Texas Rangers Trade Interests Pitching Mechanics Breakdown

The Rangers are seeking the Tigers’ Rick Porcello, a 6’5” RHP, that's currently in Detroit's starting rotation. He has 4 pitches in his repertoire…a hard sinker that averages in the low to mid 90s (and can be effective with his 4 seam fastball as well…especially since he’s not afraid to pitch inside), a very decent slider, fair curve, and circle change up.  More importantly, he’s 24 and has better than average mechanics which have been improving yearly. He has long career potential (longevity) with all star caliber ability.

Leg Extension: 0 pts deducted

Hip Rotation: -1

Follow Through: -1

Misc: -3 balance

His mechanically sound delivery  project him to be an innings eater (200+) this year, with a 15% OIP (Overall Injury Probability).

Naturally, he is being sought by many other teams because of his future with ace potential, but will command a high salary in his free agent years.

The Rangers are also considering trading for Boston’s Andrew Bailey. Bailey would serve as the Rangers second set up man for closer Joe Nathan. Bailey’s mechanics are poorly…to be nice. He throws mostly with his arm which made it was difficult to give him any positive marks for his hip rotation, follow through, and balance. He has good leg extension until he falls backwards on his release (not a good thing unless you’ve bought into Dr. Mike Marshall’s pitching physics).  He has graded out to a 50% OIP, and quite frankly, with his mechanics, I’m surprised he hasn’t been injured in one of his spring training outings, yet. I hope the best for him, but he’s a big risk on any pitching staff as a reliever because of his mechanics... and even if he miraculously avoids injury, he will be limited to a small pitch count per outing, require more time for recovery after an outing, and a minimal number of innings that he'll available in a season.

It’s clear that Rick Porcello is the most sensible choice with high performance expectations as opposed to Andrew Bailey's 'a train wreck waiting to happen' remaining career projection. Nolan, please step in and offer your advice on this one.

On Deck Weight Equals Weakness In The Box

First, the good news is that the weighted bat in the on deck circle makes your bat feel lighter to provide more bat speed. The bad news is the effect only lasts 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, you actually become weaker than before you started swinging the weighted bat. See kinesthetic function and overloading on my blog.

For added strength, you’re better off by taking advantage of the neuro-muscular response provided by squeezing the handle at contact. It’s the body’s way of enabling a natural strength boost.

The not so good news is that overloading alters your hitting mechanics which plays havoc on muscle memory. Can you say, "Self-induced slump?" Conclusion: Nix the bat weight.

My comment on Eric Johson's PAP effect article on http://www.mlstrength.com/on-deck

"Nice information. Always liked the idea of kinesthetic overload for the PAP effect for shot and discus. Since I’m a hitting instructor, I’ve always stayed away from promoting it in the on deck circle after a college professor, Dr. Simpson, told us that the effect wears off after 20 seconds and the hitter actually becomes weaker than he was before…temporarily. My hitters are taught to recycle after each pitch and work the count so they’re in the box a while. Del Pittman"

Eric's Article...

Most rituals are born the same way as legends, from their great performances. Just think of your last accomplishment. You probably know your exact actions before getting that clutch hit, landing that overdue raise, or raising the bar for a new personal record. Those same actions, in some way, probably have become a part of what you do before attempting your next accomplishment. In the sport of baseball, superstitions and rituals are as big a part of the game as the seventh inning stretch, cracker jacks, and lucrative contracts. From never stepping on the foul lines to lucky hats and gloves, the most unique of them all may be a batter’s routine while on deck.

Next time you are at a ball game or watching from the convenience of your home, check out a batter’s routine when on deck. Beyond their mental preparation and focus, finding the pitcher’s release point, and getting their timing down, you will see many players go through their own individual routines. Within that circle, each player has own way of warming up, analyzing the current situation, and preparing the mind and body for the task at hand. From little to major league, many players love taking some practice swings using a weighted sleeve or baseball donut. This phenomenon where the bat feels lighter when stepping up to the plate from their warm up swings is called postactivation potentiation (PAP). Through heavy loading, the central nervous system is stimulated to a higher degree and translates to greater motor unit recruitment and force. In simplest terms, the muscles are primed and prepared to function at that level of intensity when a lower stimulus is presented.

So to break some of those same routines you have had in your training for the last year and still haven’t made any progress to show, take these same principles of the batter on deck and hit a home run with your next work. Here’s one way of taking a piece of America’s pastime into your next training session.

Try This: Add some volume while still increasing your intensity and building strength. With one of your core test lifts, whether it be the bench press, deadlift, front squat, perform two to three sets of the respective movement with a heavy weight and low reps (i.e., 3 sets of 2 to 3 reps). After the completion of those sets, perform two more sets with a slightly lower load for two sets of five or six reps.

Create a new ritual for yourself with your next breakout performance by incorporating postactivation potentiation into your training. “Remember kid, there’s heroes and there’s legends. Heroes get remembered but legends never die, follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.”

By Eric Johnson, CSCS


New Additional Information ...YouTube Sport Science Video

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_vR8U_KrhY&feature=player_embedded

Caveat: If you're using Jaime Cevallos' MP30 Training Bat during Tee hitting drills, I'd recommend using it in the on deck circle for muscle memory reinforcement.