THE MYTH OF PERFECT MECHANICS Forget the Cookie-Cutter Approach
there is one ideal mechanical model, or, in other words, “cookie- cutting” or “cloning” your pitchers is one of the very worst things one could do to a young man. Yet we see this scene play out again and again, every day, all over the world. And it is almost ALWAYS done with love and the very best of intentions.
I have a question for everyone who talks about “mechanics” as if it were one monolithic, universal, and ideal model about which all the experts agree: EXACTLY whose mechanics are you talking about, anyway?
Bob Feller or Roger Clemens?
Sandy Koufax or Randy Johnson?
THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY A Very Unique Home Run Many pitchers are associated with a single pitch. Pedro’s change- up, Mariano’s cutter, and Randy’s slider are all iconic, but there is probably no pitcher with a more unique calling card than Rip Sewell. Sewell, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ‘30s and ‘40s, is credited with inventing the Eephus pitch, one of the oddest options a pitcher has ever used to confuse batters. Eephus is the Hebrew word for “nothing,” which tells you everything you need to know about the pitch. Sewell would set up a normal overhand delivery, but instead of letting it rip, he would gently arc a looping ball toward the plate. It was a change-of-pace tactic that actually worked. In fact, in his entire career, Sewell only gave up one home run on an Eephus pitch. That dinger came in the 1946 All-Star Game at Fenway Park. It was the eighth inning, Sewell was on the mound, and hometown hero Ted Williams came up to bat. The pitcher tipped his cap to the “Splendid Splinter,” alerting him this was going to be an Eephus- filled at-bat. After a few near misses, Williams blasted an Eephus into the seats, much to the delight of the Fenway faithful. My sincere advice: Stay away from anyone who wants to place your athlete inside of a specific mold. However well- intended, it almost always ends poorly. Today, you can find the exact information you need to help your athlete approach their God-given potential. In fact, it’s just a few clicks away. Don’t surrender responsibility to someone who doesn’t understand the innate uniqueness of your son simply because that instructor played some professional baseball or because a training facility is located very conveniently to your home and for your schedule. In my opinion, we owe our children better than that. We owe it to them to get them the very best information we possibly can. Every pitcher is unique, so why should their mechanics be any different?
Pedro Martínez or Juan Marichal?
Max Scherzer or Clayton Kershaw?
Guess what? All of these guys were pretty darn good over a long period of time. And guess what else? None of them had the same mechanics. The truth is that no two pitchers in the history of baseball have EVER thrown identically. Therefore, from our vantage point at the Texas Baseball Ranch, insisting that
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS July 5–7
July 19–21 Aug. 9–11 Aug. 31–Sept. 2
EXTENDED STAY SUMMER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM July 1: Summer Session II Begins Aug. 5: Special Summer Session III Begins
For more information, go to TexasBaseballRanch.com/events.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! EQUIPMENT PROVIDER,
www.OatesSpecialties. com/Durathro
3 Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762
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