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Hat tip to my wife, who sent me this story (with the personal message girls rule; boys drool, BTW). Seems like it will just be a matter of time before one of these young ladies makes an impact at the collegiate level as well. I know there was an effort made at Colorado a few years back that turned into a bit of a debacle.
Given the recent reports of the Jets recent juvenile behavior when placed in the vicinity of a female reporter, we may have a way to go before we work out an environment where a female athlete can perform at those levels.
And BTW, this goes back to all those defenders of Jets coach Rex Ryan when he was called to task by Tony Dungy for cursing too much in his Hard Knocks cameos. No BFD to the Rex-apologists, right?
- a lack of professionalism and maturity in one area leaks very easily into other areas
- actions speak louder than words (an area most of the Ryan clan needs work in)
- Jets will always be second-class citizens in GIANTS Stadium and NY in general
- the "Meadowlands" are not much more than a combo racetrack, ex-union leader burial ground and garbage dump without the Giants presence for the last 30 years.
Maybe the theme for this weeks Jets practices should be to mature to somewhat above the level of a wet-dreaming adolescent. Grow up a little and figure out how to get in the end zone. If you can't do that, at least have a little class. Maybe I ask for too much.
Female stand-in helps Michigan football team earn a win
By Cameron Smith
In Romeo (Mich.) High School's second football game of the season, the Bulldogs upset Dakota (Mich.), 17-10, for their first win of the season. One player accounted for five of the seven points that served as buffer between the teams, and it was her first week on a football field.
Giants pull into a virtual tie with the Padres, with the red-hot Rockies breathing down both teams necks as we move into the final stages if the season.
A productive four game series with the Padres this weekend sets the Giants up nicely for the final eighteen games. The Giants managed to bookend 7-3 and 6-1 drubbings around a trade-off of 1-0 shutouts with that seemed to demonstrate that the Giants are on the rise while the Padres magic appears to be running out of gas.
The next three series, home stands vs. the Dodgers and Brewers precede a three-game set at Wrigley Filed versus the Cubs and a huge three game set at Colorado. If the Giants can take six of the nine against the Dodgers, Cubs and Brewers -- who are playing out the string -- they should be in good shape for the Rockies series. The season ends with two, three-game series at home versus the D-Backs and the Padres.
The Rockies are on one of their patented annual late season runs and bear watching. All the while the Giants and Padres have been watching each other, the Rockies have spent creeping back in by simply refusing to lose. The three game set looms large for both teams.
But the Giants are looking good right now. A tough loss over the weekend with the injury to Andres Torres may throw Aaron Rowand back into the mix and give Cody Ross some more looks as well.
Dedicated to the men, women and children
who lost their lives; those brave people who gave their lives
And the Heroes that responded to the emergency
11 September 2001
THIS is what our nation is responding to.
Please remember that in the difficult times ahead.
Photos courtesy of: AP, CNN, NY Newsday, NY Daily News,
John O'Sullivan, Colin Walsh, USCG, Families of Victims, Family, Friends & Personal
SEPTEMBER 11TH JOIN US AT GROUND ZERO FOR RALLY OF REMEMBRANCE
YES TO FREEDOM, NO TO GROUND ZERO MOSQUE
The weather will be exactly like 9 years ago.
Rally of Remembrance: No to Ground Zero Mosque
September 11, 3pm Park Pace and West Broadway, Ground Zero
Dedicated to the men, women and children who lost their lives; those brave people who gave their lives. And the Heroes who responded to the emergency
11 September 2001
This morning, as we begin to observe the terrible day of September 11, 2001, let us not fall into mere rote actions and unthinking memorial. We cannot forget that this is not some long past, historical situation that we can comfortably relegate to remembrance on a single day of the year, the rest of our days to go on as if it is but a distant memory. We must keep at the forefront of our minds that we are still in extent danger of another 9/11 at any time and it is only because of the hard and dangerous work that our men and women in uniform are doing every single day that keeps the next towering inferno from our TV screens. The inhuman enemy that caused those Towers to fall, those planes to tumble from the sky, are still out there planning anew. 9/11 is fresh still. Let us remember with a keen pang of loss and rage lest we complacently imagine we are back to a 9/10 world when we are not.
in an article by Miami coach Charlie Greene, apparently Little League has finally seen the wisdom of transitioning kids more gently from the 12 year old major league division to the 13 year old division.
Instead of throwing kids from a 46-foot pitchers distance and 60 foot baselines directly to the ADULT, MAJOR LEAGUE distances of 60-foot pitchers distance and 90 foot baselines, Little League will now allow a more age-appropriate field dimensions of 50-foot mound and 70 foot bases.
This will clearly benefit the "late-bloomers" among the 13-year olds and help L.L. to retain more kids in the program. Little League has long experienced upwards of 50% "drop-out" rate when kids were forced to go from the small field to the larger field.
The more "accelerated physical maturer" or "early bloomers" would remain in the program, as the field dimensions were not as demanding on them.
I would give kudos to LL for this development except that the question arises as to why it took so long for them to see the wisdom of this move in the first place. The "drop out rate" problem has been with them for at least one and maybe two decades or more. L.L. in effect denied the problem existed and allowed kids to move to other programs that implemented more user-friendly dimensions.
This IMO led to some of the overuse problems with youth pitchers that we see today as kids migrated and experimented with play on multiple teams and programs. And pitch counts are the solution, right? Sorry, Dorothy, the solution was at your fingertips the whole time, all you had to do is say the word. Now take your dog Toto and get the heck on out of here, knuckelheads. Talk about closing the barn door after the horses have left...
from Baseball America:
Nice story about IL prospect Jake Odorizzi, RHP from Higland IL, who took what appears to be the road less traveled to the professional ranks nowadays.
The Milwaukee Brewers #32 selection in the 2008 draft, DID NOT take the elite, travel ball, showcase laden route that many of his peers and /or their parent felt was absolutely necessary for success.
What's the old saying? "If you're good, they'll find you."
Odorizzi also credited being a multi-sport (three) athlete for helping pave his road to the professional ranks.
"You learn certain things from certain sports. In basketball, you learn quick feet and agility. In football, you have to stay centered and keep your balance", Odorizzi said in the article.
A long-term, athletic development (LTAD) multi-sport approach will win out over an early specialization, one-sport focus any time. Focusing on the process over the results, the long-term over the short term and being ready to peak when it counts over chasing "visibility" when it doesn't really matter.
Odorizzi is now considered a high ceiling, sky's the limit prospect instead of a WYSIWYG prospect (What you see is what you get).
That's what having the right, long-term approach will do for you.
Obama expressed the following opinion about the flagging economy:
"What we did know was that it took nearly a decade - to dig the hole we are in."
Then the President gave himself eight years of economic leeway following the "dig the hole" comment with an "even longer to dig our way out."
After the sound system issues, garbled statements and flyover airplane interference ceased, the President continued blaming G.W. and then segued directly into pointing the finger at Senate Republicans. Never once did Obama acknowledge any personal culpability for being completely and hopelessly clueless.
Maybe someone should have raised their hand and reminded Obama that during the first six years of Bush's tenure the economy was booming. It was the last two years, after a national referendum on Iraq, that Democrats took over both houses and the economy began to falter. Adding Obama's liberal-socialistic policies to the already ailing economy turned a benign common cold into a case of full-blown pneumonia.
What a difference a week makes. The Padres, losers of seven straight, are suddenly looking very vulnerable. The Giants, with the squeaker win last night in a Lincecum-Jiminez duel with the Rockies, are now back in contention for both the divisional title and the wild-card.
Three back with 4+ weeks to play brings them back under the "make up one game per week" rule of thumb that many use to determine a teams playoff chances.
Giants close to within 1.5 games of the Phillies for the wild-card berth, with the Cardinals falling to 3.5 back of the Giants. Very surprising to see the Cards folding like this as well.
ESPN's MLB standings now includes POFF: %, the teams chance of making the playoffs. This used to be a feature exclusive to coolbaseballstandings.com.
The Giants lineup is starting to shape up as a plus down the stretch. Sandoval in the seventh hole and Posey in the six last night, not too shabby. Torres and Sanchez to set the table.
Darren Ford, a September call-up, helps secure the victory with a LLWS-staple, steal of third-take home on the catcher's overthrow.
And now those, like Giants announcer Mike Krukow, who worried that Buster Posey was the root cause of Tim Lincecum's late season swoon, can take a deep breath and relax a little bit. When a Jason Varitek taps the ground, he's showing leadership and firing up his pitcher. Apparently when Posey does it, he's tipping pitches.
Amazing how far experience and seniority bring to your credibility and acceptance as a big-leaguer and how you're viewed by some of these ex-ML'ers. But you know what 100% of 40 HOF'ers say?
The future Giants opportunities to show their stuff may be complicated by how long the Giants remain in contention (a good-news, bad-news angle) in addition to the glut of OF's the Giants now have. But here are the players I would most like to see at some point down the stretch.
GIANTS TOP MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECTS
1. Conor Gillaspie 6-1,200 3B Lefty bat, has not progressed as quickly as some may have liked, but still shows promise as a hitter.
2. Brandon Belt 6-5,185 1B Lefty bat, solid hitting prospect across the board. Plate discipline, contact, power #'s are all solid
3. Thomas Neal 6-1, 225 OF R-R Great pure hitter, seems to be cutting down on his K% each year, has battled wrist injuries. 2009 BA California League Best Hitting Prospect, Best OF Arm in organization
4. Roger Kieschnick 6-3, 215 OF Lefty bat, potential five-tool corner OF who could hit for power and steal some bases. Plays fearless defensively and shows a good arm. Above average speed. Power is a plus skill. Swing is a bit long but has good plate discipline and draws walks.
5. Francisco Peguero 6-0, 175 OF solid hitter, needs more plate discipline to advance, his speed is near off the charts
6. Brandon Crawford 6-2, 200 SS has shown promise as a hitter, needs more plate discipline, less K's to move into eilte prospect turf.
7. Nick Noonan 6-0, 180 2B another who may have slipped a bit from early reviews, still grades out well with the bat, patience and plate discipline are hurting him. Otherwise, a solid prospect.
8. Ehire Adrianza SS slick fielder, shows some pop with bat
There really are not any young pitchers ready to make significant contributions. Most of the prospects are either here, too old or too young. The top four listed are the players I would like to get a read on the most. We need to find out what Conor Gilaspie can do at the ML level. Brandon Belt is taking some reps in the OF to open up a spot for his bat. He is making almost Sandoval/Posey like strides through the system. He appears to be a serious hitter with great stats across the board. He has not hit a significant speed-bump at any one of his minor league stops. Thomas Neal and Roger Kieschnick may be the odd-men out in a crowded OF situation.
September call-ups are always complicated. Right now, Bochy's priority #1 is winning. He has to go to the whip and see if these guys can bring a playoff berth home. Secondarily, he needs to find out how guys like Huff, Burrell, Guillen and Ross fit for next year. My guess is Burrell, Huff and perhaps Ross are safe bets to stay if they'd like. After that, if you can get a good look at some of these more mature prospects, the need to make patchwork moves is diminished.
Also, in 2011 I would be very happy if we don't have another "I didn't know that Buster Posey could play at this level" moments.
If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there in no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. - Winston Churchill
Little League officials are pleased with how the expanded instant replay system worked at this year's World Series.
For the first time, managers were allowed one replay challenge per game, similar to how the NFL allows coaches replay challenges. Also, replays were expanded from just outfield fence or boundary calls to close calls on the base paths.
As of Sunday's consolation game, replay had been used 16 times during the 10-day tournament, with eight calls upheld and eight overturned, according to league vice president Lance Van Auken. The total delay for all 16 calls was about 52 seconds.
One of the concerns entering the tournament was how much replay would slow the game. League president Stephen Keener said the system would be evaluated after the series, though it would likely be kept in its current form next year.
ESPN provides the video that a replay team of a Little League umpires and officials reviews to determine whether a call should be upheld.
"At this point, I would assume we could continue to use it," Keener said. "We'll evaluate all aspects of it, and we'll try to make it even better."
This story piques my interest on so many levels.
- One of the concerns entering the tournament was how much replay would slow the game?
You mean slow it down any more than the countless pitching changes made because one of the pitchers hit one of the multiple choice, hodge-podge "pitch count" quotas?
The one and only concern is whether or not viewers would have enough time during the replay review to change the channel.
The play shown above and the story from ESPN shows a couple of the gaping holes in the argument of the jack-booted advocates of replay. The goal of "getting the call right" transfers neatly into the premise that there will no longer be any grievous errors that influence the outcome of games.
OK, look at the replay shown above and tell me that the call should not have been changed. And not in the way the broadcasters speculated. The Texas SS appears to have obstructed the runner coming back to the bag and very likely should have been awarded third base. But that is a "judgement call" which would normally fall outside the jurisdiction of the replay process.
Of course, it would have been hilarious if the Texas coach did challenge the ruling -- looking for a change of call from safe at 2B to an out -- and instead of making that change, upon review the umpires and reviewers instead awarded the kid 3B. In the interest of of getting the call right, of course. Process be damned, get it right, RIGHT?. I'm still not sure why the coach did not challenge that call in the end.
Secondarily, I understand small sample size and all but the story says 16 reviews vs. 8 calls overturned on calls that were subjected to review. These reviews are all made on what are inherently "coin-flip" calls. Call that are 50/50 in nature. FAIR or FOUL!!! SAFE or OUT!!! SWING OR NO SWING!!! And yet the umpires in these tough call situations did no better than a coin in deciding the proper call. You would hope that is not indicative of the overall skill level of the umpires and that this skill level doesn't translate into ball/strike calls. These are the calls which do more to influence the outcome of games than any of these precious replay calls we want to spend so much time cleaning up. So what's next?
By contrast, the following ESPN story indicates that MLB umpires are getting 80% of the close calls correct. Eight percent is pretty good if the theory is that 50% indicates virtually no better outcome than having the kids choose it, playground style and 100% being you're an Umpire-God, utter perfection.
Researchers used broadcast footage of all games from June 29 to July 11 -- 184 in total -- and reviewed every call, with the exception of balls and strikes.
The overwhelming majority of the calls (fair or foul, safe or out) were so obvious they did not require any sort of review.
What the Hall of Famers say
ESPN surveyed 40 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame about umpiring and instant replay:
Before this season, did you support expanding the use of instant replay to correct some calls made by umpires?
Yes: 21 (52.5%)
No: 19 (47.5%)
Did Jim Joyce's call in Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game increase your support of the use of instant replay?
Yes: 15 (37.5%)
No: 25 (62.5%)
Are you in favor of the use of instant replay to correct calls on the bases and the foul lines?
Yes: 17 (42.5%)
No: 23 (57.5%)
Are you in favor of the use of instant replay to correct calls on balls and strikes?
Yes: 1 (2.5%)
No: 39 (97.5%)
Should a player's status be a factor in ball and strike calls?
Yes: 0 (0%)
No: 40 (100%)
What level of human error is acceptable for an umpire?
Less than 1%: 5 respondents
Between 2% and 5%: 14 respondents
Between 6% and 10%: 6 respondents
Between 11% and 20%: 3 respondents
Declined to answer: 12 respondents
But the "Outside the Lines" analysis found that an average of 1.3 calls per game were close enough to require replay review to determine whether an umpire had made the right call. Of the close plays, 13.9 percent remained too close to call, with 65.7 percent confirmed as correct and 20.4 percent confirmed as incorrect.
"That's high," said U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher. "They shouldn't be allowed to miss [that many].
WOW!! 25 out of the 40 HOF'ers want a 90% or better success rate on calls that some of them are about happening about as fast as the human eye and the brain can process information. Remember, these guys are reviewing the toughest calls of each game, that occur in random split second fashion at times when their are multiple outcomes and possibilities that the umpire has to account for. Me thinks these guys doth protest too much. Can you say unrealistic expectations?
Plus 100% of them -- all of them -- say that a players status shouldn't determine the outcome of ball and strike calls. Was Greg Maddux in that group of 40 that were questioned? And are you seriously going to tell me that if Jim Bunning put one right on the black in the middle of August or September and some rookie spat on it and the umpire called BALL!! that Bunning or one of his ilk wouldn't look in and bark that he should get that call on the basis of seniority or reputation? Sorry, HOF dudes. You lost some credibility on that one.
I really shouldn't have to school a HOF'er like Jim Bunning on the "culture of the game" but given some of his more recent public utterances in his Senate position, maybe Jim needs some more schooling.
Calls that are subjective or judgement calls are not subject to review and can never be by their nature. You can't program the computer to reviews balks or interference and obstruction calls, folks. So the goal, while noble, is inherently unachievable.
Without question, for limited calls and for a limited amount of challenges, you want to have replay as an option. But I don't think people should be lulled into thinking it's going to be a panacea, because there's still going to be imperfections and unintended consequences from implementing any replay system.
Surprisingly, I think that Bud Selig's cautious approach is the correct one here. ESPN and the networks in general are beating the drums for their own interests on this issue. If they become an integral part of the playing of the game through the use of their infrastructure and equipment, they become not just a partner with MLB, but as indispensable a part of the game as we used to think umpires were.
Remember the old saying along the lines of "If you think the umpires are bad, try playing without them". It seems like some would like to try. Ironically, this type of mind-set of elimination of playground-style arguing and bickering is the motivation Carl Stoetz had to start what is now Little League baseball many years ago. How far we've come...how far we have to travel.
If you want to see where this could all lead, I recommend these articles for further reading.
It doesn't seem like things would be any clearer than they are now with the more techology-savvy among us in charge.
Personally, I prefer this type of approach to improving the problem. Improve the umpires. Volunteer or not, reputation or not, when you get to this level if you don't pass the test, you do not pass GO, do not proceed to Williamsport. Find another umpire.
FROM THE BBC:
Health Check: New test keeps umpires' eyes on the ball
Mr Ananth Viswanathan from Moorfields Eye Hospital has developed a new test, tailored to the fast-moving game of international tennis.
The test examines both near and far sight, and central and peripheral vision as umpires have to watch the players' feet, the ball, the line judges - whilst flicking back and forth to their notes.
And here is a different take, from the sport (tennis) most often pointed to as being years ahead of baseball in regard to using technology and replay to settle close call. Some of the conclusions are quite interesting.
FROM THE U.K. SUNDAY TIMES:
Hawk-Eye proves tennis umpires and linesmen have better eyesight than players
You cannot be serious! Oh yes we can, Mr McEnroe: the umpires and linesmen of the world of tennis have much better eyesight than the players, a fact for which they rarely get credit.
Famous for his disputes with officials over whether a ball was in or out of the court, the one-time enfant terrible of Wimbledon was more likely to be wrong than right, a scientific study has found. John McEnroe wouldn’t agree, of course.
Using evidence from the Association of Tennis Professionals, George Mather, of the University of Sussex, has concluded that while players and line judges can be prone to error when assessing where a ball has bounced, because of what he calls “inherent limitations of human perceptual vision”, the officials are significantly more accurate.
Dr Mather conducted his research after the introduction in 2006 of the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling system, which has revolutionized the sport. Today, many of the sport’s biggest courts are equipped with instant replay screens that supply quick-fire judgment on where the ball has landed — to within three millimeters.
The system is not universally popular. Roger Federer, for example, the world No 1 and 12-times grand slam tournament champion, openly despises it.
Whatever its faults or merits, Hawk-Eye was not available in the days when McEnroe railed against the umpires. He was young, ambitious, lippy and feisty; they were elderly, autocratic and probably blessed with less-than-perfect eyesight.
Whatever the reasons, they used to annoy the tennis shorts off him. But they, in turn, may have been wrong as often as McEnroe accused them of being. Dr Mather used information from 1,473 Hawk-Eye challenges made by 246 players or doubles pairings during 15 tournaments in 2006 and 2007. Of those, 39.3 per cent were successful, indicating that line judges can make mistakes too. “The judges perform more reliably than the players, but they do make a significant number of mistakes,” Dr Mather concludes. “That suggests players should certainly use their full quota of challenges, because some errors are inevitable and they have little to lose.”
More errors occur on the base and service lines, which run horizontally across the court, than on the side or centre lines. The reason, Dr Mather says, is that the judges on the base and service lines sit side-on to the court, and the ball flashes past them in a blur. “For the players, it is certainly worth thinking harder about challenging calls made on the cross-court lines. However, they should bear in mind that they are also more likely to get these wrong themselves.”
The research found that 94 per cent of challenges featured balls that bounced within 100mm of a line — less than twice the diameter of the ball itself. That, Dr Mather claims, suggests strongly that players challenge when they genuinely believe that a mistake has been made, rather than using it as a ploy to unsettle an opponent or to buy vital seconds to rest before a critical point. “It seems to be a case of players believing they are right on balls that are literally too close to call, and not gamesmanship.”
Tennis officials welcomed Dr Mather’s findings. Gerry Anderson, a University of Sussex graduate who has umpired seven singles finals at Wimbledon, said: “Everybody knows that we officials make mistakes, but Hawk-Eye has proved we make far fewer than players in general think we do.”
From next year the number of challenges a player is allowed will rise from two to three, with one additional one in the event of a tie-break.
Federer, however, remains unimpressed by Hawk-Eye. “Now the umpires can hide even more behind these calls. It makes it really hard for us. They tend to now just let us do the work, the tough stuff. They let us get embarrassed, basically,” he said recently.
So, players will still complain (as Federer does here) regardless of whether they use top of the line technology to aid officials.
There will still be gamesmanship and arguments and challenges with the best technology available, because it has a margin of error attached, albeit smaller. The nature of the arguments will just be different, they won't be eliminated.
On the professional level, the effort and the expense can be better justified than on the youth sports or Little League level. There, the focus should be very, very different.
This is an example of what what happens when we elevate the expectation of "getting the call right". It morphs into the "expectation of perfection" from umpires. I don't want to hear the argument that this type of thing happened before, isolated incident, yada, yada. You either make the situation better or you make it worse. The mixed messages being sent and perverse incentives don't help. You're either part of the problem or you're part of the solution.
This came about as the result of a perceived bad call and the sense of entitlement to a standard of perfection. How many umpires and officials are assaulted after games? The numbers are rising.
FROM CTV NEWS:
Little league players brawl after game in Saint John
"The situation is probably because the umpire ... changed the tournament for my team," he said. "We practiced all summer long to come here ... and now one guy changed the game."
And whether you realize it or not, once the ESPN induced "bright lights, big city" atmosphere ends -- with the incessant comparisons of 12-year olds to their adult, major league counterparts -- these players, coaches, managers and umpires go back to their local leagues and act like the prima donnas that your coverage cultivates. And the people that watch bring the same expectations and behaviors to the local sandlot.
For the "volunteer umpires" that you laud for their virtuous nature ("they're all volunteers") while simultaneously planting the subconscious seed that "you get what you pay for" that replay brings, you make a tough job of umpiring youth league sports virtually impossible and a thankless job significantly less than thankless (if that's even possible).
I wish I had a dollar for every time a youth league parent wanted to show me a camera phone replay. I usually decline, saying "By rule, I can't use it". I wonder though, if they got a good angle. Where do you think that new mind-set comes from, ESPN? It's not just the increased availability of better technology.
For that you should be ashamed of yourselves, but as you've shown in the past, you are more concerned with bringing more demographically desirable eyeballs to your corporate advertisers than you are for the betterment of a kid's game.
The reason may have more to do with "ligament limitation" than pitch counts or overuse. Some will also point the finger at questionable mechanics. Some combination of the two seems to be about right. The risk posed by the questionable mechanics will certainly increase as you approach the dreaded ligament limitation.
But while the world record in the 100 meters keeps falling – nine times since 1968, twice since Maurice Greene's 9.79 in 1999 – nobody has knocked Ryan out of the record book or Dalkowski out of memory.
Basketball players are taller, quicker and more athletic. High jumpers jump higher. Long jumpers jump longer. Swimmers swim faster. Even baseball hitters hit balls farther.
Pitchers, though ...
“About 100 mph seems to be the maximum,” says Glenn Fleisig, a biomechanical engineer who has worked with big-league teams at the American Sports Medicine Institute. “You won't have faster top speeds than before. But you can have more people near the top speed.”
The reason that's true, the reason that the 2056 Cy Young Award winners won't throw any faster than this year's winners has everything to do with physics and the limitations of the human body.
.....Faster speeds come from better energy transfer from legs to trunk, trunk to shoulder, shoulder to elbow, elbow to hand. In physics, it's called the kinetic chain. In sports, it's called coordination.
“You can always make people stronger,” Fleisig says. “But it's not going to translate into more ball velocity.”
Which is why Roy Oswalt is 6 feet, 185 pounds and throws upper 90s and the meathead at your gym is 6-4, 240 and probably couldn't break glass.
It also helps explain why more pitchers have upper-90s fastballs than ever before. Presumably, Bob Feller or Bob Gibson or Christy Mathewson or Steve Dalkowski never studied biomechanics. For whatever reason, they just naturally threw with outstanding mechanics, maximizing their already-freakish potential.
As technology and knowledge advance, more pitchers benefit from knowing the proper technique to throw closer to their bodies' capability.
Fleisig calculated that about 80 newtons of torque are put on the elbow when a top-level pitcher throws a fastball. He also studied cadaver elbows, testing their durability to force. The ligament in most elbows snaps around 80 newtons of torque.
And that's the problem with throwing much faster than 100. There comes a point where more torque stops making the ball go faster and starts making the elbow snap. That will be true as long as there is no accepted way to significantly strengthen that ligament.
Ligament limitation can also explain why athletes in other sports are doing things only dreamed of 20 years ago. Sprinters, for instance, aren't close to reaching what their tendons and ligaments can take. No single movement from a sprinter puts as much stress on any ligament, tendon or bone as a pitcher puts on his elbow.
THE ??-ABLE MECHANICS
From Project Prospect
Stephen Strasburg: Great or the Greatest?
by Lincoln Hamilton
November 22, 2008
There are a few videos of Strasburg on youtube. After breaking them down like the Zapruder film I've made a few assements. Here's what worries me:
He brings his elbow too far back during the scap load phase of his delivery.
While hard to tell from the video, given his arm angle upon release and his follow through he seems to have a supinated release.
His follow through is really bad. There's significant arm recoil and he finishes basically standing up.
Obviously he does some things well, I mean he throws 99 mph with great control. However, there are enough red flags that I believe he's a major injury risk. That does not mean he will absolutely get hurt, just that he's more likely to other people. Without taking him to ASMI (American Sports Medicine Institute) labs and getting specific joint load data, no one can say for sure.
Conclusion:
While I think it's likely Strasburg will eventually be scarred by a surgeon's blade, right now I would advise the Nats to still take him first next June. He's so good, historically good, that his level of talent is very rare. There isn't a Joe Mauer or Mark Teixeira in this draft to compete for the No. 1 spot. So I'd grab Strasburg, hand him a giant sack with a money sign on it -- after I lose a fiddle contest with Scott Boras -- let him dominate for a couple years then turn him into my Herschal Walker. Despite being "injury-prone", Mark Prior has managed 650+ innings, Kerry Wood over 1,200, A.J. Burnett 1,300+, and Ben Sheets over 1,400. Can you imagine the haul if Chicago would have traded Prior in 2004? Besides, maybe Strasburg really is a once-in-a-generation freak who can handle extra stress.
Talk about hubris, pot meet kettle? A congressman chastising someone about hubris? And lying to the public? Are you kidding me?
Rep. Tom Davis from Virginia regarding the Clemens indictment.
"We didn't wish this on Clemens, I guarantee you. But there are people who think they can bluff their way through, and it's hubris. ... These matters are taken very seriously. We impeached a president [Bill Clinton] for lying in a deposition. Nobody's above the law, including the president and All-Star pitchers."
My only question is -- and continues to be -- where is the punishment when those in Congress lie to the public? Somehow, "see you in November" doesn't seem good enough for some of the crimes these guys have pulled off, but that's for another rant.
As we've seen in the Bonds situation, it's a long way from an indictment to a conviction. Never mind Bonds. How about the Blago trial up here in Illinois? The prosecutor promised multiple convictions and a virtual life sentence behind bars for Blago leading up to the trial and ended up going 1 for 24 in court. That's a .042 batting average if you're scoring at home.
Brian McNamee admittedly was not a very credible witness, but his story was supported somewhat by Pettitte. We'll see if that support holds as strong in a trial phase.
I'm a little concerned when I hear comments like those from a Buster Olney where he said with, no qualms whatsoever, that "once Clemens was named in the Mitchell Report, there was no way for him to clear his name". Case closed. That's not justice. To say nothing of the appearance at least that Palmiero, Sosa and perhaps McGwire either lied or obstructed Congress and walked away virtually unscathed. Not good for confidence in the Justice system, if that was the intent. It gets to the selectivity of prosecution question which erodes confidence.
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TONY DUNGY CALLS REX RYAN OUT ON CUSSING:
And people go stark raving stupid. Especially Jets fan. If you really want to lose faith in your fellow man, read the comments section after some of these stories. I'm going to come down on Tony Dungy's side in most if not all comparisons with Rex Ryan. If Jet fan needs a second Super Bowl ring that bad, so be it. To compare what Coach Dungy is trying to do for Michael Vick versus his criticism of Ryan's behavior as justification for dismissal of Dungy's comments misses the point. It's the same point. Bad behavior. If you justify by matter of degree, I can make a justification for Vick by saying he didn't kill a human being, lay off him.
Rex Ryan is a tool trying to project an image of cool. To the extent that Roger Goodell has decided he wants to clean up the NFL's image and modify behavior of players on and off the field, it doesn't seem like a stretch for the leaders of said players to be held to some standards of behavior as well.
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OMG!! APPARENTLY SHE FOUND A TURKEY BASTER SUITABLE ENOUGH FOR HER HIGH STANDARDS!!
BILL SIMMONS PROVES ONCE AGAIN WHY HE'S THE BEST
In one of his more recent articles Bill Simmons bring it on.
Not so much the Nolan Ryan - Robin Ventura fight theory, but further down, the Jennifer Anniston riff. I mean first off, a Jennifer Anniston riff in the middle of sports story. BRILLIANT. Because who hasn't wondered the same?
Chewed-On Theory No. 3: "Why can't Jennifer Aniston find a man?"
Point by point, cannot disagree and Simmons starts off in lawyer like fashion making his case.
On the surface, this has nothing to do with sports. Just bear with me. Aniston became an A-list star thanks to "Friends." When the show folded in 2004, unlike everyone else on the cast, she managed to remain an A-List star despite making the following movies.
Point by point, cannot disagree. Then comes the classic blast -- that you can only hope by the grace of God you are not sipping coffee at the time you read it -- because it pounds the point home in a way that only Simmons can.
Aniston's life resonates with that demographic better than anyone. Now she's 41, still hunting for a man, her ovaries rumbling like Earl Campbell, but we're all a little confused because … I mean, how could Jennifer Aniston, of all people, not find a man? How could someone that attractive need a friend to set her up on dates? What the hell is going on here? Is she secretly super-annoying? Is she terrible in bed? Does she have bad breath or bad hygiene? Are her standards simply too high? Does she still pine for Pitt and any potential mate can sense it?
...her ovaries rumbling like Earl Campbell.....WOW!!! I hope dude is not single, looking to mingle after a blast like that, because those kind of comments get around.
-------- JENNIE FINCH RETIRES FROM SOFTBALL
JENNIE FINCH ABOUT TO THROW ONE PAST A-ROD
It did not get as much play as it probably should have, but Jennie Finch retired from softball. She likely did as much or more for the growth of the sport at the youth and HS levels in recent years as anybody, for a lot of reasons. When she carried the torch for womens softball, the torch was in good hands. She will be missed.
------ JAY MARIOTTI, A CAUTIONARY TALE
Now the subject of tabloid journalism sensationalism and he doesn't like it. After years of being on the firing end of the firing squad, he and his ilk, have a problem with the process.
A process they helped to nourish, build and profit from, comes tumbling down on them. What's the proper term? Poetic justice?
Mariotti was arrested on a felony charge at 4:30 AM -- a police source tells us it is a domestic violence charge.
He was held on $50,000 bail and released shortly after noon.
Mariotti is a regular on the ESPN show "Around the Horn" and a writer for the popular sports website Fanhouse.com.
I'm sure this goes past guys like Mariotti, but I'll try anyway.
Matthew 7:1-3
1Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,
and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye
and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
Like Yogi Berra once noted in comparing baseball to church, "Many attend, few understand".
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Also prominent in the news, two young athletes, both early in the process of writing the story of their athletic lives. LeBron James and Tim Tebow.
YES, INDEED. WE ARE ALL WITNESSES.
But ask yourself exactly what are we all witness to? And where exactly are our eyes fixed?
LeBron James came to Cleveland with all of the following labels.
Chosen One, King James, Savior of the Franchise.
He leaves looking as if he believes the Cleveland franchise/owner treated him with the same lack of respect as that goofy JetBlue flight attendant.
Passengers say flight attendant Steven Slater was rude, and prompted the infamous confrontation with passengers. The Associated Press WHAT A SURPRISE! HE LOOKS SO NORMAL!
A staggering fall from grace? Maybe not, when you come to the city billed as a Messiah and you leave delivering little more than that which was previously delivered by Craig Ehlo.
He and the Cavalier fans believed that he was chosen by destiny to perform a task that nobody else could perform. Throw in the hometown boy makes good angle and you have the all the ingredients for an epic movie.
The good fans of Cleveland are likely more mad at themselves for falling for the shlocky media (over)-hype that was the LeBron James experience than they are mad at LeBron James himself. So get over yourself LeBron, it's not always about you, dude.
They realize in hindsight that they were not only simply witnesses, but active participants in the (over)-hype, the false idolatry, the somewhat over-the-top hero worship and are slowly coming to their senses. I applaud their newly found wisdom.
By contrast we see how Tim Tebow handled his "exit" or last game with the Florida Gators. He chose the message from Hebrews 12:1-2 that includes the words "since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses" to pay homage to the fans who supported him during his time there.
HEBREWS 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
One of the prevailing themes from this passage is that we are all very much in debt to those who raised us, taught us, nurtured us and helped us get to our current station. The best way to repay that debt is to pass along the same kindness to others, to better the lot of those around us and help those less fortunate than ourselves. It is encouragement to remain steadfast in their mission with eyes focused on the ultimate prize and to persevere through patience, endurance and faith to victory. Tim Tebow gets it.
What LeBron doesn't get is that the greatest sin he committed against the fans of Cleveland -- and the franchise and his former teammates -- is that he did not return the faith that they so clearly placed in him, as the "Chosen One". He basked in all the glory bestowed upon him when times were good. But unfortunately, he chose to abandon ship once the going got a little tough and took his "talents" to Miami. In doing so, he proved himself unworthy of the titles bestowed upon him by the fans and the over indulgent media.
There is no doubt as to where the focus of a Tim Tebow lies. It is clear where his eyes are fixed and the story his life will tell. He has already proven that he is winner and a champion, on and off the field.
LeBron has his eyes fixed on what he deems his birthright, a championship. We are all "witnesses" to where a focus on that kind of self-entitled, self-interested, worldly pursuit has led him so far. I say good luck to you in your pursuit of a shiny ring, LeBron. It should be an interesting and cautionary story that your life will tell.
This is what Nike has "witnessed" so far about Mr. Tebow.
Talk about Tebow to people who work in the overlapping industries of sports and entertainment and business and a handful of words and phrases keep coming up. Authentic. Sincere. Moral. Winner. Champion. Leader. Presence. Humility. Clean-cut. All-American.
"It's safe to say he's got unprecedented numbers heading into a rookie season," E-Poll president Gerry Philpott said of Tebow's current Q rating. Q in this case doesn't stand for quarterback. This Q rating measures a celebrity's overall popularity and appeal.
According to the Davie-Brown Index, he outranks Michael Jordan, maybe the most famous athlete in history, in categories like trustworthiness, compassion and sincerity, and it's not even close.
"He's got a unique background among athletes," E-Poll's Randy Parker said. "He's perceived as having high standards and a different sort of ethical stance than many athletes."
1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.
2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects
1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.
2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects
1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.
