For you Pitching Guys

[hiddengem]

This guy routinely hits 95-96mph and just got called up to San Diego. Brian Sikorski is his name.

http://img8.picsplace.to/img8/16/ski.gif (http://picsplace.to/)

[Jake83]

This guy routinely hits 95-96mph and just got called up to San Diego. Brian Sikorski is his name.

http://img8.picsplace.to/img8/16/ski.gif (http://picsplace.to/)


Great use of legs to generate speed. Hopefully he pitches against the Giants and D'Backs and not the Dodgers

[Jake Patterson]

This guy routinely hits 95-96mph and just got called up to San Diego. Brian Sikorski is his name.

http://img8.picsplace.to/img8/16/ski.gif (http://picsplace.to/)


Any comments about his front leg movement from you pitching coaches??

[bosoxbb]

Everything looks pretty good. The only problem I can see is that right after his leg kick he appears to almost touch the toe of his stride foot back on the ground before stepping to the plate. I'm far from a pitching coach, but it would make sense to me that doing that is costing him a little momentum.

[ncsouthpaw]

Everything looks pretty good. The only problem I can see is that right after his leg kick he appears to almost touch the toe of his stride foot back on the ground before stepping to the plate. I'm far from a pitching coach, but it would make sense to me that doing that is costing him a little momentum.

It could be that he uses that to slow his delivery down and stay on pace or to force himself to keep his body back while he strides

[hiddengem]

It could be that he uses that to slow his delivery down and stay on pace or to force himself to keep his body back while he strides


I know that "staying back" is one thing he has been working on all year.

[Ohioteamz]

Pretty good arm action, and I see some separation in there as well. He is getting to the W.

[Coach45]

Any comments about his front leg movement from you pitching coaches??

Hi JP,

His left knee is taking a beating. After release watch it hyperextend. At some point this will put him on the DL. He's also a candidate for a groin pull. Ohioteamz seems to like the 'W.' I wonder if he understands that this will eventually result in injury to the front of the shoulder?

Coach45

[Ohfor]

I might get carpal tunnel from typing too.

Clips of "your" mechanics please. One that throws harder than 85mph.

[Ohfor]

... Ohioteamz seems to like the 'W.' I wonder if he understands that this will eventually result in injury to the front of the shoulder?

Coach45

Well, it's also what it takes to throw at the major league level.

Show me a clip of those who don't.

I'll produce 20 to your 1.

[Ohioteamz]

Hi JP,

He's also a candidate for a groin pull. Ohioteamz seems to like the 'W.' I wonder if he understands that this will eventually result in injury to the front of the shoulder?

Coach45

Perhaps he could sign up for lacrosse or something and skip the pesky risk involved with throwing a baseball at 95. Or he could attend school in Florida, learn to change his motion, stay safer and get the velocity down to 88 or so. Clemens sure has a long history of shoulder problems.

[hiddengem]

Hi JP,

His left knee is taking a beating. After release watch it hyperextend. At some point this will put him on the DL. He's also a candidate for a groin pull. Ohioteamz seems to like the 'W.' I wonder if he understands that this will eventually result in injury to the front of the shoulder?

Coach45

Actually, he pitched the last 5 yrs in Japan with great success, and as far as I know zero injuries.

[BuzzBaseball]

Maybe a stupid question/observation or two. The pitcher looks to be developing a great amount of momentum which is a good thing but is this from what I have heard "shooting the front hip" or is this momentum developed from "pushing hard off the rubber". Also, is there some "drop and drive" in his delivery? I have heard that dropping and driving is not such a great thing and very few pitchers have done that effectively.

It all looks great to me but I am still very much in the learning stages. thanks

[Jake Patterson]

Actually, he pitched the last 5 yrs in Japan with great success, and as far as I know zero injuries.

I'm not a pitching expert by any means (HS level), but I was concerned about the front leg, more specifically his front knee. We would teach a glide step that is a little easier on the front side and would not hyperextend his front knee like C45 stated.

It's difficult for us laymen to critique successful pro pitchers when we are working with basic ball and HS players..

[Chris O'Leary]

Any comments about his front leg movement from you pitching coaches??

Robb Nen used to do something similar to prevent rushing; tap the ground with his glove-side toe after lifting his leg.

I think this proves that the leg lift is highly over-rated as a source of velocity.

He seems to open up his hips earlier than most. However, he still seems to get good separation between his hips and his shoulders.

[Coach45]

Actually, he pitched the last 5 yrs in Japan with great success, and as far as I know zero injuries.

Hi Gem,

Hope you are well. I still enjoy looking at a particular homerun clip. Can you see his left knee knee hyperextend? That specific injury is the result of cumulative trauma and might take years to see the outcome. Accelerated arthritic changes, etc. I hope this guy can stay healthy, and I wish him well. Purely on an odds basis, chances are slim.

Coach45

[hiddengem]

Hi Gem,

Hope you are well. I still enjoy looking at a particular homerun clip. Can you see his left knee knee hyperextend? That specific injury is the result of cumulative trauma and might take years to see the outcome. Accelerated arthritic changes, etc. I hope this guy can stay healthy, and I wish him well. Purely on an odds basis, chances are slim.

Coach45


Well, I asked today. He's been playing professionally since 1995 and has not had one problem with his knees.

[Diamondboy]

Well, I asked today. He's been playing professionally since 1995 and has not had one problem with his knees.

Yes, but that’s just a measly 11 years. I’m sure by the time this guy gets into his late fifties, early sixties, Coach45’s prediction will prove correct. Presumably he'll have made enough money by then to pay for topnotch arthritis medication.

[Coach45]

The point is, if he could alter his mechanic (without sacrificing performance) in a way that would prevent needless wear and tear, would that be advisable?

You have not yet answered the question. Do you see his left knee hyperextend after release when he posts against the left leg and hip? It's pretty blatant.

[Ohfor]

The point is, if he could alter his mechanic (without sacrificing performance) in a way that would prevent needless wear and tear, would that be advisable?..

Sure. We're all eyes.

Post a clip.

[hiddengem]

The point is, if he could alter his mechanic (without sacrificing performance) in a way that would prevent needless wear and tear, would that be advisable?

You have not yet answered the question. Do you see his left knee hyperextend after release when he posts against the left leg and hip? It's pretty blatant.


I took note of the pitchers in our game tonight. ALL of them do this. None of our pitchers have ever had a knee problem.

Sheff's Knee is doing the same thing here. Should he be doing something else?

[Coach45]

I took note of the pitchers in our game tonight. ALL of them do this. None of our pitchers have ever had a knee problem.

Sheff's Knee is doing the same thing here. Should he be doing something else?

Because 'all of them do it', does it make it correct from an anatomical perspective? The sample size of pitchers on your team doesn't tell us much. I routinely see pitchers on the DL with knee injuries. If you see Randy Johnson ask him about it, he's been there. Part of the question becomes, 'what constitutes an injury?' Are premature arthritic problems that develop because of repetitively slamming the patella into the front knee what you consider to be injuries? Or does it take one event catastrophic failure to constitute injury?

The pic of Gary is interesting. Without seeing the whole sequence it's hard to tell what's happening. His quads are fully contracted and the left leg is straight, but I don't see that it is hyperextended. Then again hitters do not attempt to take their body mass continually forward in the same way pitchers do, so there is probably less force involved. Looking carefully it appears he opened his stride to the third base side a bit, which means he is putting more pressure on the medial side of the knee more that the front, so I suspect his knee cannot be hyperextended. I haven't studied hitting the way I have pitching, but if he needlessly hyperextends the knee he is doing permanent cartilage damage, a little bit at a time. If there is a way to keep the knee slightly flexed, without compromising performance, it will prevent longterm damage.

[Ohfor]

Someone may listen if you ever post a clip.

[chesspirate]

Hyperextension
Definition: Hyperextension is a straightening movement that goes beyond the normal, healthy boundaries of the joint.

is his knee really going BEYOND the healthy boundaries?

[Coach45]

Hyperextension
Definition: Hyperextension is a straightening movement that goes beyond the normal, healthy boundaries of the joint.

is his knee really going BEYOND the healthy boundaries?

In the pitching clip Gem posted at the beginning of the thread, I think his knee hyperextends, but I cannot prove it conclusively. Given the early arthritic changes in knees and hips of pitchers (fact) there seems a likely correlation.

In the hitting clip of Sheffield I doubt that his knee is hyperextended in the frame posted, but we need to see what happens on either side of this frame.

The old 'hamstring' stretch is a classic example of athletes doing something anatomically unsound for years, simply because everyone else did it. High level track and field athletes almost all abandoned this stretch long ago. This 'stretch' slams the patella into the front of the knee joint and causes repetitive cartilage damage, even when done gently. This info was supplied to us by my son's former trainer...a trainer for the US Olympic Team.

[Chris O'Leary]

In the pitching clip Gem posted at the beginning of the thread, I think his knee hyperextends, but I cannot prove it conclusively. Given the early arthritic changes in knees and hips of pitchers (fact) there seems a likely correlation.

Andy Benes had to retire due to knee problems and he finished on a fairly stiff GS knee.

[dougmac]

Andy Benes had to retire due to knee problems and he finished on a fairly stiff GS knee.

Andy Benes hurt both knees playing football in high school and college. He played 14 years in the big leagues too. That is longer than 99.9999% of the guys who sign pro contracts.........quit trying to pretend you are a Dr.

Every guy that pitches will lock up his front knee for a period of time except the rare few who have long strides. Every short strider will straighten out his front leg at sometime in his delivery.

You can post video of about 95% of the major leaguers and the front leg will straighten out.

[fungo22]

You can post video of about 95% of the major leaguers and the front leg will straighten out. Yeah, but is it "anatomically correct"?

[dougmac]

What the hell does anatomically mean???

[fungo22]

What the hell does anatomically mean??? ana- Greek prefix meaning again or anew.
tomically - Adverb form of Tom.
It means Tom is posting one of his three posts again. Combined with "correct," it becomes an oxymoron.

[dougmac]

Now you will have to explain what oxy is. I know what a moron is.;)

[Ohfor]

Rhymes with comically.

[Jake Patterson]

Sheff's Knee is doing the same thing here. Should he be doing something else?

HG (Others), looking at the two from a youth teaching standpoint -I am wondering if the way the two plant their front leg, point their toes and rotate their lower and upper body, create different forces on their legs, more specifically their knees - the pitching being more potentially damaging. I showed a physical therapist the clip of the pitcher and she felt the "work" the front knee is experiencing would not be good for a young adult. Thoughts?

[dougmac]

Just don't let the kids pitch or hit. Steer them to computer baseball and let them veg on the couch and then they won't put any strain on their their tender little legs.

[Jake Patterson]

Just don't let the kids pitch or hit. Steer them to computer baseball and let them veg on the couch and then they won't put any strain on their their tender little legs.

Not especially helpful Doug...

[hiddengem]

Are you looking at this little concave right here (arrow) and thinking that his the hyperextension? That is simply his pant leg pressing back against shin or near it. I don't see any hyperextension.

[Jake Patterson]

Are you looking at this little concave right here (arrow) and thinking that his the hyperextension? That is simply his pant leg pressing back against shin or near it. I don't see any hyperextension.

I drew a black line down the middle of his leg... Could be uniform.

Won't beat this to death. I am in no position to evaluate his pitching technique as a pro. He's there for a reason.

When you guys critique hitting and pitching techniques on line I try to take away what I can from a youth training standpoint...

9949

[GFK]

Just don't let the kids pitch or hit. Steer them to computer baseball and let them veg on the couch and then they won't put any strain on their their tender little legs.

If I could get away with it, I would set the TV and Nintendo out on the end of the driveway and put a shotgun blast to them. My three do spend a good bit of time in physical activity, but if I let the oldest one have his way, he would spend every waking hour playing Nintendo.

Before I get off my soapbox, excessive time on the TV and Nintendo also does a considerable amount of damage to social development (IMHO). The kids that camp out on them interact well with a TV but not their peers.

[hiddengem]

Hi JP,

His left knee is taking a beating. After release watch it hyperextend. At some point this will put him on the DL. He's also a candidate for a groin pull. Ohioteamz seems to like the 'W.' I wonder if he understands that this will eventually result in injury to the front of the shoulder?

Coach45


Did your son happen to get drafted? I was thinking this was his year.

[Coach45]

Did your son happen to get drafted? I was thinking this was his year.

No. We're waiting to see how things go this summer. Depending on what we see there are three private tryouts tentatively set for August. Do you recall what I said about AA- or AAA-ball?

[hiddengem]

Do you recall what I said about AA- or AAA-ball?

No. What was it?