The physical aspect of pitching skill
Abilities such as strength, physical size, muscle composition, connective
tissue, range of motion, flexibility, nervous systems, etc. are all physical
attributes that play an important rule in the ability to develop pitching
skill. Professional baseball understands this, as evidenced by the amateur
player draft (with emphasis on physical size of the pitchers). But again, left
handers receive a special physical dispensation. Major league clubs are more
willing to take a chance on an undersized left hander than they are on an
undersized right hander.
Often, that's a mistake, as evidenced by pitchers such as Tim Lincecum and
Johnny Cueto.
Hall of Famer Steve Carlton and future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson have
physical attributes.
Mechanical aspect of pitching skill
Simply stated, this is the ability to efficiently and effectively throw the
baseball. Efficiency means throwing with the least amount of effort while
developing speed, location and movement of the ball. Attributes such as a quick
arm and arm speed are highly sought after. Also there is a somewhat mystical
quantity that has to do with effort. Scouts want to see pitchers who can throw
95 mph with minimal effort, as opposed to what they think is maximum effort.
What they're really talking about is being able to throw with no wasted,
unproductive movements. There is no such thing as maximum effort.
Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax may have had the best pure “stuff” of any
lefthander.
Mental aspect of pitching skill
All voluntary movement is the result of doing what is necessary to achieve a
goal. The intent to throw is the most critical aspect of the throwing process.
From a pitching perspective, this means that the intent to get the batter out
is the most important part of the pitching process.
Intent affects all aspects of getting the batter out—type of pitch, location
of pitch, speed of pitch, movement of pitch, etc.; all are determined by the
intent of the pitcher. The mental aspect of pitching is what allows pitchers,
whether right handed or left handed, to be successful without having the best
throwing mechanics or physical attributes.
Hall of Famers Warren Spahn and Whitey Ford knew how to get batters out.
A few words about intent and maximum effort pitchers: Quite often I hear the
term "max effort pitcher" used as a negative regarding a player's pitching
(throwing) mechanics. How do you throw a baseball 100 mph without maximum
effort? Here is a clip of Nolan Ryan. By the expression on his face and looking
at the muscles in his neck, I would say that Ryan, while he may not be putting
his maximum effort into the pitch, is coming pretty close.
When people call a player's mechanics “max effort,” I believe they are saying
he doesn't use his body to throw efficiently. That's because unless the player
is putting close to 100 percent of his effort (intent) into throwing the ball,
he is not going to succeed at the major league level.
A few more words regarding individual differences: No two people will respond
identically to the same situation or same stimulus. This difference is embodied
in the principle of individual differences, which applies to just about every
aspect of human behavior, ranging from how the body responds to training to how
effectively and efficiently the body acquires movement skills.
Optimal flexibility varies considerably. These two teammates underwent similar
training programs through high school and college. Variants of flexibility may
lead to variance of techniques, selection or profiling of sport. The athlete
being stretched in the first picture was a national champion in the freestyle
stroke; the athlete being stretched in the second picture was a national
champion in the butterfly stroke. Performances is the product of flexibility,
strength and neuromuscular integration.
This principle of individual differences as applied to throwing a baseball is a
two-edged sword. On the one hand, it helps explain how players succeed at
hitting and pitching by being different. On the other hand, not fully
understanding or appreciating the principle leads to misinformation regarding
how the body optimally swings and throws. Two words that I find frequently used
in player selection and development as “fudge factors”—words used to explain
the unexplainable”—are “talent” and “style.”
In throwing a baseball, the biggest abuse of individual differences is
attempting to predict injury based on how the player appears to be throwing the
baseball. Factors such as strength, flexibility, neuromuscular integration all
combined to create a unique capability in every individual. Attempting to judge
a player's mechanics as being either good or bad based upon a single,
stereotyped set of mechanics is a potential exercise in futility.
Some left handers who throw like left handers
These are players who don't look to be using max effort and are also not
throwing very efficiently. One of the first left handers who caught my
attention was Denny Neagle, because at the time I was trying hard to understand
the role of arm action. Neagle was listed at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, with a
fastball 86-88 mph. Neagle's arm action is “soft,” as is his entire delivery.
Left handers have a tendency to sling the ball. Yet Neagle still got batters
out and was rewarded with lucrative contracts.
Early on I used Neagle as an example of how not to throw the baseball.
Another left hander whose delivery I consider one of the worst I’ve viewed is
a player I thought several years ago would be out of baseball but seems to be
doing quite well. Mark Redman has atrocious arm action, but is another
testimonial to the rule that if you are left handed and you can pitch
(location, changing speeds and movement), you will be handsomely rewarded.
One left-handed pitcher who personifies the combination of adequate throwing
mechanics and very good pitching mechanics (how to get batters out) is Andy
Pettitte.
His success is in no small part due to his consistent ability to throw a
90-plus mph fastball along with his pitching smarts.
“Old Men Rivers” are players who have found the right combination of intent
to throw and reasonably decent throwing mechanics for their physical abilities.
This combination leads to longevity. One of the great potential advantages of a
left-handed pitcher is the ability to minimize wear and tear on their body if
they can find and maintain the minimum velocity necessary to get batters out.
These four pitchers have managed to do this.
Old men (by MLB standards) throwing a baseball. From top left clockwise, Jamie
Moyer, Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson and Kenny Rogers.
体能方面的投球能力：
力量、体格大小、肌肉、反应、移动能力、柔软度...etc。职业球团很了解这一点，从选
秀会上就可以看的出来。但同样的，左投有特权。小只的左投比小只的右投更容易获的职
业球队的青睐。
当然，总是有像Tim Lincecum和Johnny Cueto这种例外。
体能优势的代表：名人堂投手Steve Carlton和未来的名人堂投手Randy Johnson。
投球机制方面的能力：
简单的说，就是有效丢球的能力。"效率"表示用最小的出力来达到最佳的球速、控球和尾
劲。很快的挥臂速度是大家渴望找寻到的。这里有些难以捉摸的是"出力"的定义。球探们
喜欢那些能"轻松"投出95mph的而不是那些"用力"投出95mph的。他们真正的意思是投球时
不要有其他不必要的动作。并没有所谓"用尽全力"的问题。
名人堂投手Sandy Koufax可能是史上stuff最好的左投。
心理方面的能力：
丢球的目的是在丢球过程中最重要的一点。从投球的角度来说，这句话的意思是解决打者
是投球最重要的目的。
解决打者有很多技巧:球种、球速、位置、尾劲..等;投手的意图决定这些技巧的运用。这
让投手可以在丢球机制不够出色(stuff不足)的情况下依然成功。
名人堂投手Warren Spahn和Whitey Ford 懂得怎么解决打者。
这里提一下关于"用尽全力"的投手:我常常听到"用尽全力"这个词被当作负面的用法。请问
你要怎么不"用尽全力"来投出100mph的火球？来看看Nolan Ryan投球时的样子。看来他就
算不是"用尽全力"投球也差不多很接近了。
当人们说"用尽全力"时我认为他的意思是投球不够有效率。投球没有"用尽全力"的投手是
很难在大联盟生存的。
再碎碎唸一下:没有两个人会对同一种情况做出相同的反应。这个差异表现所谓的个体差异
上，像是身体对训练的反应和效果。
柔软度的差异就相当的大。这两位队友在高中和大学经历了相似的训练。柔软度的差异导
致技巧或运动种类的不同。第一张图的运动员是自由式游泳的国家冠军，第二张图的则是
蝶式国家冠军。表现是柔软度、力量、协调性三者的产物。
个体的差异在丢球上是把两面刃。一方面，这解释了球员们是怎样在不同的条件下成功。
另一方面，不了解个体的差异导致对有效率运用身体力量的不了解。我发现在球员选择和
培养中常被用来形容"无法解释"的两个字—天份和风格。
在投球中，对"差异性"最大的滥用是基于投球的外观去预测球员受伤的可能性。柔软度、
力量、协调性等各种因素造就一个独一无二的球员。只从单一方面的某个投球特征就去评
断球员投球机制的好坏是徒劳无用的。
投起来像左投的左投：
那些看来没有"用尽全力"的投球动作代表着没有"有效率的投球"。第一个被我注意到的左
投是Denny Neagle，因为刚好那时我正努力了解挥臂动作的在投球中扮演的角色。Neagle
是个6-2,215磅的左投，球速在86-88mph间。他的整体动作和和挥臂都很"软"。左投们都有
种"抛球"的倾向。但Neagle依然能解决打者并赚进了大把的钞票。
先前我拿Neagle来当有效投球的错误示范。
另一个有着超烂投球动作的则是Mark Redman。他的挥臂动作虽然很烂，但他也证明了只要
你会从左边丢球就不怕失业。
一个有着不错的丢球机制和很棒的投球机制(懂得怎么解决打者)的左投是Andy Pettitte。
在他的成功中，90-plus mph速球和投球智慧扮演着同样重要的角色。
“Old Men Rivers” 是指那些找到了怎样把投球目的和不错的丢球机制结合在一起的人。
这让他们生涯长久。对左投手来说最大的好处是他们可以轻松丢球。看看这四位左投的示
范:顺时针方向:Jamie Moyer, Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers
(待续...)