still not happy with it and I will probably make more changes. Nevertheless, it's a better representation of what I believe than what I had previously published. Readily awaiting the firing squad. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I appreciate the head-ups. I just made a copy of your edited article and promise that I will offer my thoughts as soon as possible. I greatly appreciate your willingness to receive and respond to constructive criticism. I will respond to your constructive criticisms in kind. Without how people offer them, I consider all criticism constructive. Contrary to Dr. Fleisig's opinion and many others, when it comes to biomechanically perfecting the baseball pitching motion, I am on their and your side. I want everybody to work together without concern for monetary gains or credit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 024. Will you please tell me what you will include in your upcoming presentation? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are my outlines for my two presentations. A. Friday night 01. Understanding the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion. 02. What baseball pitchers do that result in pitching injuries. 03. What baseball pitcher need to do to prevent pitching injuries. 04. How to biomechanically maximize the force that pitchers apply to their pitches. 05. How to anatomically maximize the force that pitchers apply to their pitches. B. Saturday morning 01. How to teach baseball pitchers the most powerful pitching arm technique with which they can apply force to their pitches. 02. How to teach baseball pitchers to pronate the releases of two types of fastballs, a safe high-spin velocity curve ball and a safe screwball. 03. How to teach baseball pitchers to the perfect biomechanical body action with which to use the most powerful pitching arm force application technique. 04. How to train the bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles associated with baseball pitching to safely withstand more stress than baseball pitchers could ever generate. 05. How to pick base runners off first and second bases. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 025. MEDIAL EPICONDYLE The pain to the touch has subsided a bit. I'm still WW and IB training, but at reduced intensity. With WW, I feel a little discomfort while in the locked position just prior to driving the pitching arm forward. IB throwing has much more noticeable discomfort around the medial epicondyle. I failed to mention that during my travel period I did not have iron balls to throw. Upon my return, I immediately resumed 8 lbs IB throwing with max intensity. Before the medial epicondyle discomfort arose, I noticed finger flexor soreness. Could it be that I put too much on the finger flexor attachments? How do I know if I've strained the UCL? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When your finger flexor muscles became sore, it means that you have trained at an intensity greater than they could withstand. When the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle became sore, it means that you have trained at an intensity greater than they could withstand. That you trained with decreased wrist weight resistance decreased the amount of stress that your tissues could withstand closer to the decreased wrist weight. That you did not train at all with your iron ball throws means that you lost about one-quarter of the microanatomical fitness you had. Therefore, when you returned to your normal training situation, instead of returning your normal training intensity, you should have moved more gently into resuming your maximum training intensity. Ligaments do not have the sense organs that muscles and tendons have. Therefore, athletes will be very aware of muscle and tendon soreness. 'Traditional' baseball pitchers never know that they have microscopically torn the connective tissue fibers of their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. However, because you do not have a 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' in your baseball pitching motion, you are not microscopically tearing your Ulnar Collateral Ligament. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 026. The 12-year-old jumping off the rubber. I understand what you said about the rule, and that all pitchers release the ball with both feet in front of the rubber. My point is that this kid takes it to a wonderfully absurd or absurdly wonderful level, so much so, that even I, or a blind ump can see that he's WAY in front. Reining in Amazing seems like a natural thing to do, regardless of what kind of motion he's using, because he's just so darn far out there. It's like the phantom double play pivot at second base. You can get away with a little daylight between your foot and the bag when you release the ball, but if you're halfway to first base when you snap the relay to first base, you'll get busted. Having said all of that, I love how the kid just throws himself into those pitches in every sense of the word. It's like the Gibsons and Boutons of the traditional world, except all the force is going straight where it needs to be, and his arm doesn't fall off, two extremely good things. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know that it is obvious that my amazing twelve year old baseball pitcher releases his pitches farther forward than 'traditional' baseball pitchers. However, what he does is nothing like the phantom double play. In the phantom double play, the infielder does not touch second base. Therefore, he violates the rules. My amazing twelve year old does not violate the rules. Therefore, to call balks when he pitches, someone will have to change the rules of baseball. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 027. Is throwing to catchers a benefit? Do you think Amazing's pitching advancement is accelerated by throwing to his dad? I know that you have your guys need to throw into a net at your training site. Even though you tell them to throw to catchers for at least three weeks, then batting practice and simulated games, I think that they need to throw to catchers all the time. I understand the logistics of lining up enough catchers to handle your guys and the amount of pitches they throw every day. But, you could have your pitchers catch each other. I think the peer instruction would be invaluable as well. They'd be throwing to an analyst. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I believe that Amazing's rapid motor skill ability gains happened as a result of a close father/son relationship, following my recommendations without question and never letting a 'traditional' baseball pitching coach near him. Logistics is not the reason why I prefer that my baseball pitchers throw into nets. Catchers inhibit the learning process. Until my baseball pitchers can throw strikes into the net, they should not throw to catchers. Unfortunately, rather than wait until they can throw strikes into the net, some arbitrary time limit forces them to throw to catchers before they are ready and, as a result, they fail. Nobody can run until they can walk. This means that nobody can skip steps in the motor skill development order. Sorry, your thought not only violates a simple principle of motor skill acquisition, but also insures mediocrity. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 028. This is Trip Somers. I've actually decided in favor of a rather large rewrite of the article you have now downloaded twice, but I don't know when I will be finished, thanks to my work schedule. The original was just plain horrible from both an organizational standpoint and a concepts standpoint. To keep your time from being wasted, I recommend that you pay no attention to what you have already downloaded. Instead, I will gladly let you know when I have completed my update, so that you can have a look at something that I'm actually satisfied with. I apologize for any inconvenience. Thanks for your time. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have been there many times. I understand completely. I will wait for further instructions. Happy writing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 029. Thanks. My medial epicondyle discomfort is improving. I threw baseballs hard last night with no meaningful discomfort in the elbow, forearm or shoulder. As usual, your recommendations were spot on. Would like your insight on a performance problem. The challenge for each pitcher is to know himself. For me, when my driveline is less than optimal, it is because I am trying to throw hard too early in the motion. If I can wait until my weight is transferred to the glove foot and I'm rotated more like I do with WW & IB, I'm great. If I try to throw hard too early, I throw from the back foot, fight against my body, loose velocity and can't find the strike zone. I seem to bounce between strategies to ensure I apply force at the right time. All of them attempt to mimic the rhythm and timing of WW & IB throwing. Sometimes it's feeling the weight transfer to the glove foot and feeling the pitching knee drive forward. Other times I have better success by directly controlling when I accelerate the pitching arm forward. Most often the best results come from establishing the feel & timing at lower intensity and retaining that rhythm while ramping up to max effort. What have you and your guys found that might consistently work? It seems to be a common problem, so I suspect your guys recognize when it happens and have strategies to correct it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personally, I focused totally on powerfully pronating my pitching forearm. I tell my guys to wait until after their glove foot land, then explode off the pitching rubber and drive the entire pitching arm side of their body toward their glove knee. All that matters is that everybody throws every pitch with everything that they have. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 030. Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Clinic Agenda. If you have not already seen this, here is the link for the IHSBC Clinic agenda for Friday and Saturday, January 29-30. Looks like you will be speaking Friday at 8:20 – 9:00 (The traditional pitcher: injury prevention -- biomechanical and anatomical) and Saturday at 10:50 – 11:30 (Powerful mechanics, 2 fastball releases, high spin curve, Screwball and pick-offs). Illinois High School Baseball website We are looking forward to the great presentations. ------------------------------------------------- Illinois State High School Baseball Coaches Clinic FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 2009 4:00-5:30: Registration and Exhibitors Booths Open 5:30-6:30: 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and Summer State Champions Bobby Lonergan, Ron Smith, Joel Hawkins, Dave Haskins and Paul Babcock 6:30-7:10: John Musachio, Head Coach Oakland University Winning With Command of your Fastball 7:10-7:35: VISIT THE EXHIBITORS 7:35-8:15: Mark Haley, Arizona Diamondbacks Throw and release techniques to improve your throw out percentage 8:20-9:00: Dr. Mike Marshall, Major League Record holder and 1974 Cy Young Winner The traditional pitcher: injury prevention -- biomechanical and anatomical 9:00-11:00: IHSBCA Coaches and Exhibitors Appreciation Reception SATURDAY JANUARY 31, 2009 7:00-8:00: Registration Begins 8:10-8:50: Paul Belo, Palatine High School A Winning Approach To Hitting 8:50-9:30: Dr. Brent Walker, Mental Training Consultant Play In The Zone: Your Competitive Edge 9:30-10:10: Jami Isaacson, Knox College Offensive Pressure Baseball 10:10-10-25: IHSBCA Salutes Jim Brownlee, ISU Plus, IHSBCA 1A and 2A Award Winners 10-25-10:50: VISIT THE EXHIBITORS 10:50-11:30: Dr. Mike Marshall, Major League Record holder and 1974 Cy Young Winner Powerful mechanics, 2 fastball releases, high spin curve, Screwball and pick-offs 11:30– 11:40: IHSBCA 3A and 4A Award Winners and Announcements 11:45-1:15: LUNCH AND VISIT THE EXHIBITORS 1:20-2:00: Mark Haley, Arizona Diamondbacks How Well Do We Utilize Our Players? 2:00– 2:40: Justin Stone, Chicago White Sox Progressive Hitting Drills, Pitch Recognition and Approach 2:40-3:15: Marty Kobernus, Chicago White Sox The Physically Efficient Pitcher 3:15-3:30: TRX Suspension Training With The Chicago White Sox ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for the itinerary. We look forward to seeing you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************************************** On Sunday, January 18, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 031. The hernia was from a very distinct play during the season. I spun wheels coming out of the batters box and then further aggravated it stealing second. Initial pain was in the upper thigh and lower abdomen. There was no groin injury. The pain there was deferred from pressure in the inguinal canal. PT's saw no dysfunction in the groin and sent me back to general surgery when PT gave no improvements to what felt like a groin strain. To answer your question about whether I turn my pitching foot parallel with the pitching rubber: Sometimes. I try to retain the crow hop rhythm. When I literally crow hop, I have no issues with the pitching foot twisting closed to a more parallel-to-rubber position. When I pitch I use a pseudo traditional motion with a slight leg lift for comfort. If nothing else, a slight leg lift helps with my timing. I know it doesn't do anything. Sometimes I feel the pitching foot twist to a more parallel position while my acromial line is passively rotating closed. To better understand my injury, I did throw foot parallel to see if the "groin" hurt more. It made no difference, which raised further questions. The hernia had no noticeable impact on training or baseball pitching. Moving laterally and bending over to field are damn near impossible. Hitting with power is restricted. Sprinting is out of the question. Most importantly to me, I can't jog for more than 1 mile before the pain shuts me down. Any advice on how to keep training while not jeopardizing the hernia repair would be greatly appreciated. Still having medial epicondyle pain to the touch, but it appears to have absolutely no impact on baseball throwing. Able to throw WW & IB with max effort with no or very minor elbow discomfort. Still, I am reducing intensity for a while. Thanks to you my fastball is now .44 to .47 seconds to the 60' line bisecting the plate (flight distance of 54 - 54.5'). That is much faster than 1 year ago and that was measured during my current regression training period. I can tell there is more to come. I didn't believe you when you once said "you are no where near your genetic release velocity". Again, you were right. I'll continue to shut up and listen. Thanks for keeping me young. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When baseball pitchers turn their pitching foot parallel with the pitching rubber, they cannot drive off the pitching rubber with their pitching foot. Instead, they use the muscle on the outside of their leg, the Tensor Fascia Latae to move their body forward. Ice skaters use their Tensor Fascia Latae. Baseball pitchers should drive off the pitching rubber like they are coming out of the starting blocks in a one hundred yard dash. To do this, they need to point their knee at home plate, not to the pitching arm side of their body. In addition to the long term effect of destroying the lateral surface of their Tibia bone, which, if continued long enough, will require knee replacement surgery, baseball pitchers unnecessarily stress the Adductor Brevis muscle on the inside of their groin. As you correctly described, all males have openings in the abdomen where the testicles descended during gestation. When the intestines protrude through these openings, they have hernias. Because these are not only painful, but could become life threatening, athletic men with hernias need to have these excessively large openings surgically closed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 032. I hear that you spoke in Baton Rouge. How were you received? Did Joe help out with the demonstration? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe and I had a great time in Baton Rouge with the Louisiana High School Baseball Coaches Association. After my evening presentation on Friday night and my morning presentation on Saturday, coaches surrounded us with questions. Because I was the last speaker on Friday night, because we answered their questions for over an hour, we were the last people to get our food at their banquet. However, we were the first presenters on Saturday morning. Therefore, to enable the next speaker to start, we had to promise to stay and answer questions during their break for lunch. Unfortunately, we did not have an outside location in which Joe could demonstrate all our drills. They were shocked by his Wrist Weight exercises, thinking that he was going to injure himself, but admiring how powerful he is. He could not throw his fifteen pound lead ball. But, during the lunch break, he went outside the hotel and threw it in a vacant lot next door. We set up a net in the hall and Joe did his best with my Second Base Pickoff drill. They loved his Maxline Pronation Curve. Joe also threw the lid and appropriately-sized football into the net. Again, they could not believe the spin velocity he gets on his Maxline Pronation Curve. All in all, despite the 6:30AM departure from Tampa, the seventy-five mile drive from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and giving the demonstration indoors, we had a great time, talked with a lot of people and won over many converts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 033. I haven't been following you since 2000 when you first went online but I have been watching the site and reading the Q & A files for a few years and I can't recall you missing a couple of Sundays. What's going on? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When I am out of town, I cannot post my Question/Answer file. Or, when I want to finish a particularly long email that I consider important, I will post my Question/Answer file later on Sunday or early Monday. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 034. I opened a private channel on YouTube, where I can post videos of my son and hopefully you'll have time to review them, or at least a few from time to time. The below-mentioned videos should be on there by the time you read this. I took 300fps of Scott and a couple of friends today and I want your opinion on his swings. I included a: 1) high, off the plate outside pitch 2) high, off the plate inside pitch 3) over the plate, above the belt pitch It's his second time to swing a bat since last May and I ask that you let me know if you see anything problematic. Also, as I was getting the video ready to send to the other kid's Dad I came across a pitch that my son threw back in early December. I guess neither of us was much involved because it appears he is drop-stepping (to the p/s) a TFB. The ball has a little zig-zag right out of his hand - I doubt you can see it with the YouTube resolution. He started Spring football last week but after he gets used to that I'll start throwing with him and posting video as we go. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. The first video (CIMG0079) shows your son throwing is very dark and difficult to see exactly what he is doing. However, I still love to watch his body action. I wish I could get my guys to even come close to what he does. 02. The second video (CIMG0097) shows Scott swinging at an inside pitch. 03. The third video (CIMG0092) shows Scott swinging at an outside pitch. 04. The fourth video (CIMG0080) shows Scott swinging at a middle pitch. He starts the bat forward with his front arm, such that he pins his front arm against he chest. Therefore, on the inside pitch, he is late. On the other pitches, he is close to on-time. To learn how to use his rear arm to start the baseball bat forward, he needs to do my rear arm only drill. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 035. I was on the Baseball Fever website and read what Bill Peterson has been saying. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson wrote, "Numerous times I've suggested that Dirt provide some visual proof about things like center mass concepts, and he has yet to respond. The ice skater analogy has significant flaws in it. Skaters spin fast because they draw their arms inward while rotating on the forward surface of the blade where there is minimal friction. The center of rotation is along an axis from the skate, through the hip and pelvis, then the spine. Pitchers do this too, to a degree, but it has nothing to do with the center of mass; rather it has to do with the stride hip. And this is precisely where Marshall's center of mass ideas fail to pass muster, particularly as regards performance. Marshall calls this idea one of his 'laws.' It's not a law, it's a theory, and the theory is observably falsified, even by his own film record. Instead, pitchers need to generate ground force in order to provide opposite force for the torso rotation. The oppositely directed force is generated by a stiffened stride leg, and the stride hip then becomes the center of rotation for the mechanical model. If this center of rotation moves forward, "leaking" opposite force, velocity must suffer. It's much, much more complicated than this, and if you wish we can discuss it more." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The ice skater analogy compares standing tall and rotating versus bending forward at the waist. The fact that ice skaters rotate faster when they pull their arms close to their rotational axis has nothing to do with the analogy. The only concepts that I call 'laws' are Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion and my three laws of force application. I have no law relative to the center of mass. Instead, I say that, to be able to keep the center of mass of their body moving forward through release, my baseball pitchers have to move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that, to continue to move the center of mass of their body forward through release, they can apply force toward second base with their glove foot. To stand tall and rotate, like when we walk, I teach my baseball pitchers to step forward at a length the enables them to move the center of mass in front of their glove foot. I agree that, to enable baseball pitchers to rotate over their glove foot, they need to apply force to the ground. However, they should do this with their pitching foot, not their glove foot. When, after their glove foot lands, I teach my baseball pitchers to powerfully push off the pitching rubber with their pitching foot. To continue the rotational velocity that the pitching foot initiates, I teach my baseball pitchers to simultaneously drive their pitching knee toward their glove knee and pull their glove forearm straight backward toward second base. Contrary to ice skaters who stand in one spot and spin, to use the momentum of their body to increase their release velocity, baseball pitchers need to rotate over their glove foot while they continue to move of the center of mass of their body toward home plate. Therefore, instead of losing velocity by continuing to move the center of mass toward home plate while they rotate over their glove foot, my baseball pitchers add the velocity that they can generate with their pitching arm to the toward-home-plate velocity of the center of mass of their body. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 036. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson wrote, "To date, none of Dr. Marshall's students are able to perform his mechanic in the way that he details. Even his most proficient students miss SIGNIFICANT portions of what he details. This is what led us to keep looking for answers because I believe some of his concepts are correct, while others are invalid." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While it depends on their ability and willingness to learn what I teach, I do not believe that my baseball pitchers miss significant portions of my baseball pitching motion. Nevertheless, I can think of a few lesser important concepts. 01. I want my baseball pitchers to forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm to point directly at home plate. Unfortunately, to date, according to the American Sports Medicine Institute, they are able to forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm through only seventy percent of the length of their driveline. Therefore, while not everything that I want, my baseball pitchers are still far superior to ASMI's Elite group of mostly major league baseball pitchers. 02. I want my baseball pitchers to move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot and push back toward second base with their glove foot. To date, while I do not yet have any high-speed film evidence that they can do this as well as I want them to, I do have a twelve year old that does it far better than I imagined it could be done. 03. After their pitching arm reaches driveline height, I want my baseball pitchers to immediately raise their pitching upper arm to driveline height. While I believe that I have seen some of my baseball pitchers do this with their baseball throws, I have video evidence that they do this with their wrist weight exercises, iron ball throws, lid throws, plastic javelin throws and appropriately-sized football throws. If Mr. Peterson examples of significant skills that my baseball pitchers, other than his son, have not been able to learn, then I would gladly discuss them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 037. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson wrote, "I wish I had high school footage of my son, but didn't own a video camera. Mechanically he looked very much like a lefty version of Greg Maddux. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wish the best for Pat. However, to say that Pat looked very much a lefty version of Greg Maddox is not true. When I took Pat's 2004 entrance video, he had the classic 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. He took the baseball out of his glove with the palm of his pitching hand on top of the baseball. He had 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.' He had 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Turnover.' And, more importantly, where Mr. Maddox never pulls his fastball to the glove side of home plate, Pat did. My radar gun had Pat typically throwing 70 to 71 miles per hour with occasional 72 and 73 mile per hour fastballs. He pulled most of his fastball and his supination curve across the front of his body. When baseball pitchers pull their pitching upper arm across the front of their body, they unnecessarily stress the front of their pitching shoulder. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 038. Yes, I do that. With WW and IB throwing, the body wants to drive with pitching tow forward and pitching knee to home plate. I use the heavy implement throwing as my built-in coach. Therefore, when I pitch baseballs I try to do the same thing. I always thought that the most under-discussed part of your motion is how to keep from rushing. I have a theory that traditional guys keep rushing at bay by introducing injurious and mechanical flaws. They take short cuts of sorts, which may help curb rushing but kills their arms & bodies. An understanding of what should happen is sometimes not enough for the pitcher to MAKE it happen consistently. Although I'm doing pretty good, I would love to get inside some of your students' heads. A long time ago, you kindly provided Joe's email to me with his permission, but it didn't work. If he is willing, I'd like to ask him a few questions and let him know of some things that have consistently worked great for me. Confidentiality understood and appreciated. I never do the blog thing. Unrelated, what can I do to sustain training fitness post hernia surgery? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I teach my baseball pitchers to use the Law of Conservation of Momentum to learn when to apply force and how much. Because, when they complete my Drop Out Wind-Up competitive baseball pitching motion when they use thirty pound wrist weights, they understand that the time to get powerfully quick is, after their glove foot lands when they push off the pitching rubber with their pitching foot. I want the entire pitching arm side of their body driving as hard as possible toward home plate. After surgery, you will need to greatly reduce both the resistance and intensity with which you train and gradually bring both back to your present levels. A good guide to how long it will take you to get back to your present fitness is to multiply the days that you do not train by one and one-half. For example, if you do not train for two months, then it will take you three and one-half months to get back to where you were before you stopped training. You cannot rush it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 039. Dave Duncan In reading of all the "success" that Dave Duncan has had in regards to injuries of his pitchers, is it NOT surprising that he was NOT a pitcher during his playing days? I was a backup OF/1B/C when I played in Jr. High school. Guess that would qualify me to be a pitching coach as well... Thanks for being a sane voice out there. I only wish I had met you way back when I hurt my arm trying out for my Jr. High team and even now still suffer the effects of it almost 40 years later. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It has always amazed me that anybody would believe that someone who never dampened a jock on a major league pitching mound could teach major league baseball pitchers what they needed to do to succeed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 040. What workout exercises do you prefer your pitchers to use? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I recommend the drills that I demonstrate in my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. I recommend the interval-training programs that I provide in my Baseball Pitcher Interval-Training Programs file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 041. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "If you studied Marshall's film enough you would see that Pat was originally doing one thing with the arm action differently than anyone else... he kept the arm long in back; all of the others flex the elbow. If you understand that the glove side flying open early (a byproduct of HOW Marshall has taught his mechanic) and you combine this with inordinately long levers, you'll understand that this is a recipe for serious anterior shoulder problems; it's called dislocation. If you understand Marshall's theoretical mechanic well enough you will also understand why it's advantageous to leave the arm long in back; if you don't you will grab then loop and bounce. In reality, the one guy who was the closest to getting it right was also the most vulnerable." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In his 2005 exit video, Pat did extend his pitching arm toward second base. However, these are not my instruction. I teach my baseball pitchers to pendulum swing their pitching arm straight toward second base with their pitching elbow slightly bend and the palm of their pitching hand facing toward home plate downward and backward to forty-five degrees behind their body, where, while they continue to pendulum swing their pitching arm upward to driveline height, they turn the palm of their pitching hand away from their body. When their pitching arm reaches driveline height, I want their pitching elbow slightly bent and the palm of their pitching hand facing away from their body. Instead, when Pat's arm reached driveline height, he fully straightened his pitching elbow and had the palm of his pitching hand facing upward. As Mr. Peterson confirmed, "If you studied Marshall's film enough you would see that Pat was originally doing one thing with the arm action differently than anyone else...he kept the arm long in back; all of the others flex the elbow." Therefore, even though I repeatedly emphasize that, to 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders, I want my baseball pitchers to immediately raise their pitching upper arm to driveline height, Pat did not or would not immediately raise his pitching upper arm to driveline height. Because he did not or would not immediately raise his pitching upper arm to driveline height, Pat did not 'lock' his pitching upper arm with his shoulders. As a result, because Pat did not or would not 'lock' his pitching upper arm with his shoulder, when he forwardly rotated his shoulders, because the inertial mass of his pitching upper arm caused his pitching arm to lag behind his shoulders and Pat pulls his pitching upper arm forward, he unnecessarily stresses the front of his pitching shoulder. However, contrary to Mr. Peterson's statement that I teach my baseball pitcher to pull back with their glove forearm early, I teach my baseball pitchers to 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders immediately after their pitching arm reaches driveline height. That Pat did not or would not do this caused his problem, not my instruction. I recognized that Pat did not or would not immediately raise his pitching upper arm to driveline height very early in Pat's training. Instead, he would drop his pitching elbow well below shoulder height. To see what he did, you can go to my 2007 Baseball Pitchers file and watch the side view of every pitch that Pat threw. To correct this problem, I had Pat return to performing my Wrong Foot body action; Loaded Slingshot glove and pitching arm actions drill. This drill teaches my baseball pitchers how to immediately raise their pitching upper arm to driveline height. Pat performed this drill perfectly. In fact, for those of you who watched the Real Sports segment of me, you will see Pat practicing my Wrong Foot; Loaded Slingshot drill with his fifteen pound iron ball. When Mr. Gumble asked him whether throwing a fifteen iron ball so hard hurt him, Pat answered, "No." Therefore, for Mr. Peterson to say that what I taught Pat injured the front of Pat's pitching shoulder is a lie. In additioin, every day, I ask all pitchers whether they have any discomfort. I still have those daily discomfort reports. Therefore, I can prove, in Pat's own words, that Pat never said that he had any discomfort in the front of this pitching shoulder. Unfortunately, shortly after the Real Sports folks taped that segment at my Baseball Pitching Research/Training Center, Mr. Peterson told Pat to stop doing my Wrong Foot; Loaded Slingshot drill and start getting ready to pitch competitively in the Colorado summer college baseball league. I told Pat that, until he learns to immediately raise his pitching upper arm to driveline height, he should not pitch competitively. Therefore, Mr. Peterson is responsible for any problem that Pat suffered. While, as my entrance video shows, he is not genetically gifted, he should have become a quality college baseball pitcher. After my 280-Day program, Pat threw a very good Maxline True Screwball, a decent Maxline Fastball, Maxline Fastball Sinker, Torque Fastball and Torque Fastball Slider. Unfortunately, he continued to pull his Maxline Pronation Curve into the ground. I only teach baseball pitchers what they need to do; they have the responsibility to learn what I teach. I cannot make them. When I learned that, in the few weeks before the Colorado summer college baseball league started, Mr. Peterson changed how Pat threw, I knew why he was the only one of the eight pitchers that I sent to Colorado failed miserably. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 042. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson wrote, "The arm action I teach utilizes portions of Marshall's theories. Here's where we get into theory v reality again. Pronation is misunderstood. If the elbow drives forward, like is does in RPM's arm action, with the forearm anterior surface facing upward, the forearm is already fully pronated long before release while the forearm trails the elbow. This protects the UCL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That Mr. Peterson admits that 'The arm action he teaches utilizes portions of my theories' does not absolve him of plagiarism. Clearly, without me, he has no basis on which to talk about baseball pitching. Mr. Peterson writes, "If the elbow drives forward, like is does in RPM's arm action, with the forearm anterior surface facing upward, the forearm is already fully pronated long before release while the forearm trails the elbow." To determine whether baseball pitchers have their pitching forearm fully pronated or supinated, we have to examine the position of the palm of the pitching hand. 01. When my baseball pitchers throw my Maxline Pronation Curve, I teach them to have the palm of their pitching hand facing downward. With the palm of their pitching hand facing downward, my baseball pitchers have the back of their pitching forearm facing upward. If Mr. Peterson similarly teaches his baseball pitchers, then he is doing what I teach. 02. When my baseball pitchers throw my Torque Fastball, I teach them to have the palm of their pitching hand facing inward toward their body. With the palm of their pitching hand facing inward, my baseball pitchers have the little finger side of their pitching forearm facing upward. If Mr. Peterson similarly teaches his baseball pitchers, then he is doing what I teach. Mr. Peterson says that pronation "protects the UCL." In 1967, over forty years ago, I determined that, when baseball pitchers powerfully pronate their pitching forearm, before, during and after their release their pitches, the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle eliminate all stress on their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Because Mr. Peterson fails to credit me as the first to publish this discovery, he is a plagiarist. However, at least it is nice that Mr. Peterson has gotten something that I teach right. In conclusion, the particularities of each of the baseball pitches require that my baseball pitchers adjust the position of the palm of their pitching hand. However, because, with every baseball pitch I teach, my baseball pitchers have their pitching elbow at driveline height with their pitching forearm laying horizontally behind, they contract their Pronator Teres muscle. The position of the palm of the pitching hand is irrelevant. Clearly, Mr. Peterson and his inadequate biomechanist, John DiAquisto, are significantly anatomically and kinesiologically challenged. Therefore, even though he has stolen almost everything that he teaches from me, unless he has correctly quoted me, you cannot trust anything that he says. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 043. I noticed in the first base view of Mike Farrenkopf's ASMI video you have posted on your site that Mike will step forward too early not waiting until his pitching arm is at 45 degrees. It seems as though due to this his arm is reaching driveline height too early and this is causing his elbow to flex prior to lifting his elbow up to position his upper arm to vertical as close to the head as he can. Could this be why he appears to be looping? I'm guessing that if he would wait until his arm was where it needed to be before stepping forward, he would eliminate this flaw and have a longer driveline. Is this correct? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did not post Mike's ASMI video. Mike did. However, when I found out that he posted it, I included it in the list of postings that my guys have made without my knowledge. With my Torque pitches, I teach my baseball pitchers to step forward before they start to pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height. Therefore, when the heel of their glove foot lands, their pitching arm still has not arrived at driveline height. As a result, their pitching hand does not arrive at driveline height until they have moved their body forward over the full length of their glove foot and they are pushing backward off their glove toes. Remember, until their glove foot lands, baseball pitchers cannot powerfully rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward with complete control. If, before their glove foot lands, they start to rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward, then, just before their glove foot land, their glove foot will move to the pitching arm side of their body. As a result, they will not be able to control where they release their pitches. I call this, 'glove foot float.' However, with my Maxline pitches, to be able to forwardly rotate their acromial line to point at home plate, I want my baseball pitchers to drop step to the glove side of their body. Therefore, my baseball pitchers have to coordinate when their pitching arm reaches driveline height and the toes of their glove foot land. A perfect combination would be that their pitching arm smoothly flows from moving downward, backward and upward to driveline height into the acceleration phase of the pitching motion. However, that some of my baseball pitchers arrive at driveline height early does not mean that they would automatically move their pitching hand closer to their pitching shoulder. Nevertheless, for maximum release velocity and release consistency, they need to precisely time these two events. Along with several other problems, my new Second Base Pickoff drill is fixing this problem. With my new Second Base Pickoff drill, while their reverse rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm one hundred and eighty degrees to point their acromial line at the target, I teach my guys to vertically drop their pitching hand out of their glove and pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height to arrive when their pitching foot lands. Then, they drive their pitching hand and baseball straight down their acromial line, 'stick' their pitching hand into the target and put their pitching hand in their back pocket. This eliminates all pitching upper arm pull. The key to this drill is that it is a pickoff. Therefore, they have to be very quick with their body action, very quick with their pitching arm action and very quick with their release. As a result, they get rid of everything that they do not need, including moving their pitching hand closer to their pitching shoulder. When, before they start their pitching elbow forward, baseball pitchers move their pitching hand closer to their pitching shoulder, I call this, 'grabbing.' With their pitching hand close to their pitching shoulder when their pitching elbow starts forward, their pitching elbow moves forward, but, because the pitching hand has to wait until the pitching elbow is the full length of their pitching forearm in front of their pitching hand, the pitching hand transcribes a 'loop.' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 044. Question about iron balls. I was wondering what the difference between the 6-12 lbs shot-put’s that you get and getting them online? Is it the diameter? The reason I ask is that I train in my basement (in Maine, cold here) with your Pitcher Interval-Training Program. I bought a 6 lbs indoor shot-put that works great against my basement wall. They have other weights for indoor shots but the diameter increases (6 lb – 100mm, 8 lb -113mm, 10 lb -125mm, and 12 lb -125mm). Is this a problem? Can I substitute these instead of the iron balls you get? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For my eight, ten, twelve and fifteen pound heavy balls, I special order them from a company that makes lead weights to hold shrimp nets on the floor of the gulf. They cost me three times their weight plus shipping. For example, if you wanted eight, ten and twelve pound lead balls, because they weigh thirty pounds, they would cost ninety dollars plus shipping. Because they are lead balls, they are much smaller than iron balls or shot puts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 045. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "The final action is one of upper arm inward rotation, not forearm pronation." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This statement verifies how deeply Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto are Anatomically and Kinesiologically challenged. Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto do not understand is that 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not actively inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm at all. Instead, they horizontally flex their pitching upper arm. What Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto mistake as inward rotation is actually the result of 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' and the Pectoralis Major muscle horizontally flexing the pitching upper arm. With 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' the horizontal centripetal force that slings the pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball laterally away from the body, unless the shoulder joint comes apart, the pitching arm has to come across the front of the body. With the Pectoralis Major muscle pulling the pitching upper arm forward from behind their body, after 'traditional' baseball pitchers release their pitches, the Pectoralis Major muscle, which attaches to the lateral lip of the bicipital groove on the anterior surface of the head of the Humerus bone, secondarily causes the Humerus bone to modestly inwardly rotate. Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto also do not understand is that 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not extend their pitching elbow. Instead, they use their Brachialis muscle to eccentrically flex their pitching elbow. As a result of generating horizontal centripetal force to the pitching arm side of their body, 'traditional' baseball pitchers reflexively contract their Brachialis muscle to try to prevent their olecranon process from slamming into its fossa. For a force application technique to satisfy the Kinetic Chain, with regard to the pitching arm, to overcome the inertial mass of the pitching arm and baseball, the muscles of the Shoulder Girdle must contract first. After the Shoulder Girdle muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Shoulder Girdle muscles generated, the muscles of the Shoulder Joint must contract second. After the Shoulder Girdle muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Shoulder Girdle muscles generated, the muscles of the Shoulder Joint must contract second. After the Shoulder Joint muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Shoulder Girdle muscles generated, the muscles of the Elbow Joint must contract third. After the Elbow Joint muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Elbow Joint muscles generated, the muscles of the Forearm Joint must contract fourth. After the Forearm Joint muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Forearm Joint muscles generated, the muscles of the Wrist Joint must contract fifth. After the Wrist Joint muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Wrist Joint muscles generated, the muscles of the Hand Joint must contract sixth. After the Hand Joint muscles contract, to conserve the momentum that the Hand Joint muscles generated, the muscles of the Finger Joints must contract seventh. Instead, rather than powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, 'traditional' baseball pitchers choose to far less powerfully horizontally flex their pitching upper arm. Instead, with their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not actively extend their pitching elbow at all. Therefore, the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion fails to conserve the decreased momentum generated by the Shoulder Girdle and Shoulder Joint. Readers beware. Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto do not know that they do not know. Therefore, according to the Persian proverb, you need to ignore them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 046. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "As per Marshall's scenario, if you continue to pronate hard, while the forearm extends, you cause severe stress to the pronator teres (because the pronator teres is also a flexor of the elbow). Co-contraction...the same thing that tears hamstrings." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Athletes tear the Short Head of the Biceps Femoris muscle (one of the four muscles that make up the 'hamstrings' muscle group) because another nerve innervates this muscle than innervates the other three muscles. Therefore, when athletes have not practiced the motor unit contraction and relaxation sequence for sudden sprinting, they can experience a delay in the inhibitory signal reaching this muscle. As a result, when the antagonistic muscle group to the 'hamstring's muscle group, the 'quadriceps' muscle group, contracts, the Short Head of the Biceps Femoris muscle remains contracted and tears. The Pronator Teres muscle pronates the pitching forearm. Because the Pronator Teres muscle attaches above the pitching elbow, it secondarily flexes the pitching elbow. The Triceps Brachii muscle extends the pitching elbow. In the spinal column, when the Motor Cortex sends nerve impulses to muscle to contract, internuncial nerves at every level of the vertebral colum, sends inhibitory signals to their antagonistic muscles. The muscles antagonistic to the Triceps Brachii muscle are the Biceps Brachii and the Brachialis muscles. Despite the fact that the Pronator Teres muscle secondarily flexes the pitching elbow, the Pronator Teres muscle is not antagonistic to the Triceps Brachii muscle. Now we can add that, in addition to Anatomically and Kinesiologically challenged, Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto are also Physiologically challenged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 047. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "I've witnessed this firsthand, to the point it incapacitated a pitcher for much of a summer season. Marshall stressed 'sticking' the release while pronating hard: a mistake on more than one front because it also diminishes velocity by taking wrist action away from fastballs." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a situation where, in the minds of the insufficiently educated, a little scientific knowledge becomes dangerous. I don't know whether, in this case, Mr. Peterson's mind or Mr. DiAquisto's mind or both made up this ridiculous statement, but clearly, both of them as significantly insufficiently educated. They have confused to entirely different physiological phenomenon, namely, 'Reciprocal Inhibition' and Co-contraction without coincident action. As a result of 'Reciprocal Inhibition,' athletes tear the short head of their Biceps Femoris muscle. The short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle arises from the posterior surface of the Femur bone and, along with the long head of the Biceps Femoris muscle, attaches to the head of the Fibula bone and the lateral epicondyle of the Tibia bone. The other three muscles that make up the 'hamstrings' group of muscles, the long head of the Biceps Femoris, the Semiteninosus and Semimembranosus muscles, arise from the ischial tuberosity of the Ischial bone of the Hip Triad of bones and attach to the Tibia bone below the knee joint. Tearing the short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle occurs as a result of the peroneal portion of the Sciatic nerve innervating the short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle and the tibial portion of the Sciatic nerve innervating the long head of the Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus muscles. When athletes suddenly powerfully contract their 'quadriceps' group of muscles instantly after they powerfully contract the 'hamstrings' group of muscles, the internuncial nerves at the spinal cord level as which the motor nerves that serve these antagonistic group of muscles instantly send an inhibitory signal to the 'hamstring' group of muscles. Unfortunately, in inadequately trained athletes, the inhibitory signal to the short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle arrives too late. Therefore, the powerful extension of the knee when sprinting occurs when the short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle remains contracted and tears muscle fibers in the short head of the Biceps Femoris muscle. This is the one example in the human body where 'Ricipical Inhibition' fails to protect the non-contracting antagonistic muscle. The Triceps Brachii muscle that extends the elbow joint is not antagonistic to the Pronator Teres muscle. Therefore, the internuncial neurons at the spinal level that controls elbow joint action does not send an inhibitory signal to the Pronator Teres muscle when the Triceps Brachii muscle contracts. Instead, when the Triceps Brachii muscle contract, the internuncial neurons send inhibitory signals to the Biceps Brachii and Brachialis muscles that flex the elbow joint. However, as posing body builders show, athletes can co-contract their Biceps Brachii and Triceps Brachii muscles. They just cannot co-contract these muscles with any coincident action. That means that they can simultaneously contract antagonistic muscles, but they cannot powerfully flex or extend the joint across which these muscles operate. This time, in addition to showing that they are Anatomically and Kinesiologicall challenged, Mr. Peterson and Mr. DiAquisto show that they also Physiologically challenged. Therefore, readers should dismiss them as insufficiently educated and ignore whatever they say. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 048. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "Pitchers can't do this (horizontally rotate their shoulders forward while standing tall) efficiently and any attempt to do so results in driving the ball upward, not forward, as is clearly evidenced by Dr. Marshall's own films." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson says that my baseball pitchers 'drive the baseball upward, not forward. If this were true, then they would release their pitches vertically upward, not horizontally toward home plate. What Mr. Peterson should have said is, with Dr. Marshall's baseball pitching motion, to get their pitching forearm vertical at release, his baseball pitchers extend their pitching elbow vertically upward. That my baseball pitchers release their pitches horizontally shows that, while they extend their pitching forearm vertically upward, they still apply force straight forward at home plate. Because, with my baseball pitching motion, my baseball pitchers do not take their pitching arm laterally behind their body, they do not generate the horizontal centripetal force that causes 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.' Therefore, instead of releasing their pitches with their pitching forearm outside of vertical, my baseball pitchers release their pitches with vertical pitching forearms. As Mr. Peterson suggests, all you have to do is watch the baseball pitchers in my Analysis of my 2008 Baseball Pitchers file. Unfortunately, Mr. Peterson confuses the involuntary 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' with voluntarily extending the pitching elbow vertically upward and forward. Where 'traditional' baseball pitchers waste energy fighting their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' with their Brachialis muscle, my baseball pitchers are accelerating the baseball with their Triceps Brachii muscle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 049. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "Marshall's guys, as shown on his film, don't drive their elbow forward toward home plate and toward the gun. They drive the elbow up in the air." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My baseball pitchers do not drive their pitching elbow up in the air, they drive their pitching forearm vertically upward and forward toward home plate. Therefore, as seen from the overhead view, my baseball pitchers have a nearly straight driveline toward home plate. Without question, to drive their pitching forearm vertically upward and forward is far superior to the 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' without any positive force from the elbow joint muscles that the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion does. To rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward to point as close as possible to home plate, with my Maxline pitches, my baseball pitchers drop step to their glove side at forty-five degrees, drive their pitching knee at forty-five degrees toward their glove knee as they stand tall and rotate. In the American Sports Medicine Institute's inadequate biomechanical analysis of my baseball pitching motion, Dr. Fleisig found that my baseball pitchers rotated their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward through seventy percent of the length of their driveline. While I want my baseball pitchers to rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward through one hundred percent of the length of their driveline, when compare with ASMI's Elite group of primarily major league baseball pitchers, who rotate their hips forward about thirty percent of their driveline and their shoulders forward about fifty percent of the length of their driveline, that my guys rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward through seventy percent of their driveline is significantly superior. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 050. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "Marshall's instructions do not lead to guys throwing in the way he theorizes. All you have to do is look at his claims and then compare this with his film record to know that the two don't align. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That Mr. Peterson uses the high-speed film and video DVDs that I make of my baseball pitchers and post on my website shows that I am not making any false claims. Instead, when my baseball pitchers do not perform my baseball pitching motion as I teach them, I not only show it to everybody, but I also say it on the video. These video clips show that, as evidenced by the quality and the variety of the baseball pitches that they throw, my baseball pitchers do most of what I teach them to do very well. I challange Mr. Peterson to show 'traditional' baseball pitchers capable of throwing the quality and variety of pitches that my baseball pitches can throw and without injury. With regard to pitching injuries: If his son, Pat Howe, has ever suffered any pitching injuries, it was not when I trained him at my Baseball Pitching Research/Training Center. I have video and written proof. Therefore, I submit that Mr. Peterson has taught his son the injurious mechanical flaws that resulted in Pat's injuries. However, because Mr. Peterson refuses to provide high-speed film and video evidence of how his son or others perform his bastardized baseball pitching motion, he has no credibility. Therefore, I, for one, will not spend hard-earned money to see whatever ridiculous alterations he has made to my baseball pitching motion. It is the heart-break of coaching when, no matter how hard I try, my baseball pitchers cannot perform my baseball pitching motion exactly as I teach it. However, I never stop trying to help them. Unfortunately, coaching is a symbiotic relationship. I teach. They learn. We equally share the responsibility. When I see my guys working as hard as they can to overcome mechanical flaws that prevent them from becoming the best that they can be, I ache for them. However, like in Mr. Peterson's son case, because of Mr. Peterson injecting himself into the mix, while I feel sorry for Pat, the blame for Pat's lack of success rests with Pat and his father. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 051. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "Your statement would correctly read: Pat is now observably doing a number of the things Marshall has theorized about (which none of Marshall's students have ever demonstrated, insofar as his published film record shows), and he's doing so BECAUSE of the changes we have made to the entire mechanic." Bill Peterson also wrote, "Pat is now doing many of the things that Marshall asked him to because we have made significant changes to the mechanic, each of which substantially contradict portions of Marshall's instructions and theories." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where is Mr. Peterson's transparency? If what he says is true, then, like I do, show us. I would love to watch Pat perform my baseball pitching motion as I designed it. Tell you what Bill. Send Pat to Zephyrhills, FL and I will high-speed film and video him throwing my six basic adult pitches. Then, I will upload the DVD I make of his efforts and everybody can see whether what you say is true. Until then, please tell me the 'number of things' that I theorized about that my baseball pitchers do not do, but, 'BECAUSE of the changes we (you and Pat) have made to the entire mechanic,' Pat now does. Talk is cheap, my friend. Put up or shut up. Instead of talking behind my back on your manfriend apologist's website, like the quivering coward that Sam Buchanan's father proved you to be, be a man and debate directly with me. And, please bring Mr. DiAquisto with you. Like Dr. Fleisig, he is a number cruncher without sufficient knowledge in Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology to correctly interpret his inadequate biomechanical analyses. We will see if, unlike Dr. Fleisig, Mr. DiAquisto has the professionalism to debate with a scientifically qualified researcher with over forty years of investigation into the mechanics of baseball pitching. I would love to have Mr. DiAquisto tell me something about the mechanics of baseball pitching that I have not already considered. I really would. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 052. Here is another argument that Bill Peterson is making against you. I am sure that neither he nor Baseball Fever asks you to respond. I would like to hear what you have to say. ------------------------------------------------- Bill Peterson wrote, "The analysis I've done on these pitchers clearly shows that the center of mass (and the stride hip) slow down significantly prior to release, not vice versa. Trying to drive forward off the glove leg (like in the 12-year old clip) results in both feet being off the ground at release. Again, please show me ONE clip that actually portrays this in action." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That my amazing twelve year old baseball pitcher use his glove foot to apply force toward second base to accelerate the center of mass of his body toward home plate shows that baseball pitchers can use their glove leg to apply oppositely-directed force to their pitches, like Sir Isaac Newton's Law of Reaction would want. That, when he releases his pitches, the amazing twelve year old has both feet off the ground is irrelevant. Nevertheless, you have made a valid point. To date, I have not provided evidence that the baseball pitchers that I train can move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot, such that they can apply oppositely-directed force with their glove leg. We continue to try. Visually, I believe that some are doing this. However, until I can provide high-speed film evidence, this concept remains theoretical. If you and Pat have made changes to my baseball pitching motion that enables him to perform concepts that my baseball pitchers have not yet demonstrated, why has he not moved the center of mass of his body in front of his glove foot, such that he can apply oppositely-directed force with his glove leg? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 053. Do you know anything about the effects of softball pitching on young girls? My daughter is 11, and has had no pain so far in her pitching arm. We live in the northern part of the South. Her pitching coach, like you, seems to be a student in how the human body works. He teaches softball pitching a little differently than most current coaches in order to prevent softball injuries. He too, works with injured athletes, both baseball and softball players, to adjust what they're doing to make it safer on their bodies. Therefore, I feel that she is using very sound technique. I was curious though about work load and limits on pitching on young girls. Is it similar to boys or due to the different motion, can they pitch more? Thanks for your time. I'm glad that folks like you and her coach are working to make sports safer in our youth sports obsessed nation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The unnecessary stress in the maximum velocity overhand throwing motion comes mostly from the amount of side to side movement of the pitching arm. With the maximum velocity underhand throwing motion, the pitching arm has very little, if any, side to side movement. Therefore, fast-pitch softball pitchers do not suffer the injuries that baseball pitchers suffer. Nevertheless, adolescent females have growth plates that with too much stress will prematurely close. However, because females biologically mature earlier than adolescent males, where the danger ages for males is 12 to 14 biological years old, I would expect that the danger ages for females would be between 10 and 12 years old. Therefore, I would not allow 10 to 12 year old adolescent female fast-pitch softball pitchers to pitch competitively for more than two consecutive months per year. Unfortunately, when growth plates receive more stress than they can withstand without prematurely closing, they do not emit pain signals. The only way that we know when they have prematurely closed is when we X-ray the glove and pitching elbows and notice that the growth plates in the pitching elbow have prematurely closed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 054. Passive Outward Rotation In Question #16, you go to great lengths to explain that your pitchers do not actively outwardly rotate their pitching arms when bringing the baseball to driveline height and when bringing the humerus to the Slingshot position. As an example you write: "Other than to safely decelerate their pitching upper arm after powerfully inwardly rotating their pitching upper arm, I never want my baseball pitchers to actively outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm." In your Coaching Pitchers book you state that you do not discuss the muscles involved in the Transition phase because pitchers can't hurt themselves. So I have to assume this does not have to do with injury prevention. I have to say that I always believed your guys actively outwardly rotated their upper arm when bringing the baseball to driveline height (I believe at one time you had your guys start their transition with the palm of the hand facing the pitcher's body which to me means they would have to actively outwardly rotate their upper arm). 1. Why is it so important that your guys passively rather then actively outwardly rotate their humerus on the way to driveline height and when bringing the humerus into the Slingshot position from driveline height? You also suggest in the quote I supply that your guys actively outwardly rotate their humerus in the deceleration phase. That really surprised me. My view of "active" is that there is some conscious thought involved. I always thought when you get to the deceleration phase there was not much a pitcher could. 2. How is it that your guys actively outwardly rotate their humerus in the deceleration phase? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because the 'Transition Phase' of the baseball pitching motion ends when baseball pitchers start their pitching elbow forward, my statement that baseball pitchers cannot injure themselves during the 'Transition Phase' is correct. However, because 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' is part of the 'Transition Phase,' I can see that, with 'traditional' baseball pitchers, how they end their 'Transition Phase' contributes to their injuring their pitching arm. 01. When, at forty-five degrees behind their body, my baseball pitchers rotate the palm of their pitching hand from facing toward home plate with the thumb side of their pitching hand pointing away from their body to the palm of their pitching hand facing away from their body with the thumb side of their pitching hand pointing upward, they have to use their Brachioradialis muscle to supinate their pitching forearm and, with that forearm supination action, they use their Teres Minor muscle to passively outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. I use the word 'passively' because they do not put any stress on their pitching shoulder. The action is very gentle with no bounce or trauma and the pitching forearm initiates the action. 02. When, after their pitching arm reaches driveline height, to 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders, my baseball pitchers raise their pitching elbow to driveline height, they use their Anterior Deltoid muscle to abduct their shoulder joint and the inertial mass of their pitching forearm and baseball and, to a minimal degree, their Teres Minor muscle, aligns their pitching forearm horizontally behind their pitching elbow. Again, I use the word 'passively' because they do not put any stress on their pitching upper arm. The action is very gentle with no downward force that 'bounces' the inside of their pitching elbow. 03. During the 'Acceleration Phase,' I teach my guys to powerfully extend and inward rotate their pitching upper arm. Like in all ballistic actions, the antagonistic muscles have to decelerate the acceleration movements. Therefore, during the 'Deceleration Phase,' my baseball pitchers have to use the muscles that decelerate the extension and inward rotation actions of their shoulder joint. While I am certain that they use their Teres Minor and Infraspinatus muscles and, to a lesser extent, their Supraspinatus muscle, because of the unique position from which the pitching upper arm started its extension and inward rotation movements, I am also certain that the Posterior Deltoid contributes to the deceleration action. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 055. This is Mike Farrenkopf. I threw 2 innings today in our inner squad. It felt good to get back onto the game mound. I had 2 K's, but gave up 2 runs in the second inning. I believe I gave up 3 hits. Today, I really tried to transfer the rhythm and feeling that I have in the bullpen into the game mound. The first inning went well. The second inning I kept missing with my -10's. When I'd come back with a fastball, I'd leave the fastball in the middle of the zone. The batters took advantage of that and lined the pitches into the gaps. In the second inning, I lost the relaxation and focus that I had in the first inning. I am looking forward to my next outing so that I can continue to work on these details. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I appreciate the update. First, you are pitching to your teammates. They know the pitch sequences that Coach Maley has you throw. They know that you will start them with minus tens and, then, go to the appropriate two-seam fastball. They are sitting on them. After baseball batters have faced you several times, you have to design specific pitching sequences unique to the strengths and weaknesses of each batter. You have to throw out the first three sequences that I teach you. You need to review the pitch sequences of their earlier At Bats against you and write up new individualized sequences. You are learning that, after baseball pitchers learn how to throw high quality pitches, they still have a lot more to learn. I call it, mound presence. When you are missing with your minus tens, you cannot stop throwing them. If you do, then you will never get out of trouble. Contrary to popular belief, it is better to keep throwing your minus tens and walk batters than it is to start throwing fastballs and getting hit hard. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************************************** On Sunday, January 25, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 056. Doc, I'm going to post a single video from today. I believe my son has two choices: 1) he can walk forward with the g/s foot and drive off his p/s foot to generate toward-the-plate velocity and shortening the distance between home and the mound or, 2) he can walk forward with the g/s foot and drastically shorten his p/s stride. The second technique enables him to have a much, much, faster rotation of the hips (and shoulders.) I don't know which technique will get the ball to the plate sooner. You can see after three days and ~50 reps of this he has gotten the hips to rotate faster and it will increase a lot as we continue. And, getting his acetabular and acromial lines to stay in sync won't be much of a challenge. This is going to enable him to point the acromial line at home at release without much effort. He is already throwing down the A-line (directly down it) on 5-10% of his throws with no trouble. In some clips, he gets the hips there first, in others he gets the shoulders pointed to home first. I think it's going to work well. You can also see that he is beginning to stop the head jerk and his post-pitch g/s leg whip. He is rotating his acromial line to point at home plate without having to over-rotate after release. You'll see what I mean in the forthcoming video clips. We hope that your birthday was a great one. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At sixty-six years old, even if I can only sit upright and answer the emails, every birthday is a great one. This video is exactly what I have demonstrated for years as what I thought was the maximum toward-home-plate distance that baseball pitchers could move the center of mass of their body and push back toward second base with their glove leg. However, you and your son proved me wrong. I understand your concern that those in charge of youth baseball in your area will ban what your son can do. Nevertheless, I believe that, with regard to moving the center of mass of the body as far forward as baseball pitchers can, what he does is biomechanically tremendous. And, I still want to get that motion on high-speed film. Still, in a way that should be acceptable to everybody, if your son can do what this video shows, then he will move the center of mass of his body in front of his glove foot and use his glove foot to apply more equal and oppositely-directed force toward second base. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 057. I'm a junior in high school. I've watched your video and it seems like your pitching techniques correlate closely with my pitching coach's methods. I'm currently working with a former pitching and catching coach with a professional baseball team. Your technique is based on kinesiology, which is also the founding premise of his pitching technique. He emphasizes the use of the lower body and core muscles, particularly on rotating the back foot to create driving force. I've been working with him for three years now and I've never had any arm injuries and I'm a dominant pitcher in my league as well as against players from higher division schools. Generally, I keep my velocity around high seventies to low eighties, but I can throw up in the mid-eighties when I'm on really good form. I also notice that when I'm on my game that I don't even feel my arm as I release the ball and as I said, the ball gets to the plate noticeably faster than usual. At these times, I am also much lower to the ground as I release. Sometimes when I pitch, my throwing hand brushes the ground. The point I'm trying to get at is that I would like to know if you could take a look at my pitching form and see if you have any tips or if you see any flaws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That your throwing hand brushes the ground indicates that you bend forward at your waist, which means that you stride forward so far that you cannot continue to move the center of mass of your body forward throughout your pitching motion. I teach my baseball pitchers to stand tall and rotate. Therefore, they release their pitches as high as their standing height enables them. I also teach my baseball pitchers to drive their pitching hand in straight lines toward home plate and 'stick' their pitching hand into the strike zone. Therefore, after they release their pitches their pitching arm is horizontal pointing directly at home plate, not even pointing downward, much less anywhere near the ground. I am more than happy to watch video of baseball pitchers who are doing my interval-training programs with the drills that I use to teach the skills of my baseball pitching motion. Unfortunately, you are not doing my interval-training programs or my drills. When you do, I would greatly enjoy evaluating your baseball pitching motion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 058. Scientific Reference Website When you click the link to “Anatomy of the Human Body” it goes to the skeletal section. Is that what you wanted? Once there, you can just click “home” and from there navigate to the other sections, but I thought it might be confusing to new readers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just change it. Let me know if it works. I appreciate the heads-up. I need all the help that I can get. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 059. Bill Peterson. Shouldn’t Bill Peterson be taken off of the Certified Pitching Coaches list? He doesn’t teach your motion and doesn’t deserve the accreditation. Maybe you could start a “Hall of Shame” file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Peterson met the criteria to be on my Certified Marshall Baseball Pitching Coaches List. That is, he attended one of my Certification Clinics. Mr. Peterson says that he knows how to teach my baseball pitching arm action better than I do, which means that he tries to teach most of my baseball pitching motion. While I agree that he should be ashamed of what he says about how I teach baseball pitchers, I do not want to stoop to his level of vindictiveness. Therefore, I will leave him on my list. Readers can decide who knows what they is talking about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 060. Baseball Fever I posted your responses of what Bill Peterson had to say on Baseball Fever and SHOCKINGLY now the thread no longer exists. If anyone has anything positive to say about what you are doing, then their post magically goes away. I'm sure the person we can thank for this is the moderator of BaseballFever.com, Jake Patterson. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some months ago, Joe Lindsay, aka Jake Patterson emailed me whining that some of my guys were abusing other bloggers on his website. Therefore, he was banning them. I told him that censorship is far worse than anything that these guys were doing. In this situation, a reader of my website sent me statements that Bill Peterson was making about me and my baseball pitching motion on Joe's website, BaseballFever.com. I spent several hours answering Mr. Peterson's comments. Other than to say that, as a result of my evaluations of Mr. Peterson's comments, Mr. Peterson has no idea what he is talking about and readers should ignore him, I provided scientific explanations. Therefore, after one of my readers posted my responses on BaseballFever.com, to read that Mr. Lindsay removed my responses shows that Mr. Lindsay lied when he said that he is only preventing abusive behaviors. In truth, Mr. Lindsay is the un-American censor of free speech that I told him he is. In removing my respones to Mr. Peterson's comments, Joe Lindsay, aka Jake Patterson's actions proves that he is the unabashed manfriend apologist for Bill Peterson that I said that he is. As such, he has removed himself from anybody taking anything he says or does seriously. He has become a pitiful joke, which means so has his website. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 061. Bill Peterson. I thought you might find it amusing that I started a new thread on BaseballFever.com. If people cannot already tell that Bill Peterson is a liar and a scam artist, then when they see this, they will definitely know that he is. I dug up old posts from Bill and found what he was claiming BEFORE you ruined his dreams of making money by not giving him exclusive rights to your teachings. I'm sure the thread will be taken down very shortly, but, at least, you will be able to post it on your site. Whoops, as I am writing you this email, Jake has already taking my thread down and has banned me. So, here is the thread that is now gone: -------------------------------------------------- Since the New Marshall thread has "mysteriously" vanished after I posted Dr. Marshall's responses to what Coach45 (Bill Peterson) posted earlier. I propose a new thread. Here is my BIG question. Why would anyone listen to what this man, Bill Peterson, Coach45, has to say? He is a LIAR and here is proof. On Bill Peterson's RPMpitching.com website, Coach45 writes, "Velocity is absolutely not the end all, but it's unwise to think Dr. Marshall has all the answers when he trains a pro prospect for three years and the net result subtracts 12-13 mph from his fastball." Yet, on 12-06-05 at 1:02pm:, in a thread entitled, 'Does Dick Mills really know what he is talking about?', Coach45 wrote, "Using Marshall's mechanics, imperfectly, my son threw into the mid-90 this summer and continues to throw with this intensity every single day, seven days per week. With the overload training he is doing now he throws an equivalent of well over 180 pitches per day, seven days per week. Muscle fatigue? You bet, but he is not doing structural damage to the elbow and/or shoulder." SO, WHICH ONE IS IT? Did Coach45's son gain velocity using Marshall's training methods or did he not? Also, he has recently claimed that, due to the Dr. Marshall's training, his son injured himself. He blames Marshall and takes no responsibility at all. But, on 12-07-05 at 4:47 pm, in the thread entitled, 'Does Dick Mills really know what he is talking about?, Coach45 wrote, "Will I feel somehow responsible if he is injured or if this fails? How could I not do so?" Later in the same post, Coach45 said, "In all this time, the most severe discomfort came for my son when he upped his intensity when first pitching competitively. That soreness was in the anterior deltoid, as opposed to structural, connective tissue and through this soreness he continued to train every single day." "That he can throw a much broader array of pitches, all with greater movement, with higher release velocities than he ever had before (I think the scouting bureau has velocities on file, so we have an independent source), and can work on improving it every single day, is all the proof I personally need. I wish you could experience what I have seen. Like I have said before, this is unlike anything any of us are accustomed to." In the same thread on 12-09-05 at 7:55pm, Coach45 wrote, "I coach and am actively teaching these mechanics. They work, and a whole lot better than the traditional way. Huge variety of pitches; quicker time to the plate; closer release to the plate; ability to train every day; and yes, freedom from injury, just like Dr. Marshall claims." Later, in the same thread on 12-10-05 at 8:19am, Coach45 wrote, "Is Dr. Marshall's way the very best way to throw that mankind will ever know? From the injury standpoint it's far superior to anything else out there now. His guys also throw a vastly superior variety of pitches, release the ball closer to home plate (like moving the mound closer to the plate), increase their release velocities, have quicker times to the plate than a traditional slide step, can do it every day, and aren't getting hurt." "Guys, these are facts. Facts are things that you can look at and say, 'yep, that's exactly what he does.' If you ask me for the proof I will provide it." In a thread entitled, 'Mike Marshall's Pitching Motion,' on 12-08-06 at 3:03 pm, Coach45 wrote, "Over the summer, he (my son) experimented with some different footwork and the results appeared encouraging from a velocity standpoint, but, until he is strong enough to correct the specific arm flaw, the footwork issue is largely irrelevant." Was Coach45's son ever really injured, like Coach45 now says? Were Coach45 lying then or is he lying now? Either way, he is a LIAR. I also find it interesting that Coach45 says that his son was the only one doing certain things right in Marshall's motion. Yet, in the above quote, he freely acknowledges that his son had a specific arm FLAW. This means it was not Dr. Marshall's fault. Instead, it was his son's inability or unwillingness to perform what Dr. Marshall wanted. Lastly, regarded the pictures and videos that Coach45 has posted in his efforts to refute what Dr. Marshall teaches. On 12-09-05 at 5:53pm, in the thread entitled, 'Does Dick Mills really know what he is talking about?:', Coach45 wrote, "Video, unless it's high speed and undoctored by software, does not show you what the arm truly does." Therefore, BECAUSE Coach45 has DOCTORED Dr. Marshall's video, we shouldn't pay any attention to ANY VIDEO OR PHOTOGRAPHS that Coach45 has posted. On his website, drmikemarshall.com, Dr. Marshall has refuted everything Coach45 has critcized about what Dr. Marshall teaches. Therefore, the fact that Coach45 contradicts himself, nobody should pay attention to anything he has to say. And the fact that Joe Lindsey immediately removes my postings from the Baseball Fever website means that nobody should pay any attention to anything that he has to say either. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By using his own words, you have shown that Bill Peterson has no integrity. To make the almighty dollar, he will say anything. I feel sorry that he has put his son through all this. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 062. This is Amazing's Dad. Would you please watch two videos of my son and tell me what you think? www.youtube.com/docsstudent 1. Is he close to throwing down acromial line? 2. Is he rotating his hips correctly? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. Boy, how I love his body action. And, as you said, he does drive his pitching hand, albeit in this video, without a baseball, down his acromial line. However, please ask him to try to keep his eyes on where he wants to throw the baseball. 02. He rotates his hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward as one very, very quickly. If, instead of driving his pitching knee toward home plate, he were to drop step to his glove side and drive his pitching knee toward his glove knee, then he would be even better. He should also lean the line across the top of his shoulders more to his glove side. I love watching him. I wish at least one of my guys could do this. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 063. This is Mike Farrenkopf. I threw one inning today. I felt much more relaxed. 1. RHB 3-1 ground out. 2. RHB 6-3 ground out. 3. RHB struck out looking at a screwball. For the first two batters, I was able to have success with my sinker later in the sequence that Coach Maley called. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I assume that, by later in the sequence, you mean that you did not have two strikes on the batters. Two-strike sinkers and sliders may get most batters out, but, in the long run, you would do better to go with screwballs and curves. They will still get these lesser batters out, but will also get quality batters out. You should always pitch up to the quality required to get quality batters out, not down to the quality required to get lesser batters out. If, instead of throwing one ball, no strike two-seam fastballs, Coach Maley had you continue to throw sinkers or sliders until you got one or two strikes, then he was changing the pattern on the batters and forcing you to get those pitches in the strike zone. Without throwing them for strikes, you will not succeed as well as you should. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 064. I am a pitching coach works with kids and adults. I have read through your material and watched most of the video content you provided online. Being a retired oral surgeon and now a physics teacher at a community college, I appreciate the science-based approach to mechanics you report. When I try to explain the Newtonian physics to most other coaches, their eyes glaze over. I played two years of college ball, but I think the coach liked my grades more than my fastball. I realized then and now that baseball, at all levels, continues to be taught more by tradition than by science. Some elements of the delivery you teach is similar to the method used by cricket bowlers, who also readily make the ball break in either direction when it bounces in front of the wicket. A lot of BP pitchers also use the step back and with a short back arm action and then forward to increase momentum toward the plate. So what you recommend is not as foreign as it may seem to traditionalists. I emphasize head-shoulder separation more than you do, but I've also had to emphasize flexing of the trunk just before release to prevent cuff and labrum injuries. I noticed that your students do not flex the trunk much at all. I guess my first question to you is how the delivery is executed from the stretch position with runners on base? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With regard to Sir Isaac Newton's three laws; you should tell coaches that: 01. Newton's Law of Inertia teaches us that, from the first moment that the baseball moves toward home plate through release, baseball pitchers should apply force straight toward home plate. 02. Newton's Law of Acceleration teaches us that, baseball pitchers should apply straight line force to their pitcher over as great a distance as possible. 03. Newton's Law of Reaction teaches us that, to apply more straight line force toward home plate with their pitching arm, baseball pitchers need to apply more straight line force toward second base with their pitching leg, glove arm and glove leg. The only difference between the wind-up and set positions is, in the set position, baseball pitchers must have their glove foot on the ground in front of the pitching rubber, where, in the wind-up position, baseball pitchers can have their glove foot on the ground anywhere else. When my baseball pitchers have base runners on first base, they can either place their glove foot on the ground in front of the pitching rubber or they can place their glove foot on the ground one full step behind the pitching rubber. With both positions, my baseball pitchers come set with both hands together in front of their body at their waist. With their glove foot on the ground in front of the pitching rubber, they can: 01. disengage the pitching rubber with their pitching foot and drop both hands to their sides, 02. step toward home plate and pitch the baseball to the batter or 03. step toward first base and throw the baseball to first base in an attempt to pick the base runner off base. With their glove foot on the ground one full step behind the pitching rubber, they can: 01. disengage the pitching rubber with their pitching foot and drop both hands to their sides, 02. step toward home plate and pitch the baseball to the batter or 03. step toward first base and throw the baseball to first base in an attempt to pick the base runner off base. Instead of bending forward at their waist, I teach my baseball pitchers to stand tall and rotate. When baseball pitchers bend forward at their waist, the American Sports Medicine Institute reported that their Elite group of baseball pitcher rotate their hips and their shoulders forward for only thirty and fifty percent of the length of their driveline, respectively. However, with my baseball pitching motion, the American Sports Medicine Institute reported the my baseball pitchers rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward for seventy percent of the length of their driveline. When baseball pitchers rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward, they act like booster rockets to the space shuttle, we want baseball pitchers to rotate forward as fast as they can for as long as they can. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 065. High School Rules My son will be pitching at the high school level this spring. I have emailed you previously about the issue of wind up and set position with regard to high school baseball rules. I have been thinking about what he may encounter this season and his possible options. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recalled that a fellow father had sent to you the high school baseball rules that pertain to pitching. I researched the past posts and found the pertinent post in question 913 in your 2007 Q & A files. Although the rule for the wind up position notes that; "The pitcher's non-pivot foot shall be in any position on or behind a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher's plate.", I was told by two IHSA (Illinois High School Association) umpires (one 2 seasons ago, and one this past season) that both feet need to be on the pitching rubber in the wind up position. This is counter to what the rule actually states. When confronted, the ump this summer told me that both feet have to be on the rubber, and that the GS foot can be pushed back with the toe still on the rubber. That was his moronic interpretation. Regardless, what I am trying to settle is what is legal, and what my son should practice and use. Fortunately, you are heading to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Clinic later this month. It would be of great help, not only to me and my son, but to all fathers and high school pitchers if you could help resolve this issue while at the clinic. I see a couple of possible choices. 1. If the foot behind the rubber is in fact legal for a wind up position, use the Marshall Drop Out Wind Up. You would have to step off of the rubber to throw to any base, (The rule is pretty explicit in this regard; "With his feet in the wind-up position, the pitcher may only deliver a pitch or step backward off he pitcher's plate with his pivot foot first.") but the delivery time to home plate is quicker then a traditional set position. 2. Use the Marshall Set position. The high school rule states; "Before starting his delivery, he shall stand with his entire pivot foot in front of a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher's plate and with his entire pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of the pitcher's plate." I had an umpire this season insist that the foot had to be parallel to the pitching rubber. His reasoning was that the "entire" pivot foot meant that the entire foot had to be on the rubber, thus, parallel. I then asked if it were ok to have his entire foot in front of the rubber (heel almost touching) because the rule notes that the foot can be directly in front of the pitcher's plate. He had no answer for that, and proceeded to tell me that would be called a balk. 3. If neither of these is available, use the Jeff Sparks 2000 set position. [Most of the year, my son pitched from the Marshall set position with men on. I learned to speak with the umps prior to the game starting to clarify his delivery before he got on the mound. This worked well with the few exceptions noted. I recommend that fathers/coaches do this prior to game time. It also helps the umps explain it to the opposing coaches when they start to yell balk. I also liked that the base runners and first base coaches were confused and didn't quite know how to deal with it. I would have him step off to throw over once or twice, then step directly to first and throw. That usually caught them leaning. He picked off a handful this year. Most didn't lead off far or try to steal. Many times the coach yelled "back" when my son threw to home.] As you can see, there is a bit of a dilemma and confusion regarding what high school pitchers are able to do. If you can find (or attempt to find) a resolution at the Illinois High School Coaches Clinic, it would greatly appreciated. This information would be helpful for all that use these rules. I would assume there will be umpires at the clinic also that you can ask. If no resolution is had, what do you suggest? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. For high school baseball pitching rules to require their baseball pitchers to have both feet in contact with the pitching rubber prevents baseball pitchers from pitching from the three and one-half inches on the glove side of the pitching rubber. Baseball pitchers should be able to pitch equally from both sides of the pitching rubber. The rule that says that baseball pitchers cannot take their glove foot beyond the lateral edge of the pitching rubber is supposed to prevent baseball pitchers from stepping sideways off the pitching rubber, not prevent baseball pitchers from pitching off the glove side of the pitching rubber. 02. Similarly, the rule that requires baseball pitchers to have their entire pitching foot in contact with the pitching rubber is supposed to prevent baseball pitchers from having part of their pitching foot beyond the lateral edge of the pitching rubber, not force them to turn their pitching foot to parallel with the pitching rubber. 03. The unique to high school baseball rule that, when they are in a wind-up position with base runners on first base, to throw the baseball to first base in an attempt to pick base runners off first base, they first have to disengage the pitching rubber with their pitching foot is ridiculous. When they disengage the pitching rubber with their pitching foot, they do not have to throw to first base. Why would they make that a requirement to be able to throw to first base? I don't believe that umpires are interested in anything that I have to say. I believe that it is up to the high school baseball coaches associations to ask the umpires how they interpret the rules and request uniformity. All in all, it sounds as though you and your son did a good job of clarifying the situation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 066. See You in Chicago. I look forward to seeing you at the IHSBCA clinic in Lisle, Illinois on January 30th and 31st. I do hope that you make a positive impression on these Illinois High School Coaches so that they don’t try to change my son’s mechanics when he tries out for the local HS team 3 years from now. At age 11, he is turning out to be a very good catcher, but after doing your 60 day training, he throws a pretty good Torque Fastball, so it’s possible that he might want to pitch more when he turns 13. I also look forward to meeting other fathers in the Chicagoland area who are teaching their sons the Marshall Method. It will be great to exchange info and compare notes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will do my best to show the high school baseball coaches that I have a viable and safe baseball pitching motion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 067. I noticed that most of the links on your “Equipment Vendors” page no longer work. Here is the new link for the Frozen Ropes 1 pound (16 oz), 2 pound (32oz), and 3 pound (48oz) balls: Frozen Ropes website Here is a link for a place that sells 4 pound and 6 pound iron shots: Track Outlet website ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for the heads-up on my Equipment Vendors file. I think that I have fixed them. I also appreciate the additional website addresses. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 068. This is Amazing's father. I have some more videos that I would like you to watch. I don't expect too much for a while. My son is trying to assimilate a lot of new stuff. I cut the drop step back a little as it was making him open his shoulders early. I'm comparing the rate of pelvic rotation with his arm speed to get an appreciation of how fast he's twisting. He can keep the head still when I remind him. A few thousand reminders from now he'll probably have it down pat. His arm action has gone to hell since he's been reworking the body action. It comes as no surprise but I don't like it. To put my mind at ease I have him do lids afterwards and we make sure he brings the elbow close to the ear with a near vertical humerus. He can't get the lids horizontal when his elbow falls more than ~30-40 degrees off vertical in the slingshot position. Towards the end of the session he started getting very close to the camera at "release" and in reviewing those clips I can see that he clearly was pushing hard off the p/s foot and driving. Unfortunately he was driving towards home instead of "into his rotation." Nonetheless, when that hip rotation is coupled with the p/s leg drive he is going to be a tornado. Another week or so getting the big motor changes down and I'll hand the ball back to him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While I enjoyed all three videos, with one exception, I especially enjoyed the third video. That exception is that he did not have his pitching upper arm as vertical as it needs to be. Can I put these videos on-line as his January 2009 efforts? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 069. I believe that you once advised that to maintain muscle while losing weight, one would need to consume 1 gram of protein for each kg of bodyweight each day. I read that the body can only process 20 grams of protein per hour. If you consumed 80 grams of protein in one meal, are your muscles not going to benefit from the additional 60 grams of protein that you consumed? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To properly balance our nutritional needs, fifteen percent of what we eat should be protein, twenty-five percent should be plant fat and sixty percent should be glucose. To determine how much protein is fifteen percent of what we should eat, we should eat one gram of protein for every kilogram that we weigh. At 220 pounds of body weight, we should eat 100 grams of protein per day. At 110 pounds of body weight, we should eat 50 grams of protein per day. We do not have to eat all those grams of protein in one sitting. For more information, please check my Special Reports file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 070. This is Amazing's father. I have several videos that I need you to watch. I don't know what to omit, so take your pick. About half have him throwing a baseball. 1) Please look at at least one of the MPCs to check the grip. The footage is excellent of the grip and release. I see his thumb just above the fingers and you've told me in the past that shouldn't be the case. 2) He threw one screwball and sure enough he is getting the palm more towards home on release to allow a longer drive with the middle finger. 3) He forgot about the elbow once he started throwing baseballs but we will fix this. 4) I forgot to remind him about the head. 5) At driveline height, when he drop steps, he is as much as ~30 degrees off the home-to-second line with his arms. Is he drop stepping too much? If you want to post these videos, we are okay with that. Are you going to link directly to this YouTube channel? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. CIMG0171: It takes too long to start, but once he started, he did very well. I would call this his 'extended driveline technique,' which you know that I like. However, if, instead of straightening his pitching knee out toward home plate, he kept his pitching knee bent, then he would still release his pitches the same distance forward. But, because he did not jump forward, nobody would question the pitching motion. I would like him to be able to do both body actions. 02. CIMG0172: I loved it. The video started right away and he used very good technique. 03. CIMG0176: This video looks just like CIMG0172, but a little shorter. 04. CIMG0177: He showed a great drop step and curve release. 05. CIMG0178: This video is also great. 06. CIMG0179: This video is too short. 07. CIMG0182: He has absolutely great rotation of his hips, shoulders and pitching arm forward. 08. CIMG0183: It looks like he threw a Maxline Fastball. He looked great. I would call all of the pitches from here on his 'shortened driveline technique.' I love them. I do not see how anybody could object to this body action. 09. CIMG0184: He threw a Maxline Pronation Curve. He looked great. 10. CIMG0187: He threw a Maxline True Screwball. He looked great. 11. CIMG0188: He threw a Maxline Pronation Curve. He looked great. However, the video is too short. 12. CIMG0189: He threw a Maxline Pronation Curve. He looked great. 13. CIMG0190: He threw a Maxline Pronation Curve. He looked great. Best one. I would like to include CIMG0184, CIMG0187 and CIMG0190 on my website. Where is his Torque Fastball? Could you put them in a separate youtube address to which I can send my readers? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 071. This is Amazing's father. Oops, I forgot to give you the youtube address. I ended up sending 13 videos. The first seven or eight are basically the same. The elbow moves up and down a bit and he gets sloppy and starts whipping his g/s leg around in some but in general they are similar. If you click "select all" at the lower right corner of the box the videos appear in, you will see the remaining videos. These are all with my son throwing a baseball and, in at least one of them, he appears to keep his eyes on the plate the whole time. These give a beautiful shot of the release; even on Y/T you should be able to see it if you select the "play in high quality" option. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I love everything that you and your son are doing. Could your son come here and teach my guys how to do this? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 072. You said "I want the entire pitching arm side of their body driving as hard as possible toward home plate." When this is tried before the glove foot lands, is that what front foot float is? Thanks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When baseball pitchers start to rotate their hips forward before their glove foot lands, just before their glove foot lands, it moves sideways to their glove arm side. I call this, 'glove foot float.' 'Glove foot float' decreases the velocity at which baseball pitchers can rotate their hips forward and their release consistency. With my Maxline pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to drop step at a forty-five degree angle to the glove side of their body with their glove toes landing when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body, drive the pitching arm side of their body forward off the pitching rubber with their pitching leg while they raise their pitching arm to driveline height and, as they drive their pitching knee toward their glove knee, push back with their glove leg, release their pitches. With my Torque pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to step on the line between their pitching foot and straight forward with the heel of their glove foot landing when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body, roll the body across the entire length of their glove foot and raise up onto their glove foot toes while they raise their pitching arm to driveline height and, as they push back with their glove leg, release their pitches. I am asking Amazing's father to post videos of his son that show him throwing my four basic pitches where he does pretty much as I just described. To prevent 'traditionalists' from banning his baseball pitching motion, all he needs to do is keep his pitching knee bent such that his pitching foreleg points back toward the pitching rubber until after he releases his pitches. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 073. This is Amazing's father. I'll set up four different channels on YouTube, one for each pitch. Maybe something like: "Dr Mike Marshall - Torque Fastball" Then, I'll take 12 clips, three of each pitch (when conditions allow filming) and I'll post them on the existing channel and you can pick the ones you want to display. Then I'll transfer them to the respective, and appropriately titled, channel on YouTube. Are you serious in wanting my son to teach your guys? Provided we don't have anymore meteorological travesties down here, my son and I are looking forward to visiting at the very tail end of May, as we did last year. His primary purpose is returning to Universal Studios. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I would appreciate if you could put the four videos that I mentioned into a single file titled, 'Dr. Marshall's four basic pitches.' I thought that they were great. You do not need to take any more. I will post this file as Amazing's January 2009 video. I was half-serious about your son teaching my guys. Actually, to try to learn how he moves his pitching knee so far forward and points his acromial line at home plate, I am having them watch his videos. I think that those four videos are sufficient for now. However, I am totally serious about taking high-speed film of him this summer on my dime. I desperately need to show every aspect of how he throws my four basic pitches. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 074. Questions on Key Issues With Major League Pitching. It has been a few months since the last round of questions I sent you from readers. Today I wanted to get your perspective on an article by Rick Peterson. He is a guest columnist at the website below. I have summarized the points that I wanted to get your comments on. Gary Armida article with Rick Peterson 1) Rick Peterson believes in the pitch count as he likens it to a long distance runner. He said, “Think about it as a runner. Let’s say he runs three or four miles a day which would average about 27 miles a week. He’s conditioned to that routine. Then, the runner decides to do away with consistent training and will run however long he feels like it - like Forrest Gump. So, one day he runs seven miles, the next 8, and the next 4 and so on. So, one week he runs about 40 miles and then the next he runs 50, followed by 60 miles. What happens to his legs? He burns out and gets hurt.” Proper conditioning to achieve optimal performance is necessary. If pitchers aren’t put on a regular routine which allows them to condition their arm, more frequent injuries will occur (which is scary considering the already high rate of pitching injuries). 2) If pitch counts don't matter, how do you explain the increased Batting Average and OPS as pitch count goes up in the article? 3) Which is more important, swings and misses or inducing groundballs? Rick Peterson explains, “If you had to choose, inducing groundballs is more important. Consider that the batting average of a ball put in play on a 0-0 count is over .325. If the count moves to 1-0 or even 1-1, it jumps to over .500. It only makes sense that you want the ball to get hit on the ground.” Your thoughts? 4) Myth of “Getting Ahead”: Rick Peterson said, "There is something more important than getting ahead. The important aspect is how a pitcher gets ahead. You want to pitch to the bottom of the strike zone. The batting average of all balls put in play on a pitch at the bottom of the strike zone is .220. If you do fall behind, make sure it is at the bottom of the strike zone.” Your thoughts? 5) Is location and the ability to change speed the two most important aspects of pitching? Are they more important than velocity and movement? 6) Do you believe, as Rick Peterson points out, that sports psychology can be a helpful tool for a pitcher. If you think and believe like a winner you can make an average pitcher good and a good pitcher great? We look forward to hearing your thoughts. We will be publishing this on our website and using it in a conversation during our Sunday Radio Show where we have the site's editor, Gary Armida, come and talk about the Rick Peterson series. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. Mr. Peterson is correct. Athletes cannot perform in competition for any longer than they can perform in their daily training. That is why, at the end of their training program, I train my baseball pitchers to complete 24 wrist weight exercises, 24 iron ball throw, 12 football throws and 120 baseball throws every day. As a result, my baseball pitchers have no difficulty pitching two closing innings in two out of three major league games as I did in 1974 or starting every Wednesday and Sunday games as I did in Puerto Rico in the winter of 1968. That is why, when they complete my 724-Day interval-training program, I call my baseball pitchers, Monster baseball pitchers. Unfortunately, because the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion destroys pitching arms, 'traditional' baseball pitching coaches, like Mr. Peterson, cannot train their baseball pitchers as rigorously as I can train mine. 02. Pitch counts do not count. What matters is the quality and variety of the types of baseball pitches that major league baseball pitchers throw. Because I teach two types of fastballs, two types of breaking pitches and two types of reverse breaking pitches, my baseball pitchers can pitch three times through the line-up without throwing the same type of first pitches. 03. I want my baseball pitchers to throw pitches that baseball batters cannot hit even when they know what pitch my baseball pitchers are throwing. I call these pitches, Humiliators. When I pitched, I threw a humiliating screwball. As a result, to prevent me from getting two strikes on them and me throwing my screwball and humiliating them, baseball batters would swing early in the count and hit a lot of easy ground ball outs. Without the humiliating pitch to worry about, baseball batters know that they can wait and still get a good swing at their two strike pitches. 04. I agree with Mr. Peterson that how baseball pitchers get ahead in the count is important. My research on my pitch sequences shows that first pitch fastball strikes result in higher batting averages and on base percentages than first pitch non-fastball balls. Therefore, I teach my baseball pitchers to start the first two At Bats against batters whom they have never faced before with two different types of non-fastball pitches. Thereafter, they need to sequence their pitches to take advantage of the weaknesses of each baseball batter. 05. The most important quality that baseball pitches can have is sudden and unpredictable movement. Fastballs should move to the pitching arm and glove arm side of home plate. Sinkers and sliders show suddenly move downward and to the pitching arm and glove arm side of home plate. And, screwballs and curves should suddenly move downward. These are the pitches that I want my baseball pitches to learn. The differential velocities of these pitches are more important than their absolute velocities. 06. The best sports psychology that baseball pitching coaches can give their baseball pitchers is to teach them how to throw baseball pitches that move suddenly and unpredictably within the strike zone. Words do not get baseball batters out. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 075. I am a 25 year old leisurely softball player. I played baseball growing up as a kid and know how to take care of my arm. I have been having this problem lately where my bicep hurts after throwing so much to the point where I can hardly hold my arm up. The pain usually subsides after I rub in some Ben Gay and take some Advil but it doesn't help while I am playing. The pain is from my elbow to the top of my bicep and it starts almost as soon as I start warming up after stretching of course. Any advice? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When baseball pitchers have discomfort in the muscles that flex the elbow joint, the cause is 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.' 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' occurs when baseball pitchers take their pitching hand and baseball laterally behind their body such that, to throw the baseball toward home plate, they have to return their pitching hand and baseball back to the pitching arm side of their body. To take their pitching hand and baseball back to the pitching arm side of their body, they generate horizontal force toward the pitching arm side of their body. Consequently, when they turn their pitching hand and baseball to throw the baseball toward home plate, the lateral force slings their pitching forearm laterally away from their body to their pitching arm side. Therefore, to prevent their olecranon process from slamming into its fossa, they have to contract the muscles that flex their pitching elbow. As a result, they overwork the muscles that flex their pitching elbow. While you said that you are a softball player, not a baseball pitcher, the cause of your discomfort might come from the same mechanical flaw. The cure is to stop taking your throwing hand and softball laterally behind your body. Instead, you should take your throwing hand and baseball straight back toward second base and drive the softball straight toward home plate with a powerful throwing forearm pronation action. Pronation means that you should turn the thumb of your throwing hand downward through release. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 076. I won't be able to add "January" to "DrMarshall4Pitches" as the field won't accept any additional characters. My son is going to pitch to a friend tomorrow. His buddy is a 13 y/o who hits well so it should be a good battle. In preparation for that, I had him throw from the full 46.5' today and I asked him to throw hard. So, as expected, he reverted almost entirely to his former style. One notable exception is that he, on several pitches, managed to keep his eyes on the catcher throughout. His accuracy was better today as you'll see in the videos. It's never been bad but he has a penchant for loosing a wild one every 10-15 pitches. I don't see that so much in the last few weeks. He won't benefit from his faster hip rotation tomorrow as I know he'll go with the "extended driveline", but he is mastering the new mechanics so quickly I feel he'll have them mastered in less than six weeks. Lastly, his fastballs are coming into the plate without much vertical drop. That can only mean that his velocity is up. I have no idea what it is, but it's faster than it was a month ago - and this is still with the extended driveline (slow hips.) Six or seven videos from today. I edited them for brevity. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We should come up with some type of standardized youtube address system whereby we only need to change the name of the month to distinguish between the different videos. How about; 'Jan09Amazing' and so on? If your son is able to throw strikes to catchers, then he is ready to throw pitching practice to batters. Tell him for me to have fun. I love the behind the catcher view. 01. CIMG0224: This video starts a little late. We need to see a second of his standing still before he starts his motion. However, he looked great. What a beautiful driveline release and a great Maxline Fastball with great movement. 02. CIMG0226: This video again started way too late. However, even though it only showed his release, the driveline looked great and his Torque Fastball moved well. 03. CIMG0227: This video started at the end of his pendulum swing. However, again, his driveline looked great and his Torque Fastball moved well. 04. CIMG0229: You timed this video perfectly. This video started just as he started his pitching motion. His driveline looked great and his Maxline True Screwball moved well. However, he is hooking his wrist. He needs to drive the tip of his middle finger through the top seam of the baseball like he is throwing a fastball, that is, with the pad of the tip of his middle finger facing toward home plate, not flat against the baseball. 05. CIMG0231: This video started a little late, at the end of his pendulum swing. However, he had a great driveline and release. The spin axis of this Maxline True Screwball was great. Still, with a stronger middle fingertip release, he could increase his spin velocity. 06. CIMG0232: This video is the best of the three Maxline True Screwballs. It started on time and he threw a great pitch. This belongs in the Jan09Amazing file. 07. CIMG0234: This video also started at the end of his pendulum swing. Nevertheless, what an incredible Maxline Pronation Curve. I have no idea how to edit your video, but, if you can get them all like CIMG0229, they would all be marvelous. Choose one each of the four types of pitches and put them in the 'Jan09Amazing' file. I need my guys to watch them. Even though, instead of keeping his pitching knee bent until after he releases his pitches, he straightens his pitching leg, you son's body action is wonderful. Maybe, because he is so close to landing, he has to straighten his pitching knee. Great stuff. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 077. This is Mike Farrenkopf. I pitched 2 innings in our inner squad scrimmage yesterday. No runs, 1 hit, and I hit 1 batter. 1st inning: RHB: SI*c (low middle) MF (low away) F-8 RHB: SL (inside) F-7 LHB: SL*c (low middle) TF (low, batter attempted to bunt but held back) SI (high) MF (hit batter in the back) HBP RHB: SL* (away middle) MF (high) Runner at first attempts to steal but my catcher threw him out at second. 2nd inning: RHB: SL*c (middle) SC (up in zone, lined to center) -8 RHB: SI (ground out to second) 4-3 LHB: SL*s (low middle) CB*c (away) CB (low and out) SC (ground out to first) 3-3 RHB: SI*s (away) MF*f (fouled back) TC (fouled) SC (left the pitch up and he popped it to left) F-7 I need to make sure I bury my out pitches so that the batters do not get a good bat on the ball or if at all. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I and your many website fans love these reports. I hope that posting them works for you. If not, tell me and I will not post them. However, if we post them, then we need to post them all. I also greatly appreciate that you provided the pitch sequences. More fun for me. First Inning. 01. You started this right-handed batter with a Maxline Fastball Sinker. That means to me that you believed that he is a pull hitter. That he flied out to center field on the Maxline Fastball means that he tried to pull the pitch and it moved away from him. That means that he is a pull hitter. 02. You started this right-handed batter with a Torque Fastball Slider. That means that you believed that he is a spray hitter. That he swung at the pitch and flied out to left field could mean that he is either a pull hitter or a sufficiently skilled batter that he can be either a pull or spray hitter. 03. You started this left-handed batter with a Torque Fastball Slider. This means that you believed that he is a pull hitter. Unfortunately, you missed with the follow-up two-seam Torque Fastball. Then, you were high with a Maxline Fastball Sinker and hit him with a two-seam Maxline Fastball. This means that you either took the baseball too far laterally behind your body or you did not inwardly rotate your pitching upper arm strongly enough. 04. You started this right-handed batter with a Torque Fastball Slider. This means that you believed that he is a spray hitter. However, instead of a second pitch two-seam Torque Fastball inside, you threw a two-seam Maxline Fastball. Why? Second Inning. 04. I assume that this is the same batter as was batting at the end of the first inning. You again started him with a Torque Fastball Slider. He took the pitch for a called strike. Dumb hitter, he should have been looking for the slider. Then, you threw him a Maxline True Screwball and he lined to center for a hit. While it is true that a Maxline True Screwball is the minus twenty pitch most unlike the Torque Fastball Slider, it does give a spray hitter a pitch that moves away from him to hit back up the middle or the other way. I would recommend a two-seam Torque Fastball inside. Then, with two strikes, you can see whether he will chase a Maxline True Screwball out of the strike zone and finish him with a Maxline Pronation Curve. 05. That you started this right-handed batter with a Maxline Fastball Sinker shows that you believed that he is a pull hitter. However, he hit the pitch to second base. He either is a spray hitter or tried to be one. That he failed could mean that he tried to be one. 06. That you started this left-handed batter with a Torque Fastball Slider shows that you believed that he is a pull hitter. That he swung at and missed the pitch indicates that you might have been right. That he took a two-seam Torque Pronation Curve for a called strike also indicates that you might have been right. That he grounded a Maxline True Screwball to first base indicates that you were right. 07. That you started this right-handed batter with s Maxline Fastball Sinker shows that you believed that he is a pull hitter. That he swing and missed indicates that you might be right. That he fouled back a two-seam Maxline Fastball also indicates that you might be right. That you threw a two-seam Torque Pronation Curve with two strikes instead of a four-seam Maxline Pronation Curve confuses me. If he is a pull hitter, then he should have pulled it foul early. Did he? That he popped up a two-strike Maxline True Screwball to left field shows that you were right. Great report. Good job. The second pitch Maxline True Screwball after a first pitch Torque Fastball Slider to a suspected right-handed spray hitter is not a good choice. With two strikes, you could throw it to get him to chase something out of the strike zone, but, on the second pitch, you needed to come inside again with either a two-seam Torque Fastball or two-seam Torque Pronation Curve. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 078. This is Amazing's father. This is what I've got so far: www.youtube.com/jan09scott I can't bring myself to put "amazing" in the title - that is too vainglorious for my taste. Can't locate good obliques of the TFB and MFB so I'll try and shoot them next time out. He threw about ten pitches today but his curve seemed to be ~20mph and 15 degrees off (short) of the acromial line. Weird, but he's been vomiting ever since so maybe that played a role. I'm afraid that your kids there are going to come to resent Scott when they read that we discussed him coming down there. Having been to your facility and having seen these athletes work and knowing that they are slowly overcoming many years of ingrained mechanical motion I know that neither I nor Scott could "teach" them a thing! If watching Scott's motion in person would help them then I would gladly make the drive - that was my intent in my letter and I'm afraid I worded it poorly. Your pitchers have been absolutely steadfast and staunch supporters of Scott ever since his video was made public and given the withering criticism he has received I find it heartwarming to know that he has such allies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You guys are too modest. 'Amazing' does not give you guys enough credit, much less too much. 01. MFB Frontal @ 300fps: I love the view from behind the catcher. Even though this video starts after he has started his acceleration phase, it shows a great driveline and Maxline Fastball release. It shows how my Maxline Fastball moves to the pitching arm side of home plate. I love watching his pitching arm after he releases his pitches. His pitching elbow pops up, which shows how powerfully he inwardly rotates his pitching upper arm and his pitching forearm transcribes a perfect pronation circle which shows how powerfully he pronated his pitching forearm. His entire pitching arm action is gorgeous. Is it possible to redo these videos to show how he starts his pitching motion? 02. TFB Frontal @ 300fps: Again, even though this video starts after he has started his acceleration phase, it shows a great driveline and Torque Fastball release. It shows how my Torque Fastball moves to the glove arm side of home plate. 03. MTSc Frontal @ 300fps: This video almost starts at the beginning of his pitching motion. It shows a great driveline and Maxline True Screwball release. It shows how my Maxline True Screwball moves to the glove arm side of home plate and downward. What a great screwball he threw. 04. MTSc Oblique @ 300fps: This video almost starts at the beginning of his pitching motion. It shows a close-up view of how your son releases my Maxline True Screwball. Again, it shows how he powerfully inwardly rotates his pitching upper arm and pronates his pitching forearm. Marvelous. 05. MPC Frontal @ 300fps: This video starts after your son has raised his pitching arm to driveline height. It shows a great driveline and Maxline Pronation Curve release. When anybody says that it is impossible for baseball pitchers to point their acromial line at home plate before they release their pitches, I will send them to these videos. I wish all my guys could throw my Maxline Pronation Curve as well as your son. I am humbled by the accomplishments that you and your son have achieved. 06. MPC Oblique @ 300fps: This video starts after your son has started his pendulum swing. It shows a vertical pitching forearm, a great driveline and a Maxline Pronation Curve release. I am amazed at how high his pitching elbow pops up after release, which proves how powerfully he inwardly rotates his pitching upper arm. As you noted, what you guys have done amazes my guys. They will never resent Scott, they respect what he has accomplished too much. However, instead of giving you and he all the credit you deserve, they say that he learned how to do my baseball pitching motion this well because no 'traditional' baseball pitching coach messed him up first. I never put that qualifier on your accomplishments. We could never ask you and Scott to make that long trip. The video shows everything that they need to see. Nevertheless, we will enjoy your visit for the high-speed filming. This time, they will very closely watch everything that Scott does. I will immediately post this website address. Everybody needs to see how much more you and Scott have done. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 079. This is Mike Farrenkopf. I do not mind at all that you post my updates. When I threw the torque curve instead of the MC, I actually was intending to throw the MC. I pulled the pitch so it ended up moving like a TC. I do not have an answer to the 4th sequence. Like you said, I should have thrown a 2 seam TF inside. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************************************** On Sunday, February 01, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 080. Tennis Forehand Question. I recently saw a technique being discussed where the tennis forehand is done in a "wrap" fashion. In other words, after hitting the ball the player continues to swing the racket such that the arm (and racket) end up over the opposite shoulder (i.e., for a right-hander the racket would end up over the left shoulder). This is called the "wrap" technique? Evidently, the coaches feel that this allows more power and spin to be put on the ball. My question, from reading your site, wouldn't this end up eventually causing shoulder pain? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do the athletes use one or two hands on the tennis racquet? With two hands, they can use the force-coupling technique, which would greatly decrease the deceleration force that they have to apply, which would greatly decrease the possibility of applying more stress than they can safely withstand. The upward direction of the force application technique is to enable the athletes to put top spin on the tennis ball. While this decreases the horizontal velocity of the returned tennis ball, it enables the athletes to keep the tennis ball within the confines of the tennis court. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 081. Clarification. In this week's Q #76 you write: "When baseball pitchers start to rotate their hips forward before their glove foot lands, just before their glove foot lands, it moves sideways to their pitching arm side. I call this, 'glove foot float.'" I always thought the glove foot moved to the glove side during Glove foot float. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are correct. I will correct the quote. I greatly appreciate your editing my work. Sometimes, I have so much to write in such a short time. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 082. Clarification #2. Back to Q#76 again: You write: "With my Maxline pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to drop step at a forty-five degree angle to the glove side of their body with their glove toes landing when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body," Assuming this true, this is a major departure from what I understood about when the glove foot lands on your maxline pitches. I was under the impression that you want the glove foot to land at the same time as the baseball reaches driveline height. Has there been a change? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes. Under the classification of 'live and learn,' I have watched my 'Amazing' twelve year old baseball pitcher throw my Maxline pitches and the only way I now believe that baseball pitchers can move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot such that they can apply force back toward second base with their glove leg is to delay when their pitching arm reaches driveline height. Previously, to prevent injury to the front of the pitching shoulder, I recommended, like with the 'crow-hop' throwing rhythm, baseball pitchers need to have their pitching arm at driveline height when they glove foot lands. However, my 'Amazing' twelve year old baseball pitcher has convinced me otherwise. I now believe that baseball pitchers need to have their pitching arm at driveline height when they use their glove leg to apply force back toward second base. I recommend that all readers go to: www.youtube.com/jan09scott and watch this twelve year olds body action over and over as follows: 01. Watch how he uses his glove arm side leg. He no longer jumps forward off his glove foot until after he releases his pitches. That is what 'traditional' baseball pitchers and my guys do just not as close to release as he does. 02. Watch how he uses his pitching arm side leg. He no longer 'kicks' his pitching lower leg forward. He keeps his pitching knee bent until he needs to straighten it for landing. I don't see how anybody can object to this body action. 03. Watch how he rotates his acromial and acetabular lines to point directly at home plate. I cannot believe how quickly he is able to rotate his hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward. He stands absolutely vertically upward and rotates around his vertical axis. 04. Ignore the fact that he raises his pitching arm to high above his head and loops his pitching arm and watch how he points his pitching upper arm directly at home plate. He makes it look so easy. 05. Watch how vertical he gets his pitching arm at release. Notice that, when he starts the inward rotation of his pitching upper arm, he has his pitching upper arm just above horizontal. It is incredible. 06. Watch how powerfully he inwardly rotates his pitching upper arm. From the 'oblique' view, you can see how high his pitching elbow pops up after release. Unbelievable. 07. Watch how powerfully he pronates his pitching forearm. He drives his pitching arm straight toward home plate without pulling his pitching upper arm downward. My guys work for years and cannot learn this. 08. Watch how tightly he gets his 'pronation circle.' I and my guys are in awe of how tightly he gets his 'pronation circle.' 09. Watch how he 'sticks' his pitching hand into the strike zone. The end of his deceleration phase is directly at home plate. 10. Watch the perfect spin axis he gets with all four of my basic adolescent baseball pitches. While he could improve his Maxline True Screwball release, his Maxline Pronation Curve release is incredible. I never thought that I would see a twelve year old with over-spin. 11. Watch how perfectly all four of my basic adolescent baseball pitches move. With his beautiful pitching upper arm inward rotation, he is able to throw his Maxline pitches within the seventeen inches of home plate and still his Triceps Brachii muscle to powerfully extend his pitching elbow. And on and on and on. With every view of every pitch, I keep clicking on the Replay button and seeing more and more. I recommend that, like track coaches studied the 'Fosbury Flop' in high jumping, everybody study him. When, in 1967, in discussions with my Kinesiology professor, Dr. William W. Heusner, where I theorized what baseball pitchers had to do to satisfy Sir Issac Newton's Law of Reaction, I never imagined what this young man does. Now that I see it, I know that it is right and he has proved that my theory was correct. The glove leg is the primary contributor to the equal and oppositely-directed force that Sir Isaac Newton requires. With my new Second Base Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing Glove and Pitching Arm Actions drill, he will eliminate the excessive pitching arm action and tighten his glove arm action. When he does, he will perfectly perform my theoretical baseball pitching motion. And, he is already the most skilled practitioner of my baseball pitching motion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 083. Bilateral Training. In Chapter 32 of your book you write about Bi-Lateral Training, you wrote: f. Bi-Lateral Training Principle "Whenever athletes perform exercises that stress muscles that attach to vertebral columns, they should equally train both sides. Equalized bi-lateral muscular development helps vertebral columns to remain vertically aligned. Also, whenever possible, athletes should simultaneously train bi-laterally. However, when athletes cannot bi-laterally train simultaneously, they should train their non-dominant sides and, then, their dominant sides. The only truly valuable cross-training occurs when non-dominant motor unit contraction and relaxation sequences cross over to their dominant sides. Therefore, bi-lateral training produces symmetrical muscular development, reduces vertebral column mal-alignments and promotes perfect motor unit contraction and relaxation sequences." Strength & Conditioning "Coaches" are becoming a major part of the baseball community at the professional all the way down to the youth levels. The coaches often cite the unilateral development of the pitching arm side of the body as a major culprit to pitching arm problems. They say this "asymmetry" is a big predictor of injury. They say this asymmetry leads to problems such as internal rotation deficit (GIRD), and something they call "sick Scapula". Therefore, these S&C coaches appear to spend much of their training with pitchers addressing this postural imbalance. In Question #1172 in your 2008 Question File, you somewhat address this issue. For example, you say that the development of the Latissimus Dorsi can affect the angle of the line across the front of the shoulders. You do not, however, say that this is injurious. My Questions: 1. In your book you say that if you can not train bilaterally you should work on the non dominant side first. I don't see this in you training protocols. You have been asked a few times from readers if they should also pitch baseballs with their non dominant side arm and answer that they should not. Can you explain your training programs in regard to this Bi-lateral issue? As an aside to this issue, I found it interesting that you said that you started out as a lefty and then changed to throwing right handed. For whatever reason, Johann Santana says he did a similar thing as a teenager. 2. Do you think it is a wise use of their time for S&C coaches to rebalance the torso in their off season training of their pitchers? I suspect they are missing the point that all these injuries are because of the flaws in the traditional pitching motion. 3. You say in Chapter 13 of your book "The Clavicle maintains the Scapula at fixed distances from the Sternum. Therefore, the Scapula cannot move closer to or farther away from the Sternum. "If this is true how can the more well trained Latissimus Dorsi change the angle across the top of the shoulder? Would this change the position of the Sternum? 4. Leaving aside the mechanical and injurious flaws in the traditional pitching motion, would one side dominance be more of problem in the traditional world than in the Marshall world? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. My Wrist Weight exercises bi-laterally train the glove arm of the baseball pitching motion. As evidence, I offer the X-rays of the Humerus bone of my glove upper arm. You will see that, unlike Mr. Messersmith's Humerus bone of his glove upper arm, my Humerus bone of my glove upper arm was not significantly different from the Humerus bone in my pitching upper arm. 02. Because the Strength and Conditioning coaches do not specifically train the glove arm side of baseball pitchers in precisely the same manner as they should use their glove and pitching arms, they cannot get the results that they need. First and foremost, the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion cannot satisfy the requirement of 'the conservation of momentum.' To do that, they will have to use my baseball pitching motion. 03. The Latissimus Dorsi muscle inwardly rotates the pitching upper arm. As a result, the pitching upper arm moves from horizontal to vertical. Watch how the 'Amazing' twelve year old baseball pitcher changes the angle of the pitching upper arm. 04. See #02 above. Because the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion does not satisfy the Law of Conservation of Momentum, it cannot help but unnecessarily stress the pitching arm and cause injuries. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 084. This is Amazing's father. Well, that was fun! Yesterday, we began the "maximum release velocity" approach. When we went across the street to throw lids, the impact was noticeable. The last three lids whistled as they flew by me (I serve as a human target, but I am reconsidering that office), nothing close to that has happened before. Today, he threw four of each pitch, beginning with the TFB. These were good, two were a little harder than usual. With the MPC all four made it to the glove easily. The screwball was good, not much change. When he threw the MFBs they were a little harder, like the TFB - except the last one. The front of his pitching plate is 49' from the front of the bucket I sit upon to catch. He threw this particluar MFB at my right shoulder around the height of the top of my forehead. It got to me so bloody fast I shot my hand up just in time to catch it but it was breaking to my left (normally I can't see this, but there was no mistaking it) and as such it went off my glove. It went over my head, bounced off the tarp, hit me in the back and hurt!! Not having played baseball, I don't know what it looks like to see a 70mph pitch coming at you, much less 80 or 90, but my goodness that startled me. Probably more from it being so out of the norm moreso than it's velocity. I have caught LL pitchers that throw low 50s according to a radar gun and I believe this pitch might have been in the high fifties. I'm glad I never told him to "let it all hang" and throw for everything he's worth before because it may have impeded his learning your mechanics. Now however, I'm going to see if these large muscles start to sequence properly, with more regularity. I'm not going to film or critique for a while - I want him to just have fun throwing the tar out of the ball. Wish you could have been here for his MFB - talk about a quantum leap - and in only TWO days! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The best judges of whether baseball pitchers are throwing with velocity sufficient to get baseball batters out are those baseball batters. Nevertheless, that you have less time in which to react to his Maxline Fastball is interesting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 085. I bought the Casio EX-FH20 hi speed camera. It captures at 420 frames per second and 1000 frames per second. I think it is much better than the Casio EX-F1 and it costs less! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will pass the word along. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 086. Follow-up on new Maxline mechanics I am pleased that you have decided to have the glove foot land at the 45 degree behind the back position. I would expect that your guys will now start getting their pitching foot ahead of their glove foot at release. I consider this a major advancement to your pitching motion. I have two questions. 1. How did this suddenly become non-injurious? I believe it was your position that if the glove foot landed too soon the pitcher would pull the upper arm forward. It does not appear that Scott (Amazing) does this, but is there something besides visual evidence has changed your mind? 2. You have often said that the stride in traditional pitchers does not contribute to release velocity because the baseball is still going backwards when the glove foot lands. You have said, I believe, that your motion contributes to the kinetic chain because the glove foot does not land until the baseball get to driveline height. This has clearly changed as the glove foot will land and the baseball will be going backwards in your new mechanic. Therefore, does this new mechanic change your view of the kinetic chain in the traditional baseball pitching motion and/or your new motion? I love Scott's Torque fastball. He will find out that it will be a devastating pitch against RH hitters. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I want thousands of Amazings out there. With his video example, fathers everywhere should be able to teach their ten year old baseball pitchers to throw like Scott. Gentlemen, get to work. In August 2007, with my Maxline pitches, to enable my baseball pitchers to more easily rotate their acromial line to point at home plate and release their Maxline pitches outside of the glove arm side of home plate, I started teaching my baseball pitchers to step forward with their glove foot at a forty-five degree angle to the glove arm side of their body. As my Amazing twelve year old shows, as I theorized, baseball pitchers can point their acromial line directly at home plate and drive their pitching upper arm straight at home plate and 'stick' their pitching hand into the strike zone. 01. With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' injurious flaw delays their pitching arm from arriving at driveline height before they start to pull their pitching elbow forward. Therefore, the resulting 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' tears the connective tissue of their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. To eliminate their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' which injures their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, I recommend that they take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball. To eliminate injuries to the front of their pitching shoulder, I recommend that they pendulum swing their pitching arm to driveline height to arrive at the same time that their glove foot lands and their glove leg pushes forward toward home plate. The crow-hop throwing rhythm that 'traditional' baseball pitchers use when they long toss forces baseball players to raise their throwing arm to driveline height to arrive at the same time as their glove foot lands. After watching my Amazing twelve year old, I realized that, instead of timing the arrival of their pitching arm at driveline height with when their glove foot lands, my baseball pitchers should time the arrival of their pitching arm at driveline height with when they push back toward second base with their glove leg. However, the reason why leaving their pitching arm below driveline height when their glove foot lands does not injure the front of their pitching shoulder is because, instead using their Pectoralis Major muscle to horizontally flexing their pitching upper arm, my baseball pitchers use their Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major muscles to inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm. As the oblique views of Amazing's Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curve show, after he releases his pitches, his pitching elbow pops vertically upward well above his driveline. This action eliminates all stress from the front of his pitching shoulder. 02. The Law of Conservation of Momentum, now bastardized into the 'Kinetic Chain,' requires that once baseball pitchers start to move the baseball toward home plate, the action of every joint in the anatomical chain contributes to the acceleration of the baseball through release. After 'traditional' baseball pitchers lift their glove leg high into the air in front of them and stride seventy to ninety percent of their standing height, the fact that the baseball is either completely stopped or moving backward proves that they legs contribute nothing to the acceleration of the baseball toward home plate. Therefore, they do not meet the requirements of the Law of Conservation of Momentum. With my baseball pitching motion, the baseball starts moving forward when my baseball pitchers start moving the center of mass of their body forward and, unlike 'traditional' baseball pitchers, provided like the Amazing twelve year old baseball pitchers does, they continue to move the center of mass of their body forward through release. If they do not, then they also do not satisfy the Law of Conservation of Momentum, at least with their glove leg action. Nevertheless, where 'traditional' baseball pitchers do not, my baseball pitchers do meet the requirements with their pitching arm action. However, my Amazing twelve year old has proven that my theory of how baseball pitchers can satisfy Sir Isaac Newton's Law of Reaction works. Even though he has not yet mastered how to leave his pitching hand the full length of this pitching forearm behind his pitching elbow, by keeping the center of mass of his body continuously moving toward home plate, he keeps the baseball continuously moving toward home plate, which satisfies the Law of Conservation of Momentum for his entire body and pitching arm. My new Second Base Pick-off body action; Pendulum Swing Glove and Pitching Arm Actions drill will teach Amazing how to eliminate his looping. Sometime in February, my guys and I will take video of their drill from which I will make a DVD that I will put on my website for all to learn how to correctly perform this drill. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 087. I will send you a DVD in the mail. My high school student is learning your Maxline Pronation curve. He can throw it, however he has not mastered it yet. He picked up your torque slider very quickly and on those times when he gets it right, there is no one on this planet that can hit it. The good news is that no one ever taught him anything but a fastball and a traditional curve. I am un-training the traditional curve and moving toward the pronation curve. He can easily throw your maxline fastball. It has wonderful movement. He is still working on the Torque Fastball. The torque pitches seem to be the hardest for experienced athletes to pick up as they are not used to bringing their hand to the torque position inside of vertical. When I first worked with him, he complained of elbow pain. That was a year ago. I first taught him to pronate. This solved his elbow pain issues. For the past few months we have been working on his driveline and his control. His is a gifted young man. I feel fortunate to be able to work with him. We are working on mastering 3 pitches for his spring season. With that, he will be very successful and with the team he is playing with we should see him in the High School State Championship. Now, I need to teach him mental toughness. The one thing that all pitchers must possess to be highly successful. Any pointers? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He is lucky to have you. He just does not know it yet. I look forward to watching his DVD. Because it is so easy for those who have not yet mastered pronating the release of their Maxline Pronation Curve to supinate the release of their slider, I prefer not to teach them anything even closely resembling the slider until they can back-of-their-hand pronation rip the release of their Maxline Pronation Curve. I don't care where their throw their Maxline Pronation Curve, only that they pronation rip the release. Do you have him throwing the lids and appropriately-sized footballs? They are critical to the development of my Maxline Pronation Curve. In my experience, because it is much easier to Radially Flex the wrist than Ulnarly Flex the wrist, baseball pitchers learn my Torque Fastball one-hand chest pass release much more easily than they learn my Maxline Fastball release. He needs to start doing my Second Base Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing Glove and Pitching Arm Actions drill. This drill will increase how powerfully his inwardly rotates his pitching upper arm and straighten his driveline. Baseball pitchers become mentally tough when they can throw a wide variety of high-quality pitches into the strike zone that baseball batters cannot hit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 088. Demonstration video. Do you think making a video of your and Joe’s presentation/demonstration complete with a camera behind home plate and Joe throwing strikes from second base would be of any value? It could become a “virtual” presentation, which is the next best thing to a presentation. Maybe give a catcher’s view with a batter at the plate as a reference point. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Wednesday, February 11, 2009, I plan to take the front view of my guys doing my Second Base Pickoff body action; Pendulum Swing Glove and Pitching Arm Actions drill. Then, on Thursday, February 12, 2009, I plan to take the rear view. If we can find a baseball field with electrical service, then we could try the second base to home plate throws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 089. I am a young, new, high school pitching coach. I have listened to Tom House's theories and I'm looking for different perspectives right now to teach to my pitchers. I have an open mind I'm just trying to find something that I'm comfortable teaching. What do you think of Dr. House's methodology? Where do your teachings differ from his, and are there any other names or teachings out there that you would recommend? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Mr. House teaches destroys pitching arms. All you need to do is ask Mark Prior. On my website, drmikemarshall.com, without charge, I have provided my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video and other video files for visitors to watch, my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book, Question/Answer files and other text files of visitors to read and my Baseball Pitchers Training Programs for visitors to copy and complete. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 090. You wrote: " As the oblique views of Amazing's Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curve show, after he releases his pitches, his pitching elbow pops vertically upward well above his driveline. This action eliminates all stress from the front of his pitching shoulder. I was under the impression that the elbow popping up was the result of pronation. You have said in the past that forearm pronation protects the elbow not the shoulder. I believe it was view that locking the humerus in its Glenoid Fossa protects the front of the shoulder. Has you view on this changed? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitching forearm pronation turns the pitching thumb to point downward. Pitching upper arm inward rotation turns the pitching elbow to point upward. When the pitching elbow pops upward, it means that the pitching upper arm inward rotation was especially powerful. In addition to pitching elbow extension, these three actions powerfully apply force to the baseball. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 091. Sheets still on the market. Dallas Morning News Jan 6, 2009 Starter Ben Sheets continues to wait and see what might happen. His agent said he continues to talk with the Rangers. No offers have been made, so things haven't advanced to the next level. Sheets is probably waiting to see what Derek Lowe gets on the open market. The Mets have offered Lowe $36 million over three years and don't intend to up the offer, according to Newsday. The Braves might be interested, according to an AJC blog entry. Several reports have said that Sheets' medicals are scaring some teams off. The Rangers have seen Sheets' medicals and don't seem scared to the point where they aren't still interested. But those medicals also could bring Sheets' price down. The Rangers would need to unload some sort of salary. But how much? Would trading Hank Blalock be enough to make room for Sheets? Maybe. Perhaps owner Tom Hicks would be willing to make a multi-year deal knowing that Vicente Padilla's salary can come off the books after 2009 (and maybe Kevin Millwood's too, depending on whether he pitches 180 innings this season). Just a thought. Are you still interested in Sheets? What kind of offer would you make for him knowing his recent history of injuries? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obviously, I have never examined Mr. Sheets or been able to high-speed film his pitching motion. Nevertheless, I believe that he is the best free agent baseball pitcher this off-season. Naturally, I would be more enthused if I were able to train Mr. Sheets. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 092. Newsday January 6, 2009 Mets general manager Omar Minaya and his lieutenants have internally discussed a plan to re-sign Pedro Martinez -- assuming Martinez is amenable to a contract with a low base salary and heavy with incentives -- and mix and match Martinez, whose last 21/2 seasons have been plagued by injury and ineffectiveness, with rookies Jon Niese and Bobby Parnell. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without dramatically changing how Mr. Martinez uses his pitching upper arm, I do not believe that he has anything left. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 093. Chris Carpenter could close for Cardinals The Associated Press January 6, 2009 Still looking for a closer, the St. Louis Cardinals might consider turning to oft-injured ace Chris Carpenter next season. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told The Associated Press on Monday that he'd think about using the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner in that role if it were the best way to keep him on the mound. Carpenter made only four appearances last season following reconstructive elbow surgery and underwent another procedure in November to transpose an elbow nerve that was causing irritation. "We want Chris pitching for us, and if I was told he couldn't be healthy throwing 100 pitches every five days and he could be a reliever, I'd take him as a reliever," La Russa said. Reports on Carpenter have been positive so far. "He still hasn't thrown, and that's next," La Russa said. A timetable for a throwing program will be determined after a checkup next week. General manager John Mozeliak said doctors are undecided about which role suits Carpenter best. The Cardinals also considered Carpenter for a bullpen role last August after he was slow to recover from his starts. "We're trying to make sure we check out all our options," Mozeliak said. "I think it's got to be what's best for Chris, and what's best for the team." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The scariest sentence in this wishful thinking article is; 'doctors are undecided about which role suits Carpenter best.' What medical school course teaches doctors about how much stress the destroyed pitching arm can withstand when the baseball pitcher continues to use the baseball pitching motion that has already ruptured his Ulnar Collateral Ligament twice? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 094. Major League Baseball, Florida Marlins and city of Hialeah to build MLB Urban Youth Baseball Academy in Southern Florida; State-of-the-Art facility will offer free baseball and softball instruction to local youth. MLB.com January 7, 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB), Florida Marlins, and city of Hialeah have agreed to build MLB's second Urban Youth Baseball Academy, providing free baseball and softball instruction to Southern Florida youth, ages 7-18, as a component of the new Marlins stadium project. The announcement was made today at the future site of the Academy, at the intersection of NW 36 Avenue and West 87 Street in Hialeah. MLB President and Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy, MLB Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon, and Florida Marlins President David Samson joined city of Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina for the announcement. "The opening of our second Baseball Academy is an important development for Major League Baseball," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "Our first Academy in Compton has proven to be a significant investment for the growth of our sport, particularly among inner-city youth. We hope that this new Academy will have a similar impact in the lives of children in this community. I would like to thank the city of Hialeah and the Florida Marlins for participating in this important project, and I look forward to seeing the talent potential that will be developed at this Academy, both on and off the field." Major League Baseball is scheduled to break ground on the Hialeah facility later this year. Supporters include the Florida Marlins, city of Hialeah and Rawlings Sporting Goods. The MLB Urban Youth Academy in Hialeah will feature state-of-the-art facilities including a show field complete with scoreboard; permanent seating for 700 fans, with space for an additional 1800 fans; dugouts and lights; two auxiliary fields; four softball/Little League ball fields and batting cages; and a 1,200 square-foot office space and other facilities. Like its forerunner in Compton, the MLB Urban Youth Academy will operate on a year-round basis. Over the course of the first year of operation, the Academy expects to offer the free program to a minimum of 2,500 youth. Academy staff will consist of former Major and Minor league players. Additional instructors, collegiate coaches, scouts, and certified athletic trainers also will participate in the Academy. The Academy will be available to all who want to participate from the Hialeah and greater Miami area with enrollment open year round. "Baseball is truly 'Americas Game'; participation in this sport can help develop the character of our community youth and is critical for interpersonal development and success. Additionally, it will provide job opportunities and vocational training in the areas of field's crew personnel, umpires, and stadium operations to residents of our community," stated city of Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina. "Through this academy and partnership with MLB, we will work diligently and positively to develop in our youth: integrity, respect, accountability, character, self-discipline, personal responsibility and teamwork." In addition to baseball and softball instruction, boys and girls attending the MLB Urban Youth Academy will be given the opportunity to participate in free seminars on umpiring, athletic field management, scouting and player development, sports and broadcast journalism, public relations and statistics, as well as athletic sports training. The MLB Urban Youth Academy will create a diversified program for students that will not only concentrate on baseball and softball, but educational opportunities as well. The Academy's goal is to graduate 100 percent of the youth it serves. "It is our responsibility as a Major League team to make our community a better place for future generations," said Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria. "The academy's mission is to set the standard for instruction, teaching and education by providing safe, organized recreational activities for our youth. This partnership will enhance the quality of life in the surrounding communities, and we are extremely proud to be partnering with Major League Baseball and the city of Hialeah on this initiative." Another Major League baseball youth baseball program expected to utilize the facility is the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program presented by KPMG. RBI presented by KPMG is one of the many Major League Baseball initiatives dedicated to enhancing youth participation and interest in baseball and softball. Specifically, RBI is designed to promote interest in the sport and encourage kids to stay in school. RBI programs have been started in more than 200 cities worldwide, and annually provide as many as 100,000 boys and girls the opportunity to play baseball and softball. "This second Youth Baseball Academy is an important step in making sure that kids who want to play our sport, have the opportunity to do so," said Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon. "The Compton Academy has proven that it can help to grow the game with more than 24 students athletes drafted since 2006. In total, 49 student athletes have signed professional contracts. 76 Academy student athletes have gone on to participate in collegiate baseball and softball programs. I expect this Academy will have the same success and will hopefully teach kids of the many opportunities our game has to offer." The MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton first opened its doors in February of 2006 as the first MLB year-round Academy that offered free baseball and softball instruction to inner-city kids (ages 8- 17). Located on the campus of El Camino College Compton Center, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles and exactly 20 miles from both Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the Academy's goal is to set the standard for instruction, teaching and education in Urban America through the strength of the national pastime and to enhance the quality of life in the surrounding communities. The MLB Urban Youth Academy also has been home to the MLB High School showcase during the past two years in which top talent from the Southern California region has come to demonstrate their skills in front of Major League scouts. These showcases have produced an additional 61 players who were drafted in the last two years, not including the student athletes who were Urban Youth Academy participants. The power of the showcases to draw the top talent from throughout the region and beyond demonstrates the immense respect that the Academy has earned in a short amount of time. In addition, the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton hosts the RBI World Series presented by KPMG, the championship round of the RBI program; Urban Invitational, a highly competitive college baseball tournament featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) playing top tier universities in the Southern California area; the Breakthrough Series in partnership with USA Baseball featuring three teams with players from the MLB Urban Youth Academy, Mentoring Viable Prospects and the Major League Scouting Bureau; and the Academy Barons, a California Collegiate League team consisting of collegiate athletes from around the southern California area. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If, indeed, like the fourth following paragraph in this article says, the MLB Urban Youth Academy offers their free program to a minimum of 2,500 youth, I cannot say enough positive about what they are doing. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details. This paragraph also says, " Academy staff will consist of former Major and Minor league players. Additional instructors, collegiate coaches, scouts, and certified athletic trainers also will participate in the Academy." This past weekend, Joe Williams and I had the priveledge to present my materials to the Illinous High School Baseball Coaches Association. We had a great time and the high school coaches responded very positively. However, the IHSBCA held their annual meeting in the White Sox Academy. Therefore, the White Sox Academy staff also presented their ideas. Because the White Sox major league baseball team owns the White Sox Academy, the White Sox Academy staff teaches what the White Sox coaching staff teaches. Obviously, I could not disagree more with what they teach their baseball pitchers to do. However, while not injurious, what they teach their baseball batters to do is also ridiculous. And, the White Sox do not offer their programs for free. Consequently, while I applaud Major League Baseball and the Florida Marlins for their philanthropic gesture, if, like at the White Sox Academy, they teach the same stuff that destroys the Florida Marlins baseball pitchers, they will destroy the pitching arms of the youth in the Miami area. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 095. IHSBCA clinic this weekend. Thank you for agreeing to me taking video of your presentations. I will gladly send you and Joe copies. I plan to start working on the DVD today. I'm going to need some help from my daughter, who's away at school, but am hopeful I can turn it around within 3 weeks or so. My son is looking forward to seeing Joe's video, too. Sometimes he feels a bit isolated. Because he's a work in progress, coaches are reluctant to give him a chance to fail with a non-traditional approach. It will be encouraging for him to watch a more finished product, and a local one at that, demonstrating for his school's varsity coach and hundreds of peers. My son got to meet you last year in St. Louis, at the SABR meeting. He got to do some football-release catch with you during the Q-&-A you held in the lobby after your presentation. It was interesting to listen to the coach-talk after your talks. Many are very interested, and were trying to think of ways to make implementations. Friday night I sat with the coaches from a local high school who I know and they were saying they might try to identify some prospective pitchers who weren't yet set in their traditional delivery ways and try to bring them along with your approach. Other groups: It was like listening to gatherings of tobacco company executives! Trying to debunk and deny. The thought occurred to me: wouldn't it be great if you could get the Surgeon General to make coaches who insist on the traditional delivery wear a warning on the front their uniform somewhere? "WARNING: The Surgeon General has determined that the traditional pitching motion causes certain injury to the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, groin, and rib cage, which will result in crippling reduction of range of motion and the need for surgery, perhaps several surgeries." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I remember meeting your son in St. Louis and having him throw my Maxline Pronation Curve release with the appropriately-sized football back to me. He did very well. I thank you for videotaping my presentation and Joe's magnificent demonstration of my wrist weight exercises, iron ball throws, lid throws, appropriately-sized football throws and baseball throws. Joe was on fire. I have never seen my Maxline Pronation Curve thrown so hard and move downward so dramatically with great command. We look forward to watching everything on the DVD you make. I also got the feeling that many of the high school coaches were interested in implementing at least parts of what I teach. And, unfortunately, I also heard the lame excuses that the lazy and ignorant make. Nevertheless, all of them witnessed something that they had never encountered before and know that there is a baseball game out there that nobody is playing. Actually, because the injury rate associated with baseball pitching is higher than the death rate from the bubonic plague, I believe the Center for Disease Control should take over regulating baseball pitching coaches. The CDC already put out a warning about 'stretching,' it is time that they ban the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. It was great to see you again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 096. IHSBCA Clinic. It was great to meet you at the IHSBCA clinic and I want to thank you for showing me the best way for a catcher to throw to 2nd base. Like a lot of what you teach, it makes more sense to have the catcher's body moving in the direction that he is throwing instead wasting time jumping up and down. I will have my son watch the video that I took of you and will include that motion in my son's 60 day training that we are starting today. Here are some of the things that I observed at the clinic: Promotion: It would have been good if they would have included your web site on the info package they passed out to everyone at the clinic. Friday night: While you were on stage, I saw many confused looks on a lot of coach's faces. It was as if I could almost hear them thinking, "How can it possibly be that almost everything that I have been taught and everything that I am currently teaching, is WRONG?????" Saturday morning: I saw several wincing while Joe was doing his wrist weight drills. I saw more coaches expecting Joe's arm to explode while throwing the 15 pound ball. But the biggest reaction was when Joe threw the pronation curve. A lot of jaws hit the ground. When you were told that your time was up, several coaches were asking for you to keep going. Afterwords, several people asked Joe how many pitches he threw in a week and were shocked to hear that he threw 120 pitches EVERY DAY. I don't know how many coaches are going to try giving your methods chance, but I am certain that you got several of them thinking about it. Last year I let my then-ten-year-old try out for pitching knowing that the manager would not let him pitch because he was doing everything "wrong". His coach seemed to be very close minded about the proper way to pitch. But to my surprise, after seeing my son throw 55 mph torque fastballs that had lots of movement, the manager let him pitch from the first game on. The manager would only let his pitchers throw one inning per game so my son ended pitching a total of 12 innings last year. My son deciding that he liked catching better than pitching because he didn't enjoy the stress of so many 3-2 counts. This year as an 11 year old, he wants to concentrate on catching, so we are doing the 60 day Marshall training again mainly to help his throws to 2nd base. When he gets older and if he is able to perfect the curve and screwball, he might want to return to pitching some day. The point I'm making here, is that even the most closed minded coach can change his mind if he sees with his own eyes something new that actually works. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next to baseball pitchers, catchers have more throwing arm problems than anybody else on baseball teams. Where baseball pitchers have to struggle through with the 'balance position' of the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, catchers have to struggle through with the 'baseball to their throwing ear' of the 'traditional' baseball catching motion and the three step run-around body action. I hope that your son has fun with my two-step drop step body action and my full pendulum swing glove and pitching arm actions. The biggest difficulty that I had was that they did not provide the overhead projector that I requested. Therefore, I could not put my transparency that provided my website address or the transparencies of the critical baseball pitching muscles, especially the Latissimus Dorsi and Pronator Teres. Pointing at where the Latissimus Dorsi arises from the hip and vertebral column on Joe's back and where it inserts just inside of the bicipital groove on the anterior surface of the head of the Humerus bone of Joe's pitching upper arm did not work as well. Many high school coaches sought me and Joe out and said precisely what your said they said, 'How is it possible that I have been teaching my baseball pitchers a pitching motion that injures them and prevents them from throwing as hard as they can?' To a man, everyone said that they were going to make changes. I told them to at least take the baseball out of the glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball and pendulum swing their pitching arm to driveline height in one smooth, continuous movement. It helped that the White Sox Academy had a mural on the wall of a White Sox pitcher starting his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.' I used that to tell them to never send any baseball pitcher to these guys for training. I could not believe the White Sox Academy's baseball pitching guru, fast-talking Marty Koburnus, had the nerve to say that how I raised my glove leg in the DVD I made of my 1967 baseball pitching motion was perfect. Was he not listening to me Friday night when I explained how, to have success as a major league baseball pitcher, I had to change everything that I did? Or, was he trying to use me to justify the crap that he teaches? Then, like Ron Wolford with is football rope drills and other nonsensical athletic development drills, he used his son to launch into some ridiculous demonstration of how to use straps with hand and foot holds to train baseball pitchers. The crap about his new student was the goofiest thing that I have ever seen. Fast talk and pseudo-scientific words may trick the kids and, unfortunately, some coaches, but it was nonsensical gibberish to me. I also greatly enjoyed the response of the coaches to Joe's incredible demonstration of my baseball pitches, especially his Maxline Pronation Curve. The coaches would shake their heads and laugh at how dramatically the baseball moved downward. Joe was on fire. I heard the coaches yelling out for us to continue, but I did not want to make the organizers angry. I am hoping that they will tell others to have us present at their clinics. However, I should have said that we would continue during the last half hour of the lunch break. We did that, but I did not say it when I had the microphone in my hand. Still, we had well over one hundred coaches watch Joe throw over one hundred more baseball pitches. Thank you for the story of how your ten year old son won over his 'traditional' baseball coach. I wish him great success as a catcher. If, for his own amusement, he practices my Maxline Pronation Curve and Maxline True Screwball, he might decide to pitch and catch. It is the time for him to try everything and see what he does best and enjoys most. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 097. This is Amazing's father. You mentioned in the Q&A that Scott's MTSc release could be better. 1) What is wrong with it? 2) What does he need to do to fix it? Regarding the 45 degree angle at g/s foot landing. Good call and good news for newer students. Overcoming the timing difficulties posed by having the hand back, waiting, while trying to coordinate the acetabular and acromial rotations was exceedingly difficult to accomplish and we never could have done it w/o high-speed. I think an added benefit might be less of an opportunity to go into a pronounced grab. Why do you specify landing on the toes with the g/s foot? Won't that apply some force toward home, thereby impeding the movement of center-of-mass over and in front of the g/s foot? You mention that Scott's rotation has sped up. Yes, it is notably faster. Once he stops cheating his rotation by letting his axis waver and letting the p/s leg whip, it will be even faster. Everyone responds to different stimuli, but the cue I gave to Scott was to borrow from martial artists. Many young kids practice some form of kicking art and as such if they know how to throw a sidekick then they can apply that very same motion. They simply rise up on the toe of the standing leg and pivot about it as fast as they can, while standing erect. Ending in a position such that they have rotated the foot 180 degrees. As they are pivoting the p/s hip will rotate towards the glove side of the plate. They should flex the quads of the "kicking" leg to get it in a cocked position. This brings the pitching knee past the g/s knee very quickly and mimics the leg action you are looking for, to a tee. As you are "cocking" the kicking knee you will feel it "pulling" your pelvis around, quite forcefully. You will find that the leg does not extend as it was doing previously in Scott's motion because this tip teaches the kicker to cock it for a strike, ie., flexed. With this forceful rotation establishing the acromial line parallel to the home-second line has happened without conscious effort. Adding a small drop step usually takes him very close to throwing down the A-line, whereas before he had to think about the A-line, every pitch. This worked wonderfully for him and is quite easy to do. If this sounds too convoluted let me know and I'll film it and put it on Y/T. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an earlier email, I mentioned that, when Scott releases his Maxline True Screwball, he 'hooks' his pitching wrist. To achieve maximum spin velocity, baseball pitchers cannot use wrist action to impart spin. Instead, they have to use the tip of their middle finger much like they are throwing fastballs. However, instead of driving the tip of the middle finger through the middle of the baseball, they need to drive the tip of their middle finger through the top seam of the baseball. For my Maxline Pronation Curve, I teach my baseball pitchers to drive the ring finger side of the tip of their middle finger horizontally through the top seam of the baseball. The powerful fast action of the tip of ring finger side of the tip of the middle finger causes the baseball to rotate at very high spin velocities. For my Maxline True Screwball, I also teach my baseball pitchers to drive the pad of the tip of their middle finger horizontally through the top seam of the baseball. However, rather than bring their pitching hand forward with the back of their pitching hand facing toward home plate that I teach them to do with my Maxline Pronation Curve, I teach them to maximally Ulnar Flex their pitching wrist, such that the palm of their pitching hand faces toward home plate with their middle finger as horizontal as possible facing toward home plate. I do not want the pad of the tip of the middle finger flat against the baseball. Instead, I want the pad of the tip of the middle finger facing toward home plate with only the ring finger side of the pitching finger in contact with the top seam of the baseball. Then, at release, I want baseball pitchers to throw my Maxline True Screwball with the fastball tip of the middle finger release through the baseball. With my Maxline pitches, I want my baseball pitchers to land on the toes of their glove foot so that they can drive the center of the mass of their body toward home plate. I believe that this is the best way to move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot. I love your Martial Arts analogy. I also like that this enables Scott to keep his pitching knee bent in anticipation to powerfully kicking his pitching lower leg forward. However, when it comes to baseball pitching, I do not want Scott to powerfully kick his pitching lower leg forward. Instead, I want him to keep his pitching knee bent until after he releases his pitches. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 098. IHSBCA clinic. First of all, thank you! Thanks for giving your heart and soul to baseball. I remember watching you pitch (and actually disliking you as you came into cold Wrigley field and sticking it up the Cubs rear ends) without sleeves no matter how cold it was and how menacing you looked. As for the clinic, I wish I could have spent more time talking with you but as the clinic is my responsibility I was constantly on the go, but I do get to listen to my speakers. Great, Great job. I would gladly recommend you to any group or organizations. I think getting to the little leagues at ages 6-8 would be most important to help truly get it going. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did love to pitch in Wrigley Field. It had a high grass infield and short outfield walls. The combination worked well for me. As for youth baseball, I would love to speak with the coaches one night and give clinic in which I show them how to teach their baseball pitchers the next day. However, my favorite group is high school coaches. It is just that, to do the job well, I need much more time. If we could have been outdoors sitting behind home plate, then they could have learned more about what we do. Two weekends ago, Joe and I were in Arizona and Joe gave his demonstration on a baseball field. It was far easier for everybody to see what Joe was doing and how they could use my drills with their teams. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 099. My son, the catcher. The main reason why my son did not like pitching last year was because he did not have the mental toughness to be able to handle giving up walks. He loved striking out batters, but every time he threw a ball three, he looked like he was about to attend his own execution. He didn’t have fun. I guess that he was not emotionally mature enough to handle it as a 10 year old. He put too much pressure on himself and did not want to let the team down. He was much happier as a catcher and did an outstanding job behind the plate. I told him that he doesn’t have to pitch in games if he doesn’t want to, but that we can have fun learning your 4 pitches in the back yard. I now understand why you recommend that boys not pitch competitively until they are 13 biological years old. If he learns your other pitches as well as he throws the Torque fastball, he could be a monster pitcher. We started our 3rd 60 day training yesterday with the slingshots. Although my son wanted to do all of the drills, I am forcing him to stay with the 1st drill for at least a week before we add the 2nd drill. I won’t introduce the catcher’s throw until after we get to the full windup drill. If you don’t mind me doing so, I will put the video of your catcher’s throwing motion up on YouTube. If we can prevent some of the arm and shoulder injuries that catchers endure, it would be a good thing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While I have great concern for the growth plates in the pitching elbows of youth baseball pitchers, I would prefer that, before they pitch competitively, all baseball pitchers have mastered my baseball pitches. If your son can wait until then, then he might find baseball pitching more enjoyable. We need more Monster baseball pitchers. I have no problem with you putting the video of me demonstrating my two-step catchers release technique. Please email me with the youtube address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 100. 12 year old throwing schedule. For how many months has 12 year old “Amazing” been training/throwing in a row and/or in the last 12 months? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After their visit last May, I recommended that 'Amazing' practice his releases with only lid and football throws. Thereafter, I said that he should complete my 60-Day program once in the Fall and again in the Spring. To the best of my knowledge, he did not pitch competitively last year. Therefore, with two months of competitive pitching, I have no problem with youth baseball pitchers completing my 60-Day program twice during the year and practicing with their lids and footballs whenever they want. For example, if their competitive season is June and July, then, in October and November, they could complete their Fall 60-Day program and, in February and March, they could complete their Spring 60-Day program. In this way, without continuously stressing the growth plates in their pitching elbow, they can continue to improve their skills. Then, when they are biologically sixteen years old, they can increase their participation in competitive baseball to four months and, after two months without baseball throwing, they can complete my 120-Day program. For example, if their competitive season is April, May, June and July, then, in October, November, December and January, they could complete my off-season 120-Day program. In this way, without continuously stressing the growth plates in their pitching wrist and upper arm, they can continue to improve their skills. Of course, once baseball pitchers are biologically nineteen years old, they should either be training or competing. They should never miss day. From 1967 to 1999, I did everything that I could to never miss a day. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 101. This is Amazing's father. Today, throwing off flat ground in cleats, the first several MFB he threw were upper 40s and 50 or 51. Then, after a break, he threw his MFB is 56 and 57 mph. Normally, I only see his body action @300fps or I'm concentrating on catching the ball. On Friday I asked him to throw a MFB into the net when I was standing off to the side. Being able to stand back and watch his forward rotation in "real time" was awesome. It's startling how fast he does it - really cool. I'll shoot/post film at the end of the month at the latest. I intend to shoot quite a bit at normal spd (30fps) from "behind the mound" so we can look for movement and the viewers will get a feel for the velocity of the pitches as well as his ability to throw strikes. Which reminds me, he does throw more accurately now that he watches my glove the whole time. I didn't expect that much of an improvement. We'll see what tomorrow brings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When I saw Scott last May, I thought that he was a couple of years away from the start of his adolescent rapid growth spurt. We need to keep an eye open for when he starts to thin out and get taller. With all that rapid long bone growth, we should leave some energy for his growth spurt. The velocity information is interesting. It shows how strong an influence proper force applications have on release velocity. The two variables that determine release velocity is the percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers and the force application technique. We can only change the force application technique. Within the force application technique, how explosively baseball pitchers rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward and how explosively baseball pitchers inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, extend their pitching elbow and pronate their pitching forearm with proper timing determines whether they are getting everything they have into their pitches. From what you describe, Scott sometimes hits the timing and sometimes does not. With practice, he will 'feel' how long into his hip, shoulder and upper arm forward rotation, he should wait until he uses his pitching upper arm, elbow and forearm. By keeping his eye on the target and his glove foot on the ground, Scott should greatly improve his release consistency. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 102. Rich Hill's mechanics. My name is Michael Andrews and I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of listening to you speak last weekend in Chicago on Saturday as I was out with an illness. To go along with coaching, I am a writer for a blog based out of the Midwest. I am sure you are requested to answer an extremely high amount of questions and what not, but I do request your expect opinion in regards to Rich Hill's struggles in '08. To go along with that shoulder tilt, Hill suffered back injuries. I had written this article last Friday stating that the likely upcoming trade of Hill likely based on the regression of Hill in '08 was caused as much if not more mechanically than mentally ala Blass, Wohlers, Ankiel, etc. This article appears to have gained plenty of steam including being sent to Orioles manager Dave Trembley and possibly Orioles pitching coach Rich Kranitz based on IP and email addresses. I had always been taught that when you have an extreme shoulder tilt (Glove arm/elbow point to the sky) that your mechanics will be one of 1st things to go and it appear that Hill like Guidry has pitched with this (adding deception as well as staying on top of the curve) and it has hurt his balance and keeping the same release point. I would just like an expert opinion as to whether or not my synopsis is correct concerning this article as far as that increased shoulder tilt leading to a further loss of command/control or possibly the back injury? Or would the back injury by itself cause the increase in shoulder tilt and loss of command/control? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated in regards to whether or not that increase in shoulder tilt could a large factor into Hill's decline last year. ------------------------------------------------- Article about Rich Hill Where Have you Gone Rich Hill? Trade Rumors Between Cubs-Orioles Swirl Name: Michael Andrews Email: univ_of_kentucky@yahoo.com January 30, 2009 Rich Hill, the once promising middle of the rotation starter as recently as the Fall of 2007, is likely on the verge of being traded to the Cubs’ primary trading partner the Baltimore Orioles, according to the Baltimore Sun for the ever popular “Player to be Named Later” (PTBNL). Blessed with one of the best curveballs in baseball, as well as one of the most deceptive fastballs, the rise and fall of Rich Hill has been sudden and brings back images of Steve Blass, Mark Wohlers and Rick Ankiel. In this article, I will discuss why I don’t think it is a mental flaw, but more mechanical at this stage. Drafted by the Cubs in the 4th round of the 2002 draft, Rich Hill was considered a raw LH’er with a developing curve who had hot and cold streaks with untapped potential. After signing with the Cubs, he was sent to Short-Season Boise and struggled with his command and his overall numbers, posting an ERA of 8.36 in 6 games (5 starts) in only 14.1 IP with 14BBs, 12Ks, and 4 wild pitches. The following year he returned to Boise and improved, throwing 68 IP while walking 32 and striking out 99, before finishing at Lansing where he struggled with his command again walking 36 in 29 IP but only allowing 14 hits and striking out 50. He improved his control at Daytona in 2004 while still striking out over 11 per 9 IP and holding opponents to around .200. The questions still lingered as far as how outstanding could he be if he had better command and control. Finally, that question was about to be answered. 2005 was Hill’s breakout season as far as his prospect status. He was about to face AA, which usually consists of every organization’s top prospects, as well as the more advanced at AAA later on in the year. Finally able to improve his command and control to where it needed to be to advance to the majors, Hill dominated AA and AAA, throwing a combined 123 IP allowing 97 hits while only allowing 35BBs and striking out 182 hitters. In September, Hill received his first taste of the majors and, as expected with most rookie pitchers, he was fatigued and a bit shell shocked. 2006 was Hill’s 1st legit chance at cracking the major league rotation, but that delayed after a poor showing at Mesa. Undeterred by the slow start, Hill was the best pitcher in all of the minors going 7-1 with a 1.80 ERA while throwing 100 IP only allowing 62 hits and walking 21 with 135 strikeouts. In July of ’06, he was called up again as injuries ravaged the Cubs starting rotation and the team collapsed to 90+ losses, allowing the Cubs to call-up Hill. He struggled at first again posting a 1-3 record with a 9+ ERA before being send down to Iowa again and being called up in Sept. after a solid run again at Iowa, it finally clicked in the majors as he went 3-1 with an ERA under 4 that final month. Hill was a favorite in 2007 to earn a rotation spot given the continuing health problems of Kerry Wood, as well as Hill’s strong showing the previous September. He did not disappoint in 2007, while likely being the team’s 2nd most productive starter behind Zambrano and looking like one of baseball’s better young pitchers. The following year it took a turn for the worse as mechanical issues began to take place. Hill was quickly sent to Iowa where he continued to not throw strikes, and he was shuttled between Iowa, Rookie Ball, and High-A. He was sent down to the Dominican Republic to work out his issues and had not shown any improvement and regressed as the year went on. As to why I think Hill’s struggles so much with his command, I think it is mainly mechanical and NOT MENTAL as many tend to believe. Mechanically, he has severe shoulder tilt with his glove arm (right arm) severely higher than his throwing shoulder. The reason why he does this to get on top of his 12-6 curve which is why he it is one of the best in the game when it is on. Also, it makes it much more difficult to pick up his FB coming out his hand. One of the side effects on having this throwing mention is that it is very difficult to repeat your delivery, which is the key to throwing strikes since your balance and center of gravity often changes each pitch. To further illustrate that shoulder tilt, compare him to Greg Maddux who is likely the most mechanically sound pitcher of our generation: With Maddux you can see a slight shoulder tilt, but he still has the same balance point and his center of gravity is still over his midsection. Not only has his throwing motion kept his healthy all these years, it has allowed to be one of the best control pitchers in MLB history. Back to Hill and some more illustrations, here is Hill in July of 2006 at Iowa, where he was pitching very well and on one of his hot streaks. As you can see there is still a shoulder tilt, but given how well he was pitching during this stretch and game, it didn’t throw him off mechanically. This next picture is a picture from Spring Training of 2008 where he didn’t last long and ended up walking 6 in this short outing. As you can see, there is a much more pronounced shoulder tilt in the second picture as his pitching hand is well below the knee, compared to the 1st picture where it is well above the knee. I do believe that these mechanical flaws are partially and likely the most important reason why he has struggled so greatly recently. It is worth noting that Baltimore’s pitching coach is Rick Kranitz, who is outstanding at analyzing pitchers’ mechanics and has spent time in the Cubs organization as a pitching coach. I don’t think it is ironic that Kranitz was the pitching coach at Iowa in 2004 and 2005, which is right when Hill was at his best mechanically, as well as the best he has been as far as his command and control. While this is the worst case scenario, having to unload such a gifted pitcher for so cheap, it is probably the best for Rich Hill to go to Baltimore and work with Kranitz again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, is the point that you are making that, because, at the start of his acceleration phase, Mr. Hill tilts the line across the top of his shoulders dramatically downward, he has too much vertical inconsistency with his pitches? The first photograph that you provide shows that, just before he starts his acceleration phase, he has the baseball laterally behind his body at knee high with the palm of his pitching hand facing away from the pitching arm side of his body and his pitching upper arm almost at shoulder height. To throw baseballs toward home plate, baseball pitchers must have their pitching hand and baseball above shoulder height lying horizontally behind their pitching elbow. Therefore, before he can even start to drive the baseball toward home plate, with his pitching upper arm fixed at shoulder height, he has to raise his pitching hand straight upward to above shoulder height. I call this action, 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.' When his pitching forearm is vertical or about halfway through his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' he will start to pull his pitching elbow forward. As a result of the upward and backward movement of his pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball and the forward movement of his pitching upper arm, while he raises his pitching upper arm upward, his pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball move downward. At some point, the pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball have to stop moving downward and start moving forward. I call this moment, 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' The downward force of 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' microscopically tears the connective tissue fibers of his unprotected Ulnar Collateral Ligament. In addition, the first photograph also shows that Mr. Hill reverse rotates his hips and shoulders to point well beyond second base. Therefore, when he forwardly rotates his hips, then his shoulders, he will generate considerable force to the pitching arm side of his body. As a result, whatever distance laterally behind his body that Mr. Hill takes the baseball will generate horizontal force that slings his pitching forearm laterally away from the pitching arm side of his body. I call this action, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.' In combination with supinating the release of his curve, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' will cause the two bones in the back of his pitching elbow to slam together. Therefore, he will lose extension and flexion ranges of motion in his pitching elbow. In conclusion, while I agree that baseball pitches should keep the line across the top of their shoulders level, Mr. Hill has far greater problems with his baseball pitching motion. That is, with every pitch he competitively throws, he is destroying his pitching arm, pitching hip, pitching knee and lower back. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 103. Follow-up on new Maxline mechanics. Another question on this statement: "As the oblique views of Amazing's Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curve show, after he releases his pitches, his pitching elbow pops vertically upward well above his driveline. This action eliminates all stress from the front of his pitching shoulder." Does this mean it is not necessary for this youngster to "lock" his humerus in his Glenoid Fossa? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After their pitching hand reaches driveline height, during the last stage of their Transition Phase, I want my baseball pitchers to immediately raise their pitching upper arm to vertically beside their head. This action 'locks' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders and starts the Acceleration Phase. After they synchronously rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm to point at home plate, I want my baseball pitchers to powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, extend their pitching elbow and pronate their pitching forearm. Therefore, when Amazing's pitching elbow pops upward, it is a result of his powerful inward rotation of his pitching upper arm during the final moments of the Acceleration Phase of my baseball pitching motion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 104. More crap. Here's the link: Rob Neyer's comments about Will Carroll's gyroball explanation Will Carroll writes, "The second "spin" -- and this is what’s revolutionary, perhaps -- is the motion of the upper arm. This differentiates from Mike Marshall’s Newtonian model and demands a forceful yet controlled rotation of the humerus. To get the idea of this in your head, hold your arm out so that your upper arm (humerus) is parallel to the floor. Have your forearm at a ninety-degree angle and hold the ball so that the ball is between your hand and your ear. The proper second "spin" is done by rotating the upper arm so that the forearm goes from pointing up to pointing down and the hand goes from pointing in at the body to pointing away from the body (pronation) just after the release of the ball." Sounds vaguely familiar. What dumbasses. I'm rapidly getting to the point where I want to hit somebody. Doc. Maybe if you put your ideas down on paper, perhaps in book form, so others could read and understand. As an added bonus you could even offer it for free, maybe on your website. You could even promote it with a boatload of exclamation points!!!! Just think, the Japanese had to use supercomputers, you just used your noodle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Carroll wrote this article, The Ghost Pitch, a couple of years ago. I read this nonsense the off-season before Mr. Matsuzaka signed with the Boston Red Sox. Carroll calls himself the injury expert, but refuses to debate me about what causes pitching injuries. He wrote a worthless book and he is a disgrace to baseball. Obviously, everything that he writes is ridiculous. But, in America, we allow free speech. If people do not know enough to understand that Mr. Carroll knows nothing, then we have to 'let the buyer beware.' That enables Mr. Carroll to fleece you. Computers can only know as much as those who provide the information to analyze know. And, I don't believe that computers can dream of something not yet known. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 105. This past year, my son completed his first 60-Day program in June and July, took a month off in September and December. Presently, aside from throwing 4 of each pitch (with some exceptions), he does bucket twirls, IB fingertip spins and five lids several days a week. He is getting taller and thinner. As of a couple of weeks ago he was 5' 7.25" and 156#. That's about a one inch difference in the last 4-5 months. What do you mean by "leave some energy for his growth spurt?" Exactly what is your concern? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for the training information. We have to balance how many days youth baseball pitchers competitively pitch, how many days they practice their baseball pitching skills and how many days they give their growth plates to develop without stress. 01. For youth baseball pitchers, I recommend that they should competitively pitch for no more than sixty consecutive days at a time. 02. For youth baseball pitchers, I recommend that they should practice their baseball pitching skills for no more than sixty consecutive days at a time. If they are not involved in other throwing activities, then, after sixty days of non-throwing, they might be able to complete a second sixty day program. Within reason, when they are not competing or training, I have no problem with youth baseball pitchers occasionally throwing their lids and appropriately-sized footballs. If, for example, youth baseball pitchers competitively pitch during June and July, then they need to take at least two months off before they start their sixty days training program. Therefore, they could train during October and November. Then, if they are not involved in other throwing activities, after not throwing during December and January, they could repeat their sixty day training program. Dr. Joel Adams' research is the only meaningful research I have seen on growth plate injuries in youth baseball pitchers. My examination of the X-rays that he took and kindly copied for me leads me to believe that the time period of greatest susceptibility to serious growth plate injuries is during their adolescent rapid growth period when the long bones of their pitching arm, i.e., their Humerus, Ulna and Radius bones, dramatically lengthen within a few months. It seems to me that, with these bones getting longer, the muscles that attach to these bones, because the muscles do not similarly get longer, place more stress on the ossification centers to which they attach that attach to these long bones via their growth plates. That is why, during the rapid growth phase, I recommend more awareness and concern. With Osgood Schlatter's disease, the growth plate for the Tibial Tuberosity on the front of the lower leg just below the knee becomes inflamed. Through a common tendon, the Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Intermedialis and Vastus Medialis muscles attach to the Tibial Tuberosity. When running and jumping, youngsters complain of pain in that growth plate. If they do not stop running and jumping, they might pull that ossification center off their Tibia bone. The same situation applies for the Medial Epicondyle in the pitching elbow. The most serious growth plate injury is the avulsion of the ossification center of the Medial Epicondyle. Five important throwing muscles, the Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris and a portion of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis muscles attach to the Medial Epicondyle. Therefore, especially during the rapid growth phase, I recommend that parents regularly check this growth plate for sensitivity. To do so, parents should place their thumb directly on the Medial Epicondyle and their fingers on the opposite side of the elbow and apply continuous and cautiously strong pressure for a couple of seconds, then release. If their son experiences either sharp pain or dull aching, then I recommend that they have him discontinue throwing for a couple of weeks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 106. Numbness of the Mind. I was watching an Indians executive last week on a local TV show and he was asked about player insurance. He noted that no team can get insurance for any "pre-existing condition" (i.e. blown out arm). Given the fact that teams spends at least hundreds of thousands of dollars (and probably millions) on such insurance for major contracts (primarily for that "dangerous" position" pitcher), you would think some team might decide that they could spend money on extra scouts or coaches in the farm system. Oh, I'm sorry, I was thinking logically. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't believe that hiring extra scouts and coaches is going to eliminate pitching injuries. However, if they would high-speed film their baseball pitchers and identify those with 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and teach them how to properly pendulum swing their pitching arm to driveline height in one, smooth, continuous movement, then they could prevent Ulnar Collateral Ligament ruptures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 107. The Yankees have spent around $1.5 billion and have won just as many World Series as the Pirates, so what are they worried about. You know, they wouldn't need to really worry about a salary cap if they could produce top-quality pitchers every year. You wouldn't happen to have any idea on how that could happen, would you? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, and they know as well. However, rather than talk with me and learn something, they think that they are protecting their jobs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 108. I didn't know your thoughts on the possibly increased vulnerability of the growth plates during periods of rapid growth. The muscles (you names 9 or 10) don't lengthen correspondingly with the long bones? Why is that? He hasn't have pain at the medial epicondyle, but no point in waiting until he does! I'll tell him to stop throwing baseballs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obviously, the muscles have to eventually lengthen as the bones lengthen. However, the stress from the lengthening bones stimulates their lengthening. Therefore, until they catch up, they pull on their growth plate. I have no problem with rapidly growing youth baseball pitchers throwing their lids and footballs, but they should reserve throwing baseballs for their 60-Day program and competitive pitching. After the growth spurt subsides, until they are biologically sixteen years old, I have no problem with two evenly spaced 60-Day programs around the two months of competitive pitching. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 109. Dr. Mike Marshall (Wrist Weights) The wrist weight exercises below are an exact copy of your pitching motion with an extreme emphasis from frame 10 thru on pronating the pitching arm to correct an extreme bad habit of a pitcher whipping the arm across his body causing injuries to shoulder and elbow. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With my wrist weight exercises, my baseball pitchers perfectly perform the baseball pitching motion that I teach. They almost look like my Amazing twelve year old baseball pitcher. From the front view: 01. Frame Nine shows the perfect vertical position of the pitching upper arm that I want my baseball pitchers to do. 02. Frame Ten shows the horizontally inside of vertical pitching forearm that I want my baseball pitchers to do. 03. Frame Eleven shows that, at release, they can move their pitching knee in front of their glove foot that I want my baseball pitchers to do. 04. Frame Twelve shows that they drove their pitching arm down their acromial line, stuck their pitching hand into the strike zone and put their pitching hand in their back pocket that I want my baseball pitchers to do. From the side view: 01. Frame Four shows the perfect glove and pitching arm positions for the start of their acceleration phase. 02. Frame Five shows that they have their pitching arm at driveline height when their glove foot lands. 03. Frame Seven shows that they immediately raise their pitching elbow to driveline height and keep their pitching hand the full length of their pitching forearm behind their pitching elbow. 04. Frame Nine shows that, at release, they can move their pitching knee in front of the glove foot. It is too bad that I do not know how to show these pictures on my website. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 110. Iron Ball Drill The same goes for the iron balls the motion is an exact copy of the wrist exercises and your pitching motion. How many reps a day for both exercises and what weight to start out with and at what time do you increase the weights and to what limits do you stop at? Also, what are the average increases of the weight on both exercises say 5 lbs. a jump up on every increase? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are correct, Sir. If my baseball pitchers could throw baseballs with the same techniques as when they do their wrist weight exercises and iron ball throws, then they would be perfect. In my Baseball Pitches Interval-Training Programs file, I have all the specifics for all of my training programs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 111. Son's delivery. I sent you a youtube address that shows a short clip of my son pitching. It is only one pitch. I thought you might find it interesting that he has a natural exaggerated pronation in his delivery. Up until recently, when I found some articles you had written, I believed his unorthodox pitching style was going to lead to arm injuries. And of course every coach and parent who sees him pitch tells me he will end up with an injury. I have been reluctant to change his style because he is so effective. He was nine in the video clip and is ten now. He throws in the 60's and has great command. Last season opening day, he had 13 strikeouts NO WALKS and one hit. A dribbler that went through our first baseman's legs like Bill Buckner. He is obviously not throwing with a pendulum motion in fact he is more 3/4 sidearm. The odd thing is he does this naturally I have never taught him to throw with the pronation he just does it. I didn't even know what he was throwing exactly, but I guess it is a variation of a screwball? I have videos of him throwing a baseball at 4 years old and he pronates. Weird. As you can see in the clip the lefty he throws to backs up thinking he is going to be hit by the pitch as the pitch breaks over for a strike. Since I have read your articles I am embracing the pronation instead of being scared of it and trying to change it. I'm not looking for a free lesson by sending you this. I thought you would find it interesting and if you have any basic tips you think I should have my son work on that's fine too. P.S.: We won the league title last year. I'd like to think my son's "unorthodox" pitching had something to do with it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are correct. Your son did pronate the release of this pitch. He also did not take the baseball laterally behind his body. These are two very good things. However, he raised his pitching upper arm to shoulder height before his pitching hand and baseball. Therefore, he had to raise his pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball vertically upward to driveline height. I call this, 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.' The 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' that results from this injures his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. In addition, he had his pitching foot parallel with the pitching rubber. After several years of competitive pitching, he will damage the lateral aspect of his pitching knee and eventually require knee replacement surgery. Because he strides so far that he had to bend forward at his waist, he will eventually damage his lower back and require surgery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 112. Your videos I had the opportunity to review your videos. I instruct pitching here in Leesburg, FL and made two observations I felt compelled to share with you. First, I was very impressed with the movement and instruction for throwing the maxline screwball. Second, I feel it is irresponsible to teach this pitch to children under 15 years of age. Even with your method for throwing, there seems to be an incredible amount of torque being applied to the throwing elbow. Your video of a 12 year old throwing send chills down my spine. I read too many articles and see too many kids injuring their arms trying to throw breaking pitches because their bodies are just not ready to handle the mechanics of throwing those pitches. A 12 year old has a better chance of pitching longer in their lives by mastering control and speed of pitches than trying to move the ball left and right. Wouldn’t you agree that a pitcher should wait until they are more developed physically to protect against needing Tommy John surgery before they are 16? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is great to read that a youth baseball coach places the health of his baseball pitchers before winning. Therefore, I assume that you do not allow your youth baseball pitchers who are biologically twelve years old and less to pitch competitively at all and your youth baseball pitchers who are biologically thirteen through fifteen years old to pitch more than two consecutive months per year. Do you know how many growth plates they have in their pitching elbow? Do you know at what biological age these growth plates mature? If not, then you are injuring the growth plates in the pitching elbow of your youth baseball pitchers. With regard to the baseball pitching motion that I teach: It is perfectly safe for youth baseball pitchers of all ages, including as young as eight years old to not only practice my Maxline True Screwball, but my Maxline Pronation Curve as well. However, my Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program only lasts for sixty days, then they have to do other activities. The reason that throwing my Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curve with my baseball pitching motion is perfectly safe is simple. When baseball pitchers of all ages powerfully pronate their releases of all pitches, they prevent their olecranon process from slamming into its fossa. Therefore, with regard to the loss of their extension range of motion and injuries to the back of the pitching shoulder, the safest pitch for all baseball pitchers to throw is my Maxline True Screwball. When you teach your youth baseball pitchers to throw curve, do you teach them to release the baseball over top of their Index finger? That means, when they throw curves, do you teach your baseball pitchers to turn the thumb of their pitching hand to point upward? Turning the pitching thumb to point upward at release is called, supination. If so, then you are injuring your youth baseball pitchers. When baseball pitchers supinate the releases of their cutters, sliders and curves, they slam their olecranon process into its fossa. Therefore, supination is harmful. What you call, 'torque' is pronation. Pronation means to turn the thumb of the pitching hand to point downward. Pronation is not harmful. When baseball pitchers pronate their pitching forearm, the use their Pronator Teres muscle. The Pronator Teres muscle overlays the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Therefore, when baseball pitchers contract their Pronator Teres muscle, they protect their Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball? If so, then you are injuring the Ulnar Collateral Ligament of your youth baseball pitchers. The cause of injury to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament are 'traditional' baseball pitching coaches who teach youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to turn their pitching foot to parallel with the pitching rubber? If so, then you are injuring the lateral aspect of their pitching knee. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require knee replacement surgery. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to reverse rotate their hips beyond second base? If so, then you are injuring the anterior aspect of the acetabulum of their hip. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require hip replacement surgery. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take their pitching elbow behind their acromial line, such that they pinch their two Scapula bone together? If so, then you are injuring the anterior aspect of the labrum in their pitching shoulder. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball laterally behind their body? This means that, when you stand at home plate, can you see the baseball behind their body? If so, then you are injuring the coranoid process of the Ulna bone in their pitching forearm. Fortunately for you, this injury does not cause any pain, only the loss of their flexion range of motion. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to stride seventy to ninety percent of their standing height? If so, then you are injuring the intervertebral disk between their fifth Lumbar vertebrae and their first Sacral vertebrae. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require the removal of this intervertebral disk. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to have their stride foot land to the pitching arm side of the line from their pitching foot straight forward (closed)? If so, then you are injuring the front of their pitching shoulder. Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to pull their pitching arm downward and across the front of their body? If so, then you are injuring the posterior aspect of the labrum in their pitching shoulder. I am sure that you teach them many other things that are also injurious. Unfortunately for them, you simply do not have any idea what you are doing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 113. SOLVING THE BACK FOOT THROWING PROBLEM Thanks to you, I think I've fixed my problem. You said that after the glove foot lands, the pitcher must drive his entire pitching arm side of the body towards homeplate or his pitching knee. You also said that he must give it all he's got. I took that to mean driving off of the rubber like a sprinter. In short, the pitching foot drive off must be a powerful, vice passive, movement. Is that correct? My problem was that I was passively coming off of the rubber. I was glove foot pulling off instead of back foot driving off. This passive approach eventually led to back foot throwing, which results in pulling the ball over vice driving it straight forward. Now, one can get away with this passive approach when throwing WW & IB. That is, the heavy implements go a long way to ensure conservation of momentum even if one does not forcefully sprint/drive forward off of the pitching foot. BUT, when I forcefully drive my entire throwing arm side of my body towards the target after landing, my 8 and 6 lbs. iron balls go considerably farther and faster. Same with baseballs, as you know. So, it seems to me that in order to get up on that glove foot (throw off of the front foot), we must ensure we really drive with the pitching foot after landing. Is this correct? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is sounds as though you have it. I want my baseball pitchers to drive the entire pitching arm side of their body forward as powerfully as they can. Then, when their acromial line points at home plate, I want them to powerfully inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, extend their pitching elbow and pronate their pitching forearm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 114. Thanks so much for your input. I will try to adjust my son's delivery in the areas you mention. We do limit his baseball play time every year hoping to avoid overuse injuries. He throws hard for his age and growth plates are obviously an area of concern. I will read your email more closely watch a few of your student's videos and see what we can do. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rather than watch my student videos, you should watch my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. From that video, you should learn how to perform the drills with which I teach the skills of my baseball pitching motion. Then, you and your son should complete my 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program at least once a year until he is biologically sixteen years old. While I know that nobody does it at their own risk, I also recommend that youth baseball pitchers do not pitch competitively until they are biologically thirteen years old and then, pitch only one time through the line-up twice a week for two consecutive months until they are biologically sixteen years old when all the growth plates in their pitching elbow completely mature. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 115. Departments of Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda. Jim Bouton put it best (I think) when he said what was most irritating about MLB's attitude toward you is not that they don't listen, it's that they WON'T listen. Instead the band played on--Iceberg dead ahead. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't understand the difference between 'don't' and 'won't.' In both cases, they can't fix the problem. Actually, they do listen. Unfortunately, the people to whom they listen do not know what they are talking about. As always, I thank you for sending me articles about the pitching injuries that major league baseball pitchers suffer. With all my travel this past months trying to get high school baseball coaches to stop destroying the pitching arms of their players, I have not had time to include your articles. Because I believe that nowhere else can my readers find all the articles that you find and that we need to highlight the problem, I will start adding those articles as time permits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 116. Why guarantee a healthy arm when it's more fun to cross your fingers and wish really hard that he stays healthy? ------------------------------------------------- From bust to boom? Tribe's Shapiro hopes low-risk Pavano signing pays off big Cleveland Plain Dealer January 7, 2009 CLEVELAND, OH: Carl Pavano, a free-agent bust for the Yankees, will be a member of manager Eric Wedge's starting rotation on opening day if he can stay healthy in spring training. The Indians signed Pavano on Tuesday to a one-year, $1.5 million incentive-laden contract. Last season Pavano, as part of a four-year, $40 million deal with the Yankees, made $11 million. "If he's healthy, he'll be in the rotation," said GM Mark Shapiro. "And we expect him to be healthy." Pavano can make another $5.3 million in performance incentives with the Tribe. They don't kick in until he's made 18 starts. "I think we're getting him at the right time," said Shapiro. "He tried hard to justify his contract in New York, but obviously he had a tough go of it. I know he was disappointed. He expressed to us that he's extremely motivated and eager for a new start." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am all for second chances. However, unless he has changed how he applies force to his baseball pitches, he will repeat the injuries that he suffered before. Remember, the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. If he spent time with me and made the changes that I recommended, then it would make sense to give his this second or is it tenth chance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 117. I guess he just had an urge to try pathomechanics. After all, he's only had four major elbow surgeries. ------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Sports January 8, 2009 John Smoltz ended ties to the only team for whom he has pitched in 21 seasons in the big leagues after the Red Sox were willing to gamble more than the Braves that he can come back from last June’s season-ending shoulder surgery. The Red Sox reportedly offered Smoltz, who will turn 42 on May 15, a guaranteed $5.5 million, with an additional $5 million possible in incentives. Later Thursday a Braves source close to the negotiations confirmed that Atlanta’s offer guaranteed considerably less money than that of the Red Sox. The Braves would have paid Smoltz incrementally based on his health up to a maximum of $5 million if he remained on the major league roster for 60 days, and the guarantee was for no more than $3 million. The offer also included another $5 million in performance bonuses and $2 million in additional incentives. So Smoltz could have earned up to $12 million by staying healthy and pitching extremely well. But Smoltz, who has come back from four major elbow surgeries, managed to make just five starts for the Braves last season before he was forced to shut down because of shoulder pain. He subsequently underwent surgery to repair significant damage to his rotator cuff and labrum, but has made what appears to be a rapid recovery – by the first week of December, he was throwing again, and Braves manager Bobby Cox, who watched Smoltz’s workout, said there was “no doubt in my mind” that Smoltz would pitch in the 2009 season. But the Red Sox, who have a history of taking chances on rehabilitating pitchers, jumped in hard for Smoltz, a certain Hall of Famer. Last year, the Red Sox re-signed Curt Schilling to an $8 million deal even though he was coming off shoulder problems, and when it became apparent that he would not be able to pitch, signed Bartolo Colon. The Sox were hoping to get from 100 to 120 innings out of either pitcher, giving them depth in the rotation and allowing them a chance to bring along top prospect Clay Buchholz slowly. Schilling did not pitch at all last season and Colon pitched just 39 innings over seven starts before breaking down, but Boston is willing to bet that Smoltz offers a better outcome. The Red Sox already have five established starters in Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield and free-agent signee Brad Penny, who also had shoulder issues last season. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Red Sox must have plenty of money to waste. All these pitchers just keep throwing the same way and they just keep throwing money at them. Where are the fabulous results from Dr. Andrews' crew and their 'Pathomechanics' nonsense? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 118. Indians' Lee will skip World Baseball Classic Cleveland Plain Dealer January 8, 2009 American League Cy Young winner Cliff Lee turned down an invitation to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in March because he threw a career-high number of innings last year and he didn't want to re-arrange his training routine. Agent Darek Braunecker said Lee was intrigued by the invitation, but decided to concentrate on pitching the Indians' season opener against Texas on April 6. "Cliff gave it a lot of thought," said Braunecker, "but he's coming off the biggest workload of his career. He wanted to stay on track. If, as anticipated, the Indians are a contender this year, he could pitch even more innings." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If I had not had children in school and was working on a doctoral degree, then I would have pitched winter baseball throughout my professional baseball career. In 1968, after the Tigers banished me to Triple-A baseball for having the gall to learn how to throw my screwball, as a starter, I lead the International League in innings pitched, then went to Puerto Rico and started every Wednesday and Sunday game for half their season. Unfortunately, even though they did not reimburse me for the salary that they cost mea nd my family, the Seattle Pilots picked me up in the expansion draft and ordered me to stop pitching. I should have stayed and started every Wednesday and Sunday game. If I were training pitchers for a major league organization, then I would recommend that they pitch winter baseball and, certainly take advantage of the World Baseball Classic. With my baseball pitching motion and interval-training programs, I and my baseball pitchers do not wear out. After they threw me out of major league baseball, from 1983 through 1999, I pitched from February to November, averaging over eighty starts per year. There is another baseball world out there that, except for me and my guys, nobody knows about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 119. Why should the Pirates need your services? It would only get their pitchers healthy, and God forbid, they might have their first winning record (if not more) since the early '90s. ------------------------------------------------- Sore shoulder costing Dumatrait: Lefty all but out of rotation competition, but still has shot at 'pen MLB.com January 8, 2009 PITTSBURGH, PA: Pirates left-hander Phil Dumatrait has put his offseason throwing program on hold, as his return from minor arthroscopic shoulder surgery continues to be delayed. And as a result, his status for Spring Training remains in question. Dumatrait went to visit noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, after complaining of continued soreness in his left shoulder. Andrews found an area of inflammation in Dumatrait's left shoulder, and as a result, the 27-year-old southpaw has been shut down from throwing for the next 10 days. Inflammation in the shoulder area is not entirely unusual following the arthroscopic surgery Dumatrait underwent last summer. And the fact that the diagnosis revealed no structural damage is certainly encouraging. However, with this latest setback, Dumatrait has all but put himself out of the competition to make the Bucs' rotation out of Spring Training. Dumatrait was expected to be one of at least eight Pirates pitchers vying for a starting spot in camp. "Phil is behind schedule in trying to make the team as a starter," general manager Neal Huntington acknowledged. "But if he can recover quickly from this and have a solid spring, there's still a chance that he could be considered for a bullpen spot." Dumatrait had undergone minor shoulder surgery in early August, with the expectation at the time being that he'd be able to resume throwing in October and progress through a normal offseason throwing program. He was expected to be at full strength come the start of Spring Training. However, he was late to begin throwing and never progressed to the point where he was able to throw off the mound. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This soreness had nothing to do with the arthroscopic surgery five months ago. Instead, it had everything to do with how he continues to apply force to his pitches. While the article does not say whether he is following Dr. Andrews' "Pathomechanics' regimen, whatever he is doing does not work. When will baseball learn that orthopedic surgeons and biomechanists are not trained in applied anatomy? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 120. The man is quite a risk-taker. He's putting what's left of his career in the hands of Toronto pitching coach, Brad Arnsberg, who blew out the arms of Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan last year. And, he continued to make A.J. Burnett a perennial candidate for the DL. ------------------------------------------------- Maroth looks to revive career with Jays: Left-hander isn't guaranteed job, but feels one is within reach MLB.com January 8, 2009 TORONTO, ON: The Blue Jays are heading into the coming season with a rotation filled with question marks. That isn't stopping Mike Maroth from viewing Toronto's situation as one of opportunity -- a chance for him to revive his career by earning a starting role. Maroth -- two seasons removed from his last walk up a big league mound and returning from left shoulder surgery -- signed a Minor League contract with the Blue Jays on Dec. 30, hoping to prove he can once again provide a durable arm. The left-hander knows he isn't being handed a job with Toronto, but he feels one is within reach with the club. The Jays, who lost right-hander A.J. Burnett to the Yankees in free agency this winter, have two rotation vacancies and a handful of pitchers vying for the jobs. Various injuries have also left Toronto without right-hander Dustin McGowan until at least May and right-hander Shaun Marcum until next season. For Maroth, the losses created a window of opportunity. "I threw for quite a few teams in December," Maroth said during a phone interview this week. "It just looked like the best opportunity to come in and make a team was with Toronto. Losing Burnett and a few other guys to injuries, there are some openings. So I'm hoping to be able to come in and make an impact and prove that I'm healthy and pitch and be effective. "Hopefully, I can earn a spot. With the Jays, there was an opportunity for me to pitch in big league camp and be able to prove that." The 31-year-old Maroth will first have to prove that he is indeed completely recovered from the left shoulder operation he underwent on May 15. Last season, Maroth's season came to a close after he made just three starts for Triple-A Omaha, an affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The pitcher said years of wear and tear made the procedure necessary. "My range of motion was pretty limited," Maroth said. "I just think over time it was getting that way. Flexibility is so important to be able to throw a baseball, and it was causing irritation in my shoulder -- it was causing some problems. Last year, the arm just couldn't take it." Maroth said the surgery was to repair some fraying of the labrum in his throwing shoulder. The pitcher indicated that the operation was more for cleaning up his shoulder than anything else, adding that there was no structural damage and no stabilizing pins were needed. "It was just kind going in, looking around and cleaning it up," Maroth said. "I have completely recovered at this point. Basically, I've been throwing [bullpen sessions] and everything to this point, and now I'm just continuing to get ready for the season. I will be ready to go when I come into Spring Training, looking to earn a spot." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But, has he stopped taking his pitching elbow laterally behind his acromial line? That is what caused the injury to the posterior aspect of his labrum. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 121. "Career high innings" + "ligament replacement surgery" = deja vu. -------------------------------------------------- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) January 8, 2009 Relief pitcher Logan Kensing and the Florida Marlins agreed on a $660,000, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. Kensing went 3-1 with a 4.23 ERA in a career-high 55 1/3 innings last year. The right-hander missed much of the 2007 season recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unless Mr. Kensing has learned how to eliminate his 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' he will rupture his Ulnar Collateral Ligament again. Just ask John Smoltz, who, by the way, still has 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' Good luck with that, Red Sox. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 122. He could have been spared the lobbying had he followed your methods, but then he's working hard to come back (long tossing)? ------------------------------------------------- PEDRO LOBBIES FOR METS RETURN New York Post January 9, 2009 Pedro Martinez spent yesterday afternoon entertaining friends on his boat in the Dominican Republic. The future Hall of Fame pitcher wants to sail - back to the Mets. In an exclusive interview with The Post, Martinez said he's open to pitching just about anywhere in 2009, but the Mets are far and away his first choice. He also urged the Mets to sign free-agent righty Derek Lowe, Martinez's former teammate on the Red Sox. Martinez's agent, Fern Cuza, is expected to speak with Met GM Omar Minaya next week about re-signing the 37-year-old right-hander. Minaya has indicated throughout the offseason that Martinez is a realistic option. "I went over to the Mets with something in mind, to win a World Series in the National League, and I haven't achieved that," said Martinez, who just completed a four-year, $53 million contract. "I'm anxious to get out there with the team that we have right now. We should be really close to a team that will win it all, and I want to be part of it." Minaya's focus has remained on free agents Lowe and Oliver Perez, in that order, for one spot in a rotation that will include Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine. Martinez could be a factor for the rotation's fifth spot. Nevertheless, Martinez's durability remains an issue after three straight seasons in which he spent significant time on the disabled list with hip, calf, toe and hamstring ailments, as well as rotator-cuff surgery that shelved him for most of 2007. Last season Martinez finished 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA, but says his problems were more mental than physical as his father, Paulino, battled and then succumbed to brain cancer in late July. "I was trying to find cover under baseball, to get away from what happened with my dad, and obviously it didn't work," Martinez said. "I thought I was going to put it away, put it aside, be distracted from everything that had happened with my dad, and it didn't happen. "I couldn't talk about it, either. It was too much under my chest. It really does affect somebody to lose a parent like that, especially a good guy like my dad." Martinez says he's fine physically and has been long-tossing, without throwing from a mound this offseason. He sounded confident he can stay healthy for a full season. "I haven't in the last three years, but I've had the time I needed to rest and get my mind set and get everything ready," Martinez said. "I've been in rehab after rehab the last three years. I feel [everything] has gone away, and I can really perform to a level I expect to perform for a team in the big leagues." In his dream Met rotation for next season, Martinez is flanked by Lowe, whom he considers one of the two best big-game pitchers he's played with (Curt Schilling is the other). Even if the Mets ultimately don't re-sign Martinez, the pitcher is comfortable in imploring Minaya to sign Lowe. "It would be a great move and a smart move for Omar to do that," Martinez said. As much as Martinez would love to have his pal Manny Ramirez as part of the mix, he also understands why the Mets have not pursued the future Hall of Fame outfielder. "I don't go to the papers a lot, but I know what happened to [team owner] Mr. Fred Wilpon, and I feel very badly for him," Martinez said, referring to Wilpon's investments with alleged swindler Bernard Madoff. "I feel very badly for the whole organization that those things happen. I wish I could do something. I just pray that [Wilpon] bounces back and we can give him the World Series that he deserves." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Several years ago, a friend of mine said that, when a Red Sox doctor was visiting the Dominican Republic, he saw Pedro and his trainer watching my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. However, I have no seen a change in how he applies force. Therefore, despite these tear-jerking stories, without severe salary adjustments and incentives, I would not take the chance on Pedro. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 123. Questions on Pitching Injuries. Your last piece went over extremely well. Every time you answer questions about pitching, it's one of the most popular topics on my site. Today, Rick Peterson was discussing pitching injuries and some of the things he and Dr. James Andrews are doing. I have a few questions that I was interested in hearing your response. 1. According to Rick Peterson: “In the last 10 years Tommy John surgeries have increased by 700 percent in the amateur pitching market." Why is this, in your opinion, the case? Why are young pitchers more prone to injury today then let's say when I was playing amateur ball in 1989? 2. Many amateur coaches don't have the expertise to understand the complex nature of pitching. Knowing this, what are some simple things they could do to help their pitchers? 3. Peterson cites three reasons for pitching injuries: Poor Delivery/Mechanics, Poor Conditioning, and Overuse. Do you agree with those three? We know you address the mechanics aspect and overuse, but what about conditioning? For more details, go to this link: Gary Armida article with Rick Peterson 4. Coach Peterson highlights a key concept discussed at the Course known as periodization. “Periodization is the cycling of high intensity activity and a period of rest/recovery.” Do you do something along the lines of Periodization? Is it unhealthy to play baseball all year long and not have the winter to "rest". 5. Are you familiar with Dr. James Andrews and his Baseball Course? For a description of his baseball course, go to: ASMI's 27th Annual Baseball Course ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01. If over the last ten years, seven times the number amateur baseball pitchers have had to have Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgery, then my mission to eliminate the injurious flaws inherent in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion becomes even more critical. The injurious flaw inherent in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion that results in the rupture of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament is 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' However, the action that begins the pitching arm action that eventually leads to 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' is when baseball pitchers take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball. When 'traditional' baseball pitchers swing their pitching arm backward with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball, they raise their pitching upper arm to shoulder height before they raise their pitching hand and baseball to shoulder height. Therefore, with their pitching upper arm remaining at shoulder height, 'traditional' baseball pitchers have to raise their pitching hand and baseball vertically upward. In Kinesiological terms, they are outwardly rotating the Humerus bone of their pitching upper arm. When baseball pitchers outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, to bring their pitching forearm along, they contract the muscles that attach to the lateral (outside) of their elbow. The Ulnar Collateral Ligament attaches to the coronoid process of the Ulna bone of the pitching forearm and to the medial epicondyle of the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm. Therefore, the Ulnar Collateral Ligament lies on the medial (inside) of the pitching elbow. This means that, without the muscles of the medial epicondyle, i.e., the Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris and a portion of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis muscles, contracting, the Ulnar Collateral Ligament stands alone against the stress of the 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' When their pitching forearm becomes vertical, their glove foot lands and they start to pull their pitching elbow forward. With their pitching arm moving upward and backward and their pitching elbow moving forward, the oppositely-directed forces cause their pitching forearm moves backward and downward until the moment when it stops moving downward and starts moving forward. This is the moment of the 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.' With every 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' the connective tissues of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament microscopically tear. When these microscopic tears render the Ulnar Collateral Ligament unable to withstand the stress, the Ulnar Collateral Ligament eventually ruptures. That this is happening to amateur baseball pitchers at seven times the rate as before indicates that they are applying more unnecessary stress than before. While 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' is the basic cause of Ulnar Collateral Ligament ruptures, the fact that the rate has increased means that something else is causing amateur baseball pitchers to apply more stress than before. With the requirement to get signed to a professional contract is that amateur baseball pitchers have to throw ninety miles per hour, those amateur baseball pitchers who throw a few miles short of ninety miles per hour increase the intensity of their 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounces.' Nevertheless, if all baseball pitchers learn how to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball and then pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height in one, smooth, continuous movement, then they could apply as much stress as they can without microscopically tearing the connective tissues in the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. The reason is that, when baseball pitchers pendulum swing their pitching arm as I just described, they contract the muscles that attach to the medial epicondyle on the medial (inside) of their pitching elbow. Therefore, these muscles protect the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 02. If they teach their amateur baseball pitchers five things, then they will eliminate all pitching injuries. a. Take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball and then pendulum swing their pitching arm downward, backward and upward to driveline height in one, smooth, continuous movement. b. Reverse their hips, shoulders and pitching arm to point at second base, not beyond. c. Drive their pitching hand and baseball straight forward toward home plate. d. Powerfully pronate the releases of all pitches. e. Have their pitching hand and baseball arrive at driveline height at the same time that their glove foot lands. 03. What I say is: If all baseball pitchers mastered the skills of my baseball pitching motion, complete all of my interval-training programs and train every day until they no longer want to pitch competitively, then we would eliminate all pitching injuries and they could start and go three times through the line-up twice a week or pitch two innings in two out of three day three hundred and sixty-five days each year until they are, at least, in the middle forties. 04. From what I wrote in #03 above, it should be clear that rest of any kind results in atrophy. I believe that, for every day that adult baseball pitchers do not train, they decrease how long they can perform at their highest level by one and one-half days. 05. Yes, I am very familiar with Dr. Andrews' Baseball Course. On January 23-25, 2009, in Houston, TX, they held their 27th Annual Injuries in Baseball Course. I have even listed the speakers and their topics in my 2009 Question/Answer file. They have offered this course for twenty-seven years. You would think that, if they knew what they were talking about, then the number of pitching injuries would be decreasing down to none. However, that the number of pitching injuries is increasing means that they have no idea what they are doing. I have downloaded the article that Rick Peterson wrote, "Bridging the Gap Between Potential and Peak Performance. If you do not mind, I would like to study what Mr. Peterson say sentence by sentence and give you my opinion at a later date. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 124. Your videos. You wrote: "Therefore, I assume that you do not allow your youth baseball pitchers who are biologically twelve years old and less to pitch competitively at all and your youth baseball pitchers who are biologically thirteen through fifteen years old to pitch more than two consecutive months per year." What I do is teach proper mechanics to reduce the amount of pressure on the arm and show the kids how to use their lower body and core to do the hard work. I focus on control first, then power. And by your ridiculous logic, kids under 12 shouldn’t play catch because of their health. I restrict the number of pitches a player can throw in game and in a week for safety sake. You wrote: "Do you know how many growth plates they have in their pitching elbow? Do you know at what biological age these growth plates mature? If not, then you are injuring the growth plates in the pitching elbow of your youth baseball pitchers." I don’t need to know the number of growth plates in a player’s arm to teach him how to throw the ball. You wrote: "With regard to the baseball pitching motion that I teach: It is perfectly safe for youth baseball pitchers of all ages, including as young as eight years old to not only practice my Maxline True Screwball, but my Maxline Pronation Curve as well. However, my Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program only lasts for sixty days, then they have to do other activities." That is why I asked you the question. From the look of the videos, it would appear that an extreme amount of force is being applied to the elbow at release. You wrote: "When you teach your youth baseball pitchers to throw curve, do you teach them to release the baseball over top of their Index finger? That means, when they throw curves, do you teach your baseball pitchers to turn the thumb of their pitching hand to point upward? Turning the pitching thumb to point upward at release is called, supination. If so, then you are injuring your youth baseball pitchers." As I stated, I instruct up to age 15. I do not teach breaking pitches at all. I believe that presenting the same mechanics with each pitch and changing speeds is more than effective at that level. Showing a 12 year old how to throw a curve ball is asking for trouble. You wrote: "When baseball pitchers pronate their pitching forearm, the use their Pronator Teres muscle. The Pronator Teres muscle overlays the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Therefore, when baseball pitchers contract their Pronator Teres muscle, they protect their Ulnar Collateral Ligament." So, you are telling me that pronating isn’t putting pressure on the elbow at all? I find that difficult to believe. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball? If so, then you are injuring the Ulnar Collateral Ligament of your youth baseball pitchers." What I teach is a motion that separates the glove and hand at the last second of moving forward to create momentum. You wrote: "The cause of injury to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament are 'traditional' baseball pitching coaches who teach youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand on top of the baseball." In my teaching the hand is on the side of the ball when removed from the glove and then rotated over the top during delivery. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to turn their glove foot to parallel with the pitching rubber? If so, then you are injuring the lateral aspect of their pitching knee. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require knee replacement surgery. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem." And if you do not get your back foot parallel to the rubber, then you do not have enough drive off the back foot to generate power in the pitch. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to reverse rotate their hips beyond second base? If so, then you are injuring the anterior aspect of the acetabulum of their hip. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require hip replacement surgery. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem." As I stated in my first email, I was impressed with the delivery method. I still feel that it should not be taught to children under 15 because you are still generating too much torque on the elbow and wrist in the delivery. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take their pitching elbow behind their acromial line, such that they pinch their two Scapula bones together? If so, then you are injuring the anterior aspect of the labrum in their pitching shoulder." I tell you what, here is the link of my 12 year old pitching. You tell me what you think of his delivery for yourself. Vincent Niglio's twelve year old baseball pitcher video You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball laterally behind their body? This means that, when you stand at home plate, can you see the baseball behind their body? If so, then you are injuring the coronoid process of the Ulna bone in their pitching forearm. Fortunately for you, this injury does not cause any pain, only the loss of their flexion range of motion. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem." Again, follow the link and observe the delivery I teach. You will notice a couple of mistakes in his delivery that I am correcting such as head position at release and stepping to the side instead of straight back, but overall, this is a good foundation to grow from. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to stride seventy to ninety percent of their standing height? If so, then you are injuring the intervertebral disk between their fifth Lumbar vertebrae and their first Sacral vertebrae. Fortunately for you if you do, it takes several thousands of competitive baseball pitches for the damage to require the removal of this intervertebral disk. Therefore, you will be able to misbelieve that you did not cause the problem." Without the stride, too much emphasis is placed on the arm to deliver the ball with speed. You wrote: "Do you teach your youth baseball pitchers to have their stride foot land to the pitching arm side of the line from their pitching foot straight forward (closed)? If so, then you are injuring the front of their pitching shoulder." I saw the video of your 12 year old on you tube pitching using your method. Every pitch was a balk. There was no power generated in his pitches and there was no control. You wrote: "I am sure that you teach them many other things that are also injurious. Unfortunately for them, you simply do not have any idea what you are doing." I find this last part insulting because I pride myself in teaching proper mechanics that reduce injury and protect the pitchers so they may enjoy longer careers in baseball. You seem to answer queries to your methods with attacks and personal affronts while making up ridiculous theories about how traditional pitching will lead to more injuries than your method. I welcome you to attend any of my practices with my team since you are a stone’s throw away in Sanford, FL. My phone number was in my first email so feel free to contact me and we can discuss this further. Vincent Niglio Leesburg All-Star Baseball, Inc. 606 Newell Hill Road Leesburg, FL 34748 (352)360-5684 www.eteamz.com/leesburgyankees leesburgasb@embarqmail.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I appreciate that you took the time to respond. In response to my assumption that you do not allow biologically twelve years old and less to pitch competitively at all and your youth baseball pitchers who are biologically thirteen through fifteen years old to pitch more than two consecutive months per year, you wrote: "What I do is teach proper mechanics to reduce the amount of pressure on the arm and show the kids how to use their lower body and core to do the hard work. I focus on control first, then power. And by your ridiculous logic, kids under 12 shouldn’t play catch because of their health. I restrict the number of pitches a player can throw in game and in a week for safety sake." These are generalizations. What do you teach that you believe reduces the amount of pressure on the pitching arm? What do you have youth baseball pitchers do to use their lower body and core to do the hard work? Do you understand that, after the high glove leg lift, the long stride toward home plate and the glove foot landing, the baseball is not moving toward home plate? If you did, then you would understand that, in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion that you teach, the lower body does not contribute to release velocity? What muscles make up the 'core?' How do these muscles contribute to release velocity? I did not say that biological twelve year old and younger youth baseball pitchers should not play catch. I said that biological twelve year old and younger youth baseball pitchers should not pitch competitively. I believe that they are not only insufficiently physiologically developed, but also do not have the baseball pitching skills with which to benefit from competitive baseball pitching. 01. How many baseball pitches per competitive baseball game can biological nine year old youth baseball pitches throw without altering the normal growth and development rate of the growth plates in their pitching elbow? 02. How many baseball pitches per competitive baseball game can biological ten year old youth baseball pitches throw without altering the normal growth and development rate of the growth plates in their pitching elbow? 03. How many baseball pitches per competitive baseball game can biological eleven year old youth baseball pitches throw without altering the normal growth and development rate of the growth plates in their pitching elbow? 04. How many baseball pitches per competitive baseball game can biological twelve year old youth baseball pitches throw without altering the normal growth and development rate of the growth plates in their pitching elbow? Can you refer me to the research study that determined these numbers? Have you read Dr. Joel Adams' research about the rate of growth plate injuries in youth baseball pitchers? In response to my question about your knowledge of the growth plates in the pitching elbow of youth baseball pitchers, you wrote: "I don’t need to know the number of growth plates in a player’s arm to teach him how to throw the ball." You are absolutely correct. You do not need to know how much damage you are doing to the growth plates in the youth baseball pitchers that you teach the 'traditional' baseball pitchers. I am sure that the mothers of these youth baseball pitchers that you teach appreciate your ignorance and lack of conscience about the results of your teachings. In response to my statement that my baseball pitching motion, my Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curve that I teach are perfectly safe for youth baseball pitchers of all ages, you wrote: "That is why I asked you the question. From the look of the videos, it would appear that an extreme amount of force is being applied to the elbow at release." The paragraphs that followed my 'everything I teach is safe' statement carefully explained the science on which I base my statement. In response to my statement that 'supination' is the culprit in the baseball pitchers throwing curve, you wrote: "As I stated, I instruct up to age 15. I do not teach breaking pitches at all. I believe that presenting the same mechanics with each pitch and changing speeds is more than effective at that level. Showing a 12 year old how to throw a curve ball is asking for trouble." Because you have no idea what you are doing, I believe that you are correct in not teaching your idea of how to throw curves to chronological fifteen year old and under youth baseball pitchers. However, the only injury that youth baseball pitchers suffer from throwing 'traditional' curves is the loss of their extension range of motion. Without throwing curves, youth baseball pitchers can still suffer every other pitching injury. They just will not manifest those injuries until after many more repetitions. In response to my statement that 'pronating' the pitching forearm protects the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, you wrote: "So, you are telling me that pronating isn’t putting pressure on the elbow at all? I find that difficult to believe." If you understood the applied anatomy of baseball pitching, then you would understand that what I said was true. Unfortunately, you do not know enough about what you are doing to understand that what you think is right is wrong. In response to my question about whether you teach your youth baseball pitchers to take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of the pitching hand on top of or under the baseball, you wrote: "What I teach is a motion that separates the glove and hand at the last second of moving forward to create momentum." Why did you not answer my question? In what do you want to create momentum? How does separating the baseball from the glove at the last second of moving forward create momentum? Do you mean that baseball pitchers should keep the baseball in their glove until they are almost done moving forward? This statement makes no sense. In response to my question about whether you teach your baseball pitchers to have the palm of their pitching hand on top of or under that baseball when they take the baseball out of their glove, you wrote: "In my teaching the hand is on the side of the ball when removed from the glove and then rotated over the top during delivery." What? If baseball pitchers have the palm of their pitching hand facing inward when they take the baseball out of their glove, then how do they get their pitching hand and baseball to driveline height? During release, is not it a good idea to have the palm of the pitching hand behind the baseball? What does 'rotated over the top during delivery mean? In response to my question about the position of the pitching foot relative to the pitching rubber, you wrote: "And if you do not get your back foot parallel to the rubber, then you do not have enough drive off the back foot to generate power in the pitch." With regard to power off the pitching rubber: When baseball pitchers have their pitching foot parallel with the pitching rubber, the only muscles that they can use to drive their body forward are the muscles on the lateral aspect of their pitching leg. That muscle is the Tensor Fascia Latae muscle. Ice skaters use this muscle to push sideways against the ice. While it makes sense to use this muscle on ice, I am confident that track sprinters prefer to use the knee extension muscles of their thigh to drive out of their starting blocks. Therefore, your statement has no scientific merit. But worse, you missed the point of my question. When baseball pitchers turn their pitching foot to parallel with the pitching rubber, they place considerable unnecessary stress on the lateral aspect of their pitching knee. With sufficient numbers of repetitions, they will require knee replacement surgery. Do you not care that, with every pitch that they throw using what you teach them, they are destroying their pitching knee? In response to my statement that excessive reverse rotation of the pitching hip, baseball pitchers damage their hip joint, you wrote: "As I stated in my first email, I was impressed with the delivery method. I still feel that it should not be taught to children under 15 because you are still generating too much torque on the elbow and wrist in the delivery." I have already explained that what you call 'torque' is pronation and why my baseball pitching motion does not injure youth baseball pitchers. Why do you keep talking about torque? Your inability to understand the applied anatomy of baseball pitching is the problem. However, once again, you did not answer my question. Do you not care that what you are teaching your youth baseball pitchers is destroying their pitching hip? In response to my question about whether you teach your youth baseball pitchers to 'pinch their two Scapula bone together,' you wrote: "I tell you what, here is the link of my 12 year old pitching. You tell me what you think of his delivery for yourself. Vincent Niglio's twelve year old baseball pitcher I went to the website. It showed a youth baseball pitcher from the rear, side and front views throwing a fastball. 01. He turns his pitching foot to parallel with the pitching rubber. 02. He raises his glove knee to waist high. 03. He reverse rotates his hips to point slightly beyond second base. 04. He takes the baseball out of his glove when he starts his body forward. 05. He drops his pitching hand straight downward. 06. He keeps his pitching upper arm below shoulder height until he raise his pitching hand to driveline height. 07. He raises his pitching hand straight upward. 08. He points his glove arm about twenty degrees behind the pitching arm side batter. 09. He keeps his pitching hand and baseball in line with the line between second base and home plate. 10. He strides about five feet. 11. He strides to the glove side of a line between his pitching foot and straight. 12. When his glove foot lands, he does not have his pitching arm at driveline height. 13. He bends forward at his waist. 14. He moves his pitching hand and baseball close to his pitching shoulder before he starts his pitching elbow forward. 15. He pulls his pitching arm forward. 16. At release, his pitching foot is within inches of the pitching rubber. 17. He pulls his pitching arm across the front of his body. In general, he uses the typical 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. He does not reverse rotate his hips too far or does not take the baseball laterally behind his body. These are good things. However, everything else he does are either injurious or mechanical flaws. If he continues to use this pitching motion, then he will suffer numerous injuries. But, as I said, fortunately for you, these injuries will take years to manifest themselves and you can disavow any responsibility. You wrote: "Again, follow the link and observe the delivery I teach. You will notice a couple of mistakes in his delivery that I am correcting such as head position at release and stepping to the side instead of straight back but overall, this is a good foundation to grow from." Head position at release and stepping to the side when he steps back with his glove foot are the least of his problems. You wrote: "Without the stride, too much emphasis is placed on the arm to deliver the ball with speed." As I said earlier, if you freeze frame this young man when his glove foot lands, then you will see that the baseball is not moving forward. This means that the stride does nothing to increase the velocity of the pitch. You wrote: "I saw the video of your 12 year old on you tube pitching using your method. Every pitch was a balk. There was no power generated in his pitches and there was no control." 01. Now, you are admitting that you do not understand the rules of baseball pitching. 02. With the incredible amount and intensity of Amazing's forward rotation of his hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm, he is generating as much power as he is able. 03. He is practicing. To become the best baseball pitchers that they can be, baseball pitchers should perform at their maximum intensity until they can throw strikes. If, to throw strikes, baseball pitchers practice at lesser intensities, then they will never be that best baseball pitcher that they can be. Remember, they should not pitch competitively until the growth plates at the distal end of the Humerus bone in their pitching elbow matures and until they have mastered my baseball pitching motion and pitches such that they can throw two of three of every pitch for strikes. Otherwise, they will not benefit from pitching competitively. In response to my comment, "you simply do not have any idea what you are doing," you wrote: "I find this last part insulting because I pride myself in teaching proper mechanics that reduce injury and protect the pitchers so they may enjoy longer careers in baseball. You seem to answer queries to your methods with attacks and personal affronts while making up ridiculous theories about how traditional pitching will lead to more injuries than your method. I welcome you to attend any of my practices with my team since you are a stone’s throw away in Sanford, FL." I believe that it is the same distance from where you live to where I live as it is from where I live to where you live. We welcome everyone who wants to see what I teach. We train from 9:00 to 10:30AM seven days a week. When I say that you do not have any idea what you are doing, I am not attaching you or making personal affronts. I am providing you with constructive criticism. You can choose to remain defensive or to learn. The choice is yours. By what you wrote before and now again, you prove my point. You have no idea what you are doing. In my attempt to show you what you should be doing, I hope that you appreciate the time that I have given you. You wrote: "My phone number was in my first email so feel free to contact me and we can discuss this further." I have spent more than enough time answering your question. Nevertheless, if you have any more questions, then please email them to me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 125. One final question and that is how many reps to start the training. For example, 5 reps in a row 25 times to a limit of increase of 5 times till you get to 25 reps 25 times. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I do not know the ages of the baseball pitchers that you are talking about training. However, if they are biologically sixteen years old or older, you should start with my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. On the home page of my website, you will find my 'Baseball Pitcher Interval-Training Program' file. When you click on that, you will find a list of my training programs. Click on my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. Then, you should download a copy. If you carefully read the instructions, then you will see precisely how many repetitions of my wrist weight (WW) exercises, my iron ball (IB) throws, my football (FB) throws and my baseball (BB) throws that the baseball pitchers should perform every day. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 126. My son's elbow injury. My 17 year old son has recently been diagnosed as having a mild partial tear of his UCL. (This diagnosis was made with an MRI). His doctor prescribed a months rest and this was all. (No exercises, physical therapy, etc.). My question to you is do you think the doctor is being aggressive enough? Is there any kind of physical therapy you could recommend? Would ultrasound or tens therapy help? Is there any kind of supplement such as Osteo Bi Flex that you think would help? We are open to any kind of suggestions you might make. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unless your son wants to tear his Ulnar Collateral Ligament completely through, the first thing that your son has to do is change how he applies force to his pitches. The second thing that he has to do is gently apply stress to the bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles involved in the correct baseball pitching motion. Therefore, I recommend that he completes my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. On my website, drmikemarshall.com, without charge, I have provided my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video and other video files for visitors to watch, my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book, Question/Answer files and other text files of visitors to read and my Baseball Pitchers Training Programs for visitors to copy and complete. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 127. Here is the YouTube link. Here is the link to the video of you demonstrating the proper Catcher's Throw to 2nd base using your two-step drop body action full pendulum swing glove and pitching arm actions method. Let me know if there is anything in the text that you want me to change. Dr. Marshall demonstrates his two-step catcher throw technique This year's 60 day training session with my son is going very well so far. He seems to be doing all 4 pitches with the football very well. All 4 pitches have a lot of movement, especially the screwball and finally, the curve. He is very excited about trying them out with baseballs, but we won't be using them for another week. We don't have a backstop for the 2 pound ball drills so instead we both wear catchers mitts and toss the ball to each other. In addition to strengthening his throwing arm, I believe that it also strengthens his catching hand and arm. It think that is one of the reasons he was such a good catcher last year. After spending 2 months catching 2 lb balls, catching a 5 oz ball is a piece of cake no matter how fast the pitcher throws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While I have no problem with you posting my brief demonstration of my two-step catchers release, I intended it for your personal use. Therefore, this is your posting, not mine. Your text is your text. My text would be considerably more scientific and thorough. If I were to post how I teach baseball catchers to throw to second base and, some day, I will, I would have far more extensive explanations, high-speed film and videos of actual throws. Nevertheless, I hope that my simplistic demonstration helps your son and any others who might watch this clip. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 128. Dirtbag's 12 yr old baseball pitcher. Have you seen this yet? Awesome stuff! Dirtbag's twelve year old baseball pitcher ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dirtbag gives me annual reports on the baseball pitchers that he coaches. Despite allowing them to equivocate the body action of my baseball pitching motion, he seems to have considerble success. While this youth baseball pitcher bends forward at his waist and does not drop step on his Maxline Fastball, Maxline Fastball Sinker or Maxline True Screwball, he did okay. The strike out pitch, Torque Fastball, was a solid pitch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 129. This is Mike Farrenkopf. I pitched in my first college conference game yesterday. I came in at the start of the 5th inning. We won this game. I gave up one run on one hit, no walks and three strike outs. Coach Maley called my pitches. 1) RHB: SI (high away) SI (high middle): Home run over left field fence. 2) RHB: SI*c SI* MF (away) SC*: Strike out swinging 3) RHB: SI*swing SI(low) SI*c SC*c: Strike out called 4) RHB: SI* MF (away) SC*c SC: Strikeb out swinging I apologize for the lack of detail or even accuracy of the sequencing. Coach Maley charts our pitches and I even reviewed it over with him. But, I did not get a chance to write it down. I should be charting my own pitches after every inning, then I would not have this problem. Today, I was brought into the game at the start of the 3rd inning. We won this game. I gave up two runs on two hits, one walk, one hit batter and one strike out. 3rd Inning: 1) RHB: SI: Double off left field wall 2) RHB: SI*c MF (low away) SI*s SC*: Strike out swinging. 3) RHB: SL*c (2-5 caught stealing) SI: Lined out to left 4th Inning: 1) RHB: Double 2) RHB: Walk 3) RHB: Fly out to short 4) LHB: Hit by pitch 5) LHB: Single to right field The pitcher that relieved me gave up a single. Therefore, one more of my base runners scored. He got out of the inning without any more damage. I do not recall the sequencing. I should because I was only throwing two pitches, the sinker and screwball. You may ask where is my torque game? I had struggled with my slider and torque fastball in my last scrimmage game. I feel confident in the bullpen, but I tend to rush my torque arm action in games. I lose control. I would have like to have thrown my slider and maxline pronation curve. I did talk to Coach about this after the game. It is obvious that I need to execute all my pitches in order to be successful. I hope that playing these games will help me continue to learn about baseball pitching. I have plenty to learn. Or another way of saying it, I need to execute what I have already learned from you. I felt fatigue in my arm during this 4th inning today. I tried my hardest to work through it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I understand why Coach Maley had you throw back to back Maxline Fastball Sinkers to the first college batter that you faced. From the last intersquad game, he did not trust your Torque Fastball Slider and he wanted you to get your Maxline Fastball Sinker into the game. When you threw the first Maxline Fastball Sinker high and away, you showed that you were rushing and could not finish the pitch. Drop stepping should have helped you get your acromial line closer to home plate. Are you doing your Second Baseba Pickoff drill? Then, when you threw the second Maxline Fastball Sinker, you also rushed, but, this time, you also pulled the pitch. Therefore, you lost movement. It was as though you threw a ten mile per hour slower Maxline Fastball. Good bye. Nevertheless, you appear to have righted yourself with the first pitch Maxline Fastball Sinker to the second batter. While you should have thrown your two-seam Maxline Fastball on the second pitch, it appears that the batter swung and missed the second of back-to-back Maxline Fastball Sinkers. This means that he is not a quality hitter. After the four-seam Maxline Fastball sped up he reflexes, he swung and missed your Maxline True Screwball. With the third batter, Coach Maley had you throw three consecutive Maxline Fastball Sinkers. That the batter could not hit them shows that he was not a quality hitter. That your one ball-two strike Maxline True Screwball froze him proved the point. The sequence to the fourth batter was much better. He swung and missed at the first pitch Maxline Fastball Sinker. Howefver, apparently, this team does not pay attention to how you pitch previous batters. Then, you missed away with the two-seam Maxline Fastball. That means that you are still rushing. The drop step will help. The Second Base Pickoff drill will help. Then, you threw back-to-back Maxline True Screwballs. Again, this batter proved to not be a quality hitter. With two outs and nobody on, you should have introduced your Torque game. You should have at least thrown one Torque Fastball Slider early in the count and a four-seam Torque Fastball between the two Maxline True Screwballs. In the second game, it is apparent that the opposition made note of the fact that you start every right-handed batter you face with a Maxline Fastball Sinker. In this situation, I could not have pitched well with these sequences. That you got away with the same Maxline Fastball Sinker, two-seam Maxline Fastball, Maxline Fastball Sinker and Maxline True Screwball sequence with the second batter shows that either he did not face you in the game the day before or he is a real crappy hitter. I liked that you threw a Torque Fastball Slider to start the third batter. Unfortunately, you followed it with another Maxline Fastball Sinker. It should have been a two-seam Torque Fastball, then your Maxline True Screwball. Luckily, he only lined out to left field. He should have hit it out of the park, especially if he faced you the day before. My guess is that the lead-off double came off a Maxline Fastball Sinker. The walk resulted from you trying to be too fine with the Maxline Fastball Sinker. The pop-up to short came off either a Torque Fastball Slider of a two-seam Torque Fastball that got in on his hands. The left-handed batter that you hit with a pitch came off a Maxline Fastball Sinker that you did not finish or drop step. The left-handed batter that singled to right hit another Maxline Fastball Sinker that you pulled. That you told me after that last inning that you only threw Maxline Fastball Sinkers and Maxline True Screwballs show that I did not read ahead, that I was wrong about the pitch you threw the right-handed batter that he popped to short and I was right about everything else. Nobody could succeed with throwing only these two pitches, no matter how well you throw them. You are absolutely correct that, to succeed, you need to throw all pitches. I remember a game where I went several extra innings against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta, where Gene Mauch stopped calling my pitches and let me go on my own. After we won the game, he trusted me to put my game into play the best way for me. You are going to have to show Coach Maley that you can command your entire game and know how to put it into play. To do that, you are going to have to not only execute your game better, you are going to show that you know what pitch sequences you throw. If you do not have a copy of the game sheets that I used to chart my pitches, then you can download a copy from Chapter Twenty-Three: Data Collection of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book or make one of your own. Whichever, you need to get your head more into the game. You can no longer be thinking about how to throw your pitches. You are either ready to pitch competitively or you are not. If you are not ready to pitch your game, then you need to spend more time learning how to pitch your game, not pitching competitively. Joe told me that things went well in the two innings that you pitched in your last intrasquad game before the championship season started. I would have liked to have received the pitch sequences and At Bat results. If I had, I would have learned that you lost your Torque game and might have been able to have helped you get it back. Until you showed me that you have your Torque game, I would not let you pitch again. You need to land on the heel of your glove foot, roll across the entire length of your pitching foot, raise up on the toes of your glove foot and throw. You have 'glove foot float.' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************************************** On Sunday, February 15, 2009, I posted the following questions and answers. *********************************************************************************************** ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 130. Review of Peterson article. This is Dr. Marshall speaking. Last week, a reader asked me to comment on an article in which Mr. Gary Armida interviewed Mr. Rick Peterson. I did so. However, because the statements that the reader attributed to Mr. Peterson were so outlandish, I wanted to go through the article sentence by sentence. Readers can find the entire article at: Gary Armida article with Rick Peterson Because I have included almost all of the article in my review, I will only present my review. Therefore, to distinguish what the author wrote and Mr. Peterson said, I will bold their text. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitching Perspectives with Rick Peterson: Understanding the Epidemic of Youth Pitching Injuries February 6th, 2009 By Gary Armida Mr. Peterson said, “In the last 10 years Tommy John surgeries have increased by 700 percent in the amateur pitching market. Something is obviously wrong here.” If this statistic is true, then, in the last ten years, something has changed. Because ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coaches still teach the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion to our youth baseball pitchers that causes baseball pitchers of all ages to rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament, then something has increased the rate of UCL ruptures seven hundred percent. I agree that extending the time period over which youth baseball pitchers competitively pitch is the new variable that has increased the number of Ulnar Collateral Ligament ruptures. However, the primary culprit is the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion. The first change that youth baseball organizations have to make is to remove the injurious flaws, including the one that ruptures the Ulnar Collateral Ligament from the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. Surprisingly, to remove the injurious flaw that ruptures the Ulnar Collateral Ligament is very simple. Baseball pitchers of all ages only need to learn to: 01. Take the baseball out of their glove with the palm of their pitching hand under the baseball. 02. Pendulum swing their pitching arm vertically downward and backward to forty-five degrees behind their body with the palm of their pitching hand facing toward home plate. 03. At forty-five degrees behind their body, while they continue to pendulum swing their pitching arm backward and upward in one, smooth, continuous movement to driveline height (below the top of their head) turn the palm of the pitching hand to face away from their body. When all baseball pitchers learn how to do this, we will have eliminated injuries to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament and the need for Tommy John surgery. However, we still have the problem of altering the development of the growth plates in the pitching elbow of youth baseball pitchers. To prevent the permanent changes in the development of these growth plate, I recommend the following. 01. Until they are biologically thirteen years old, youth baseball pitchers should not pitch competitively at all. I would like to add that, until they master my baseball pitching motion and can throw two of every three pitches of the four pitches that I recommend that youth baseball pitchers throw, they should not pitch competitively. 02. Between biological ages of thirteen and sixteen years old, when all growth plates in the pitching elbow mature, youth baseball pitchers should not pitch more than once through the lineup twice a week for two consecutive months each year. If they are not in the rapid growth spurt phase of their growth and development, then they can complete two of my 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs. Also, they can practice the releases of their pitches by throwing lids and appropriately-sized footballs. 03. When they are biologically sixteen years old, they should complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program once a year and pitch competitively for four consecutive months a year. The author wrote, "If one were to take Coach Peterson's statements and apply them in the context of health in an area other than baseball, one would call this increase in injuries and the subsequent surgeries, an epidemic." In a presentation at the California Sports Medicine Seminar at the University of Los Angeles in May of 1975, the May 26, 1975 issue of Sports Illustrated quoted me as saying, “Over the past twenty years, by using adult rules in children’s baseball games, we have selectively taken the best arms and ruined them. There is no way that adolescent injuries can be mended. They are handicaps for life.” I also said that if the Center for Disease Control were able to actually measure the changes in the development of the growth plates in the pitching elbows of youth baseball pitchers, they would declare an epidemic. Dr. Andrews and Mr. Peterson are forty-four years late for the battle. Mr. Peterson said, “Major League teams spent $330 million dollars on pitching injuries.” What Mr. Peterson means is that it costs Major League baseball $330 million dollars to pay baseball pitcher who are on the Disabled List. They spend nothing on research to eliminate pitching injuries. The author wrote, “This increased use, without proper coaching, has led to the explosion of pitching related injuries.” I agree that youth baseball pitchers are competitively pitching too much. I have already explained the limitations on competitive pitching that Dr. Joel Adams’ 1975 article in California Medicine suggests. However, neither Dr. Andrews, Mr. Peterson nor ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coaches in general have any idea what proper coaching means. The author wrote, “Fortunately, the amateur pitching market is about to get the benefit of 30 years of research from the acclaimed Dr. James Andrews and the on-field experience (as well as many years of collaboration with Dr. Andrews) of Coach Peterson.” Dr. Andrews may have thirty years of surgical experience, but he certainly does not have thirty years of research into the causes of pitching injuries. How do I know that? I have over forty years of research into the causes of pitching injuries. And, I have read everything that Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig, Dr. Andrews research biomechanist and Mr. Peterson have said and written. Not only do they know nothing about the causes of pitching injuries, what they think causes pitching injuries is wrong. The author wrote, “Today, Coach Peterson explores the underlying causes of amateur pitching injuries, advancements made, and a look to the future.” Mr. Peterson said, “The problem is that nobody really knows what to do or where to go.” Therefore, Mr. Peterson admits that nobody, including Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig and himself, knows what to do or where to go. But, I do and have for over forty years. Mr. Peterson said, “There has never been a place or a program that can prevent pitching injuries.” I have a place and the programs that eliminate pitching injuries. And, Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig and Mr. Peterson know me. They know that I know what to do and where to go. It is all on my website. The interval-training programs that I have designed will teach and train all baseball pitchers how to eliminate all pitching injuries. However, the problem is that they cannot make money telling people to go to my website. Mr. Peterson said, “That is why it is so exciting to bring our program to the amateur pitching market. We can shift the focus from rehab to prehab.” I have been doing prehab for over forty years. If Dr. Andrews and Mr. Peterson want to shift the focus from surgeries and rehabilitation to prehabilitation, then all they need to do is use my materials. As long as they eliminate pitching injuries, they can make all the money they want and I don’t care whether they give me any credit. They just have to stop the nonsense that they are teaching. The author wrote, “While there are some highly trained (and very well-intentioned) coaches involved with amateur players, few can bring the experience of Dr. Andrews’ research or Coach Peterson success in his 11 years as a Major League pitching coach and 30+ years in professional baseball.” Dr. Andrews and Dr. Fleisig have done zero scientific research of any quality and Mr. Peterson has destroyed pitching arms wherever he has coached major league pitchers. On the other hand, I have over forty years of scientific research and no baseball pitcher I have trained has ever required any pitching surgery. The author wrote, “The expertise and advancements with pitching injury prevention have been limited to the professional ranks (furthermore, most teams don’t know what to do with the information-another group that is slow to react).” If Major League Baseball had any idea of how to prevent pitching injuries, then they would not have any injured baseball pitchers. However, in 2008, in addition to twenty-two trunk injuries and fifty-one leg injuries, their baseball pitchers suffered one hundred and ninety-four pitching arm injuries. Major League Baseball has no idea how to prevent pitching injuries. Mr. Peterson, stop lying. The author wrote, “With that lack of knowledge in the amateur baseball organizations coupled with increased intensity and playing time, youth pitching injuries have exploded.” Major League Baseball doctors and pitching coaches do not know more about preventing pitching injuries than amateur baseball pitching coaches. Except for the lost revenue, they do not even care about the pain their baseball pitchers suffer. However, the mothers of injured youth baseball pitchers care. The author wrote, “As is usually the case with the medical field, it can often take far too long for doctors and scientists to get their full scientific validation in order to put a program into action. Luckily, because of Dr. Andrews’ research and Rick Peterson’s experience and work with Dr. Andrews and Major League pitchers, the tide seems to be changing.” Maybe in their minds and the minds of uneducated sports writers and the like, Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig and Mr. Peterson, believe that they have ‘full scientific validation.’ However, I know that they do not know what they are doing. The author wrote,” Assuming that a pitcher is not genetically predisposed to arm injuries (meaning that he can, actually, pitch), there are three main causes of pitching injuries.” Unless they are physically disabled, no baseball pitchers are genetically predisposed to pitching arm injuries. This is simply the lame excuse that ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coaches give for their inability to explain why baseball pitchers that they train injure themselves. The author wrote, “The first cause is the classic “bad mechanics”. Coach Peterson (who prefers to refer to this as the delivery) doesn’t limit this one to just pitchers in the amateur market. Instead, he broadens it to poor throwing delivery or poor arm action.” The author is absolutely correct. The primary cause of pitching arm injuries is the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion that Mr. Peterson and all other ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coaches teach. To name a few, when ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers teach the following injurious flaws, they injure baseball pitchers. 01. Turn the pitching foot to parallel with the pitching rubber. 02. Reverse rotate the hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm well beyond second base. 03. Stride seventy to ninety percent of the standing height. 04. Take the baseball out of the glove with the palm of the pitching hand on top of the baseball. 05. Raise the pitching upper arm to shoulder height with the pitching hand below shoulder height. 06. Lift the pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball vertically upward to above shoulder height. 07. Have the glove foot land before the pitching forearm lies horizontally behind the pitching elbow (Maximum Pitching Forearm Acceleration Position). 08. Land with the glove foot on the pitching arm side of the line from the pitching foot straight forward (Closed). 09. Generate horizontal centripetal force to the pitching arm side of their body. 10. Supinate their pitching forearm, wrist, hand and fingers through release. 11. Bend forward at their waist. 12. Pull their pitching arm across the front of their body and downward. Mr. Peterson said, “Unfortunately, with amateur pitchers, this can be trained very early. One of the first problems is getting a young pitcher to grip the ball properly. How the heck can an 8 year old properly grip a baseball? His hands are too small.” I agree that eight year olds do not have hands large enough to properly grip regulation size baseballs to throw non-fastball pitches. However, their hands are large enough to play catch with regulation sized baseballs. Therefore, small hands do not cause pitching injuries. The solution to the small hands problem is to wait until youth baseball pitchers have larger hands to teach them how to pitch. Until then, we should teach them how to correctly use their throwing arm. Mr. Peterson said, “Think about the pitching delivery as an upside down tornado. Hip rotation determines velocity.” In the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion, baseball pitchers rotate their hips forward such that, at release, their pitching foot is within inches of the pitching rubber. This means that they have rotated their hips forward through about one-third of the time between when they started their pitching arm forward to when they release their pitches. In the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion, baseball pitchers rotate their shoulder forward such that, at release, their shoulders are perpendicular to the driveline toward home plate. This means that they have rotated their shoulders forward through about one-half of the time between when they started their pitching arm forward to when they release their pitches. Therefore, the only part of their body that applies force to the baseball the entire time between when they start their pitching arm forward and when they release their pitches is their pitching arm. As a result, that upside down tornado to which Mr. Peterson referred has little impact on release velocity. Mr. Peterson said, “If the delivery is executed properly, the shoulder doesn’t do much work.” Because ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers stop rotating their shoulders forward at about halfway through the driveline, all baseball pitchers have left is to pull their pitching arm forward. To pull their pitching arm forward, in a shoulder joint action that Kinesiologists call, ‘horizontal flexion,’ ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers use the Pectoralis Major muscle that lies on the front of their chest. However, the most powerful muscle that attaches to the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm is the Latissimus Dorsi muscle. The ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion does not use the Latissimus Dorsi muscle to accelerate the baseball toward home plate. The second most powerful muscle that attaches to the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm is the Teres Major muscle. The ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion also does not use the Teres Major muscle to accelerate the baseball toward home plate. In a shoulder joint action that Kinesiologists call, ‘extension’ and ‘inward rotation,’ without any unnecessary stress and the resulting injuries, the Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major muscles are the most powerful muscles with which baseball pitchers can powerfully and safely accelerate their pitches toward home plate. Mr. Peterson cannot spell Latissimus Dorsi. Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig and Mr. Peterson have no idea how to teach baseball pitchers how to ‘unlock’ the power of the Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major muscles. I do. Mr. Peterson said, “But, in order for the shoulder not to feel the brunt of the workload, everything must be in sync, on-time, and in coordination with the rotational velocities, the lower body and the upper torso.” Be specific, Mr. Peterson, how do you believe that the lower body and the upper torso should be in sync or in coordination with their rotational velocities? As I said earlier, in the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion, the hips stop rotating forward at about one-third and the shoulders stop rotating forward at about one-half of the length of the driveline of the pitching arm. How are they in sync and in coordination? The author wrote, “In other words, if a delivery is done correctly, the impact on the shoulder is minimal.” I agree. However, as long as ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers pull their pitching arm forward with their Pectoralis Major muscle, they will always maximally impact their pitching shoulder. The author wrote, “The problem is that most amateur level coaches (I was a high school baseball coach for 10 years, so don’t take the following as a slight) do not have the pitching education to correct such deficiencies.” I agree. However, neither does Dr. Andrews, Dr. Fleisig, Mr. Peterson or any other ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coach. The author wrote, “Instead, most coaches will say to a pitcher something to the effect that the pitcher is “flying open”. When 'traditional’ baseball pitching coaches say that baseball pitchers are ‘flying open,’ they mean that their baseball pitchers cannot keep their pitching upper arm in line with their shoulders. This means that instead of keeping their pitching upper arm in line with their shoulders, their pitching arm lags behind their shoulder line. However, when ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers use their Pectoralis Major muscle to pull their pitching upper arm forward, the inertial weight of their entire pitching arm is more than their Pectoralis Major muscle can overcome. Therefore, ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers unnecessarily stress the front of their pitching shoulder. Because ‘traditional’ baseball pitching coaches, including Mr. Peterson, do not have any idea what they are doing, the solution to this problem that they teach is for their baseball pitchers to limit how much they rotate their shoulders forward. This means that, where Mr. Peterson was just lauding the value of rotating the hips forward, now he is saying that his baseball pitches should not rotate their shoulders forward. To prevent ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers from rotating their shoulders forward, Mr. Peterson et al teach their baseball pitchers to stride to the pitching arm side of the line between their pitching foot and straight forward (Closed). This action prevents baseball pitchers from rotating their hips forward, which, in turn, prevents baseball pitchers from rotating their shoulders forward. Nevertheless, when ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers use their Pectoralis Major muscle to pull their pitching upper arm forward, at the beginning of the forward rotation of their hips, the inertial weight of their entire pitching arm causes their pitching upper arm to lag behind their shoulders. All that striding closed does is to allow the pitching upper arm to catch up with their shoulders. With my baseball pitching motion, I teach my baseball pitchers to raise their pitching upper arm to driveline height before they start to rotate their hips and shoulders forward. Therefore, my baseball pitchers ‘lock’ their pitching upper arm with their shoulders. This means that their pitching upper arm never lag behind their shoulders. The author wrote, “But, as Coach Peterson explains, that merely means that the pitcher is out of sync which “puts a ton of pressure on the shoulder during the acceleration phase of the delivery.” I agree that, during the start of the acceleration phase, the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion 'puts a ton of pressure on the shoulder.' However, I disagree that it has anything to do with being out of sync. It has everything to do with using the Pectoralis Major muscle to pull the pitching upper arm forward. Mr. Peterson said, “After the cocking stage, the ball comes to a complete stop or almost a complete stop.” With this statement, Mr. Peterson admits that the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion does not conserve the momentum of the backward movement of the pitching arm. What Mr. Peterson calls the ‘cocking stage’ is actually the ‘Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.’ ‘Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce’ occurs when ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers raise their pitching forearm to point vertically upward at the same moment that their glove foot lands and they start to pull their pitching upper arm forward. Even though the pitching upper arm starts to move forward, the baseball stands still pirouetting in a small circle as it moves downward to the height of the pitching elbow. Properly defined, baseball pitchers have their pitching arm ‘cocked’ when the pitching forearm lies horizontally behind the pitching elbow, it is in the position to maximally accelerate toward home plate. Mr. Peterson said, “This is right before the point where the pitcher’s arm is about to accelerate through the pitch.” Until their glove foot lands, baseball pitchers cannot rotate their hips forward. With the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion, baseball pitchers rotate their hips forward first, then rotate their shoulders forward. It is not until they start rotating their shoulders forward, that ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers start pulling their pitching upper arm forward. Mr. Peterson said, “That stopping point to the completion of the acceleration phase lasts 0.3 seconds. So, if you think about it, in that 0.3 seconds the ball is accelerated from zero miles per hour to 90-plus miles per hour (for a Major league pitcher).” In 1971, I high-speed filmed my baseball pitching motion from the rear, side and overhead views with synchronized high-speed timers in view of each camera. I determined that from first forward movement to release, I applied force for 0.2 seconds. Release velocity equals force times the time period over which baseball pitchers apply force divided by the mass of the baseball. Ninety miles per hour is one hundred and thirty-two feet per second. One hundred and thirty-two feet per second divided by 0.2 seconds is 6.6 pounds of force. According to Mr. Peterson, at 0.3 seconds of force application, to throw ninety miles per hour, baseball pitchers only have to apply 4.4 pounds of force. While I have no idea from where Mr. Peterson determined that baseball pitchers apply force to 0.3 seconds, I question whether the statement is accurate. The author wrote, “Quite simply, amateur athletes are not conditioned to pitch as much as they do.” I agree. ‘Traditional’ baseball pitching coaches have no idea how to properly train their baseball pitchers. Until they understand the ‘Overload Principle’ and ‘Specificity of Training,’ they will never properly train baseball pitchers. Mr. Peterson said, “How many amateur pitchers are made to do shoulder strengthening exercises as a part of their youth programs? The answer is probably none.” All of the parents who are using my 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program and 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program are doing strengthening exercises that I designed specifically for the pitching shoulder. With this statement, Mr. Peterson shows that he does not understand ‘Specificity of Training.’ The only training that helps baseball pitchers is overloading the pitching muscles in exactly the same movements that they use to throw baseballs. The author wrote, “Essentially, young pitchers are throwing more than ever, but failing to properly condition their shoulders, arms, legs, torso, etc. in order to handle the increased workload.” While I believe that athletes should train for fitness beyond whatever their competitive activity requires of them, if they only train by performing the activity, then they will become fit for performing that activity. However, with the ‘traditional’ baseball pitching motion, because it has so many injurious flaws inherent in it, with every pitch that ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers throw, they are destroying their pitching arms. The author wrote, “Additionally, conditioning comes into play during the deceleration phase of the delivery.” Baseball pitchers can only accelerate their pitches as fast as the muscles that decelerate their pitching arm can safely stop their pitching arm. With my wrist weight exercises, my baseball pitchers train their deceleration muscles far beyond the acceleration force that they can generate with their acceleration muscles. The author wrote, “Based on ASMI (American Sports Medicine Institute) research, most amateur pitchers are not old enough (or developed enough) to properly drive through a pitching delivery.” I have no idea on what the author or Mr. Peterson based this statement. To understand that ‘traditional’ baseball pitchers cannot uniformly accelerate their pitches through release, the American Sports Medicine Institute would have to calculate Acceleration Graphs for the baseball pitchers that they biomechanically analyze. ASMI did not calculate Acceleration Graphs for the four baseball pitchers that I had them biomechanically analyze. And, I have not seen any Acceleration Graphs that they calculated for any other baseball pitchers that they biomechanically analyzed. In my 1971 high-speed film analysis of me throwing my fastball, slider and screwball, I calculated the Acceleration Graphs. I found that, after I started to bend forward at my waist, while I continued to accelerate my fastball through release, I did so at lower and lower rates. This means that, for baseball pitchers to accelerate their fastballs at the same velocity rate increases, they have to stand tall and rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm forward through release. Mr. Peterson said, “You wouldn’t give a kid the keys to a sports car without brakes, would you? Well, that’s similar to what’s happening to young pitchers. They are not conditioned enough to properly execute a delivery.” To impress on readers how critical powerful deceleration muscles are to increasing release velocity, for over forty years, I use the following analogy. Suppose that you are on a quarter mile drag car race track driving a car that can accelerate to five hundred miles per hour in one quarter mile. However, one hundred yards beyond the finish line, there is a two thousand foot cliff. How fast would you accelerate the car? The answer is: That depends on fr |