Strasburg Back from Injury With the Same Mechanics

Stephen Strasburg will start for the Washington Nationals on Opening Day. It's great to see the young pitching phenom back from injury and Tommy John surgery. But will he be able to last an entire season? The Nats have said they will limit his innings to help protect his arm and try to make that happen. One might hope that his mechanics - which have been analyzed before in great detail because of his "inverted W" and the stress it can put on his arm - would have been adjusted some during his rehab period.

But check out this follow-up MLB Network Diamond Demo where Al Leiter shows us how Strasburg's mechanics are unchanged. As a youth coach, the phrase that jumps out at me is: "It's not easy - he's been throwing like that since he was 10 years old." And he's right - the older they get, the harder it is to change a player's mechanics. The muscle memory is more ingrained and less willing to adjust. That's why it's important to teach correct mechanics at a young age. Don't save the instruction for later. By the time that special player gets through high school, the damage may already be done and it will be harder to fix.

Selected Reading Material 3-12-12

Young Arms and Curveballs: A Scientific Twist by Bill Pennington, NY Times - Not exactly new information, but a timely look at the latest in the debate.

Challenge Sports Really Test Parents by Tracy Curtis, Charlotte Observer - A local take on what that additional team means for the parents.

More Youth Play Isn't a Winner for Everybody by Dr. Richard Hinton, Baltimore Sun - Using lacrosse as an example, explores the effects of specialization.

Top 10 Youth Coaching Pearls of Wisdom

Humans like to pass down "wisdom" to the next generation, whether it's wise or not. Just for fun, here are some of the great youth coaching catchphrases to be on the lookout for this season. We are all guilty at one time or another.


1. Just throw strikes... If only it were that easy.

2. Get that elbow up... And then tuck it in correctly in the blink of an eye.

3. Throw over the top... A good recipe for shoulder pain.

4. Reach back and fire... If you are a stiff-armed catapult.

5. A walk's as good as a hit... Not usually.

6. Great swing... Perhaps, but if it was that good, you probably would've hit the ball.

7. Have a level swing... Level to what?

8. Feet shoulder width apart... A good recipe for a choppy swing.

9. Have fun!!!... Yes sir!

10. Watch for the changeup!... And good luck being ready for this here fastball.


Leave a comment if you have any more gems.

A Dose of Perspective for Us Dads

I recently came across the following post on a message board. This is a good reminder of what it's all about as we head into another new season........

"After visiting this site for awhile, I saw this thread and just had to add my special memory. My son liked to play baseball but was never great at it. He wasn't talented enough to play high school ball but he played summer ball whether it was Little League or Babe Ruth, He never made any all star teams or such. He was just good enough to start. Most of all, he liked to play Babe Ruth ball with his friends. The boys just had a good time even though success was hard to find. During a Senior Babe Ruth game one night, my son was playing first and a fly ball was hit behind first into short right field. He turned and hustled to make an over the head catch that Willie Mays would have been proud of. I just stood there not believing what I just saw. I was in awe. Before I could make my way out of the dugout (I was on scorebook duty) to congratulate him, he had already returned the ball to the pitcher and was in stance for the next defensive play. With the next pitch, a ball was hit to second and he dropped a perfect throw at first. I told him when he came in how pretty the fly ball catch was and then asked him what happened on the throw from second. I can remember how fast his smile changed into a lowered head. To this day, I regret not making a bigger deal out of the great catch. And now I can't. My son was killed almost two years ago, months after making that catch. I responded to this thread so I could tell the dads out there to make sure you appreciate the memories you have and ones to come. Make sure your son has a smile on his face after the game. More importantly, make sure you do to. Always be positive and somehow forget the "bad". Believe me, winning or losing a baseball game just isn't that important anymore. I would give anything to see that smile again."

Prepare for Youth Tryouts

Little League tryouts are this weekend for several youth organizations in our area. We call them "skills evaluations" because there are no cuts - everyone is placed on a team. It just might not be a Major League team.

For someone like me that has gone through the tryout and draft process as a coach for many years, this article by Chris Sullivan of Seattle's KIRO FM is a fun read. His account of the Mill Creek Little League tryouts is pretty similar to the way things are in our league.

I love tryouts. Baseball is back, and as the saying goes, hope springs eternal. But it can be a nervous time for the kids. So here are some thoughts on how to approach tryouts:

• Shake off the rust before tryout day. If you want to do your best and show what kind of player you really are, don't let tryouts be your first day playing baseball since last season. Practice hitting and fielding especially. Work out the kinks ahead of time.
• Dress the part. Show the coaches, many of whom don't know you, that you are a ballplayer. Wear a hat, baseball pants and baseball cleats if possible.
• Arrive early and warm up - the legs, the arm, maybe even take a few swings in the cage. You don't want to be tight when you're trying to show how athletic you are or how strong your arm is, etc.
• Be prepared to see coaches with clipboards in hand, sitting all over the field, watching your every move. They are scoring tryouts so they can choose players. Try to ignore them and focus on your game.
• Coach yourself. As you wait for your turn to perform an activity, remind yourself of what you've been taught about that activity - head down, two hands, bend the knees, close your shoulder - whatever the case may be.
• Relax. Tension prevents you from being quick, flexible and mechanically sound. Remind yourself to breathe. Shake out the tension. Remember that it's just a game. Dress warmly so you're not shivering with tension.
• Have fun, but don't goof off. Waiting in line for your turn can be boring, but coaches notice the kids flipping hats and not paying attention. Don't be a hat-flipper. Be a ballplayer.

Selected Reading Material 2-22-12

Dr. James Andrews Talks Tommy John by Matthew Muench, ESPN  -  Important read for any baseball coach or parent of a pitcher.

What Makes a Nightmare Sports Parent - And What Makes a Great One by Steve Henson, Yahoo! Sports  -  Not just the obvious stuff.

MLB Network Remembers Gary Carter  -  I want my kids to play the game like this guy did.

The Jeremy Lin Message

Jeremy Lin is the hero of bench warmers everywhere. And rightly so. He got his shot and has made the most of it.

But as Bob Cook points out at his Forbes blog, Your Kid's Not Going Pro, there's more to it than just a coach finally giving him more PT. A lot of natural talent, passion for the game and especially, hard work went into this amazing story.

I hope that part of the message isn't lost on aspiring athletes. Lin didn't really come out of "nowhere" - he persevered past the stereotypes and worked on his game so that he could make the most of his talent and succeed at what he loves doing. He made it happen. The hard work paid off. This is a good read. Check it out.

Hanson Adjusts Mechanics to Protect His Shoulder

Braves' pitcher Tommy Hanson informed the media that he has worked in the offseason to change his pitching delivery in order to take some stress off his shoulder and quicken his motion to the plate. He ended 2011 on the DL, a season in which the Braves collapsed down the stretch and failed to reach the postseason.

Hanson says he is now separating his hands later. This gives his throwing arm less time to come full circle and deliver the pitch, which means it can't get into the awkward cocked position that he demonstrated before. Hanson acknowledged that with his old mechanics he felt like he was throwing entirely with his arm. I'll say - his old delivery was a little painful to watch, so one can understand the stress that his shoulder (and likely elbow) was under. With the new timing of his later hand separation and therefore quicker delivery, his arm won't be ready to throw quite so soon. He'll end up using the energy generated by his hips to pull that arm forward and thus take stress off the arm itself. 

Here is a great video analysis of Hanson's mechanics by Dick Mills from several months ago. Mills contrasts Hanson's old delivery with that of Daniel Bard of the Red Sox, and recommends to Hanson that he make an adjustment. I remember seeing Bard pitch in high school for Charlotte Christian - I was struck by how effortlessly the ball seemed to jump out of his hand. That's what whole body mechanics and perfect timing can do for a pitcher.

Pain or injury from improper mechanics may not be felt at at the youth level. But the damage can be done there. Get it fixed before that happens.

Little League Round Tables Discuss Potential Changes

The 2012 Little League Regional Round Tables are in Charlotte today. Little League is visiting each of the five US regions to educate and get input from District Administrators (DA's) and Assistant DA's regarding proposed regulation changes for the future. Here are some of the more talked about proposals being discussed from the agenda:

 

Item 1 - Synopsis: "This regulation would allow leagues to register players who live in another chartered Little League’s boundaries, with written consent from both league presidents and the District Administrator."  This seems to make sense - allow families living in close proximity to another league's fields or with close ties that league to seek approval to make the switch, regardless of boundaries - as long as the system isn't abused, with parents seeking out "better" leagues and league presidents making deals on a regular basis. I guess it depends on how strong of a leader the DA is.

 

Item 2 - Synopsis: "This would create a new baseball division with a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot base paths for 11-13 year olds."  As I have said before, I am all for 50/70 - anything to back up the mound from 46 ft. But I think it should be a 10-12 or 11-12-year-old division. Too many 13-year-olds have

Jeter Trains for Spring Training

Position players don't report to Yankees spring training in Tampa, FL for another two weeks, but as usual, Derek Jeter has been there since mid-January. Jeter could choose to enjoy another few leisurely weeks of his offseason, but he doesn't rest on his natural ability. He trains to get better - stronger, faster and more mechanically sound - fighting off age (38) in the twilight of his career. As he does every year, he trains for spring training.

Jeter is a role model to players of all ages because of how acts on and off the field, both in season and out. His work ethic is what has made him great. If you are a player that truly wants to be great, look to him as an example. And ask yourself - what have you done recently to improve? Baseball season is almost here. No matter what level you play at, there is always someone better than you, and always someone trying to catch up to you. The players with a strong work ethic are the ones that don't get passed by.