The Bio Mechanics of Pitching

by etowncoug on Dec 13, 2007 1:49 PM PST Comment 53 comments

Graham wrote an interesting article about the biomechanics of pitching as it relates to injuries.

http://hardballreview.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/pitchers-and-injuries-the-biomechanics-of-baseball/#r espond

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Good to see I could inspire his work

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/comments/2007/12/8/124630/748/23#23

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Dec 13, 2007 2:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it really was your fault

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 2:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Although in this case,

'work' = 'avoiding writing my project Technical Milestone Report'

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 2:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If you can see small tears in the tendons with an MRI, why don't pitchers go in and get one every month of the offseason to check and make sure that nothing is going wrong? That way if something does show up you can take them down before anything gets bad.

Also, is there any way to strengthen the tendons? Is it really possible to make your tendons much stronger by doing stressless excersices?

by Edgar for Pres on Dec 13, 2007 2:09 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

An MRI won't pick up tiny tears

It'll only get the bigger ones, so you're basically just assuming the small ones won't kill you for a little while. And by the time getting MRI scale tearing, your arm should be killing you, so there's not much point getting an MRI when you feel fine.

In terms of strengthening the ligaments - nope, not really. You can given them time to recover between loading cycles and work on strengthening supporting muscles but that's about it.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 2:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe that there is research

that indicates that tendons and ligaments can get stronger and can also atrophy. The problem is that they tend to get stronger at a much slower rate than muscles.

There's is also a lot of anecdotal "evidence" among strength athletes, ie weightlifters, powerlifters, bodybuilders, strongmen, throwers etc, that tendons and ligaments can be strengthened.

visiting A's fan.

by rfloh on Dec 13, 2007 2:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If there is, I haven't seen it

And I'd suspect that the 'evidence' of the bodybuilders is reflective of the strengthening of the support cradle rather than anything else.

But I'm getting out of my depth - I'm a failure/implant guy, so I don't do much in the way in strength increase.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 2:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What do you think of

the stuff by Tipton el al, Kovanen et al, Woo et al? I'm too lazy to look up more right now.

The "evidence" is actually more from the weightlifters, powerlifters etc.

visiting A's fan.

by rfloh on Dec 13, 2007 2:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm seeing a lot of stuff about atrophy

And surgical recovery, and I suppose one might extrapolate that to strengthening ligaments past their normal healthy limits. I'm a bit too sleepy to persue this further right now though.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 2:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The only true way to strengthen tendons

Playing lots of Rock Band.

by Garces on Dec 13, 2007 3:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Rock Band / Guitar Hero

I don't understand the attraction of either of those games. Am I missing something? I don't think I'm missing something (stolen from Jeff).

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Definitely

by Garces on Dec 13, 2007 3:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get it either

And I don't particularly feel like I'm missing something, either.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Dec 13, 2007 3:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you.

I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, but I know tons of adults who love those games. I already had my Fisher Price instruments when I was little, I don't need to do it again as an adult.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

They're all wrong handed instruments anyway

I'll just fiddle with my bass if I want to play music.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 3:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've never actually used them,

are they bass-ackwards, or are you a lefty?

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a lefty

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 3:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry to hear that.

Just kidding. I always give lefties a bunch of shit because my older brother is a lefty.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I knew there was a reason I liked you

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Dec 13, 2007 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Do you have a lefty bass?

a la Paul McCartney?

I've assimilated, myself. Although, damn, I bet I could play the drums a whole lot better if they made a kit that swapped the bass drum and the high hat.

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Dec 13, 2007 3:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I do

It's a really bad one, though... probably going to see if I can get a fretless one built for me once I start the whole career thing off.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 3:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Amazed you found one...

I actually forced myself to learn to play like a righty, when I bought my first bass.

Damn, now that you mention it, I should've had the carbon fiber/fibre bass that a friend of mine commissioned someone else to work on for me built as a lefty bass. Which reminds me, I need to check on the status of that bass. Last I spoke to the guy who was building it, it was 80% ready, but he had some financial probs and I think my friend agreed to let him sell it or something. I got to play it, once, and it would've been interesting to jam on that thing. We were building it as a fretless, IIRC...

I friggin' love my de-fretted $150 Washburn bass, though. It's long scale, too, which make it sorta unique. I LOVE playing fretless bass.

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Dec 13, 2007 3:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't find it

My parents did somewhere for my 14th? 15th? birthday. I am eternally grateful

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 3:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was just looking at basses

at the Trading Musician up on Roosevelt... they have like 20 left-handed basses there... including some fretless custom ones. Tell your parents to get you one for Christmas... or whatever they celebrate over there in Limeyland.
;)

My bass is broken... (the reason I was there looking) so tell them to buy me a new one too.

by johnbai on Dec 14, 2007 1:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And while Graham's parents

are buying basses for all of us, I want this one (if you can find it):

(Taylor AB-1 acoustic/electric bass)...

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Dec 14, 2007 1:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

ditto on the assimilation

'cept guitar not bass

by Matthew on Dec 13, 2007 3:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My little brother

Plays a righty guitar left handed, despite being right handed.

by Graham on Dec 13, 2007 3:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My first attempt to play guitar

I started out that way until someone finally asked me if I was a lefty. Never did actually learn how to play. I need to add that to my "to do" list.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I always figured it was actually easier

doing it cross-handed. That way the hand with more dexterity was making the chords, which I've always found harder than picking strings.

by Matthew on Dec 13, 2007 3:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That was my thought as well,

but people who can actually play look at me like I'm crazy when I bring that up.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No kidding...

'ell of a lot harder finding books, too, that show lefty finger positioning for chords. Graham can get away with it on bass, but it's a bit tougher on the 6-string...

"I restore a sense of childlike wonder to people's lives; you give them Zunes and Vista." -- Fake Steve Jobs to Borg employees

by PositivePaul on Dec 13, 2007 3:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I read from sheet anyway

Relic of my cello days, which I kinda miss now

by Graham on Dec 14, 2007 4:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You can flip the guitar around

and play it lefty, it's set up to do that if you change a setting on the game.

by patsfan on Dec 13, 2007 3:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Me too.

Jose Vidro (DH - Ms) was arrested today in an Idaho Bathroom for having a wide stance and sucking.

by CapSea on Dec 13, 2007 3:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You could be like Jimi

by Matthew on Dec 13, 2007 3:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If I played a real guitar.

And did massive amounts of drugs.

And was black.

And was talented.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And was dead.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Dec 13, 2007 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This is true.

That's what they should do to make those games realistic. You not only have to play guitar, but avoid overdoses, STD's from groupies, and blowing all your money on gold plated stripper poles.

I overvalue prospects

by Thingray on Dec 13, 2007 3:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's a game I would play.

I'd love a Rock Star: Motley Crue 80's Years video game. Bonus points for killing your best friend while driving drunk and walking away unhurt! Extra power for OD'ing to the point of being legally dead before being brought back to life! Now THAT'S a game...

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Dec 13, 2007 3:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs