Comments on: Analyzing Tim Lincecum’s mechanics http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/ A New York Yankees Blog Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:36:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jesse http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-195836 Jesse Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:14:34 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-195836 Dear Chris, Kudos on having a successful and level headed son in the Major Leagues - too bad your other son broke his arm twice, or you would have TWO professional sons! I am in the same boat now as you were years ago...I have an 8 and 10 year old, both are pitchers, and excellent athletes as well. I pitched college and semi-pro ball for a while, utilizing a side-arm motion. Never got that far, not many of us do, but my dream lives on in my sons... Wanted to express my thanks on a fantastic Sports Illustrated article on your son. Immediately after reading that, I went home and completely overhauled my sons' mechanics, to mimic Tim's as close as possible. You had mentioned you developed a training, strength and conditioning program for your sons. I would like to do that as well, focusing on the WHOLE body rather than just the arm. Would you be so kind as to offer some pointers? I would like to keep them mobile and limber during the winter. Again, congratulations on an accomplishment most of us dream about. Thank you for your time. Dr. Jesse Blattstein Dear Chris,

Kudos on having a successful and level headed son in the Major Leagues – too bad your other son broke his arm twice, or you would have TWO professional sons!

I am in the same boat now as you were years ago…I have an 8 and 10 year old, both are pitchers, and excellent athletes as well. I pitched college and semi-pro ball for a while, utilizing a side-arm motion. Never got that far, not many of us do, but my dream lives on in my sons…

Wanted to express my thanks on a fantastic Sports Illustrated article on your son. Immediately after reading that, I went home and completely overhauled my sons’ mechanics, to mimic Tim’s as close as possible.

You had mentioned you developed a training, strength and conditioning program for your sons. I would like to do that as well, focusing on the WHOLE body rather than just the arm. Would you be so kind as to offer some pointers? I would like to keep them mobile and limber during the winter.

Again, congratulations on an accomplishment most of us dream about. Thank you for your time.

Dr. Jesse Blattstein

]]> By: Anissa http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-71744 Anissa Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:42:53 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-71744 I LOVE LIGHTS OUT LINCECUM!!! He is sooo unique from all the other pitchers and i really dont want the giants to trade him. They can turn him into one of the best pitchers that we have ever had, all we need to do is keep him. I just adore the way he pitches and everything that he does. He is deffinately not your typical pitcher. He doesnt let Bochy ice his arm, he only needs about 10 pitches in the bullpen to warm up. He's just what the Giants need right now =] I LOVE LIGHTS OUT LINCECUM!!! He is sooo unique from all the other pitchers and i really dont want the giants to trade him. They can turn him into one of the best pitchers that we have ever had, all we need to do is keep him. I just adore the way he pitches and everything that he does. He is deffinately not your typical pitcher. He doesnt let Bochy ice his arm, he only needs about 10 pitches in the bullpen to warm up. He’s just what the Giants need right now =]

]]> By: Mike A. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-47035 Mike A. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:50:17 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-47035 It sounded "matter of fact" and "professional" because I didn't make the video! Hehe. I found it while I was slumming through YouTube. It sounded “matter of fact” and “professional” because I didn’t make the video! Hehe.

I found it while I was slumming through YouTube.

]]> By: SharksRog http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-47010 SharksRog Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:26:01 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-47010 Phil Hughes has a wonderful combination of stuff and control. But last winter I tried to convince John Sickels to make Tim his #1 pitching prospect over Hughes and Homer Bailey in great part because I felt Tim would stay HEALTHIER than they. And that is because he takes strain off his arm by using his toes to his nose in his pitching motion, allowing his arm to become somewhat like a pole vaulter with his body as the pole. And sure enough, both Phil and Homer suffered injuries last summer, while Tim still hasn't had so much as a sore arm, never having felt the need to even ice his arm after throwing. The key for Tim is to throw first-pitch strikes. When he does so, his walk rate is similar to that of Greg Maddux. But when his first pitch is a ball, his walk rate is similar to a young Sandy Koufax. And once Tim got batters to two strikes last season -- regardless of the number of balls -- his stuff is tough enough to hit that he limited batters to only about a .120 batting average. Heck, they hit only .226 against him overall. Phil Hughes has a wonderful combination of stuff and control. But last winter I tried to convince John Sickels to make Tim his #1 pitching prospect over Hughes and Homer Bailey in great part because I felt Tim would stay HEALTHIER than they. And that is because he takes strain off his arm by using his toes to his nose in his pitching motion, allowing his arm to become somewhat like a pole vaulter with his body as the pole.

And sure enough, both Phil and Homer suffered injuries last summer, while Tim still hasn’t had so much as a sore arm, never having felt the need to even ice his arm after throwing.

The key for Tim is to throw first-pitch strikes. When he does so, his walk rate is similar to that of Greg Maddux. But when his first pitch is a ball, his walk rate is similar to a young Sandy Koufax.

And once Tim got batters to two strikes last season — regardless of the number of balls — his stuff is tough enough to hit that he limited batters to only about a .120 batting average. Heck, they hit only .226 against him overall.

]]> By: Cam http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46980 Cam Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:11:00 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46980 It's interesting to see the comparison between Lincecum and Oswalt. After watching that though, you kind of get the feeling that Hughes is closer to Oswalt than Tim. I remember earlier this year (I think on this site) toward the end of the season, people had been discussing Phil and why he didn't seem to be throwing as hard, and why he wasn't getting as many groundball outs as he did in the minors. There was this comparison in his mechanics and in the minors, he seemed to arch his back and squat a bit more in than in the majors, where he was more straigh up and down and compact. But it seems that according to this comparison between Lincecum and Oswalt, that will actually help Hughes in the long run because it allows him to be more consistent with location and more durable because his mechanics are much more simplified. It also seems to allow him to throw that giant curveball that he can throw. It will be very interesting to watch Tim and Phil over the course of their careers and see which ends up having the longer, more productive future. Here's hoping it's Phil ;-) It’s interesting to see the comparison between Lincecum and Oswalt. After watching that though, you kind of get the feeling that Hughes is closer to Oswalt than Tim. I remember earlier this year (I think on this site) toward the end of the season, people had been discussing Phil and why he didn’t seem to be throwing as hard, and why he wasn’t getting as many groundball outs as he did in the minors. There was this comparison in his mechanics and in the minors, he seemed to arch his back and squat a bit more in than in the majors, where he was more straigh up and down and compact. But it seems that according to this comparison between Lincecum and Oswalt, that will actually help Hughes in the long run because it allows him to be more consistent with location and more durable because his mechanics are much more simplified. It also seems to allow him to throw that giant curveball that he can throw. It will be very interesting to watch Tim and Phil over the course of their careers and see which ends up having the longer, more productive future. Here’s hoping it’s Phil ;-)

]]> By: KAnst http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46979 KAnst Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:07:04 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46979 I read something by a pitching coach once. He said, he can teach any physically fit person to throw in the 70's. If you have some god given abilities he can teach you to throw in the 80's. But to throw in the mid 90's its almost entirely god given talent, all a coach can do is help you control it. I read something by a pitching coach once. He said, he can teach any physically fit person to throw in the 70′s. If you have some god given abilities he can teach you to throw in the 80′s. But to throw in the mid 90′s its almost entirely god given talent, all a coach can do is help you control it.

]]> By: Bo http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46973 Bo Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:50:12 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46973 Manny says: January 21st, 2008 at 9:15 pm (Reply) Im pretty if you worked out the right muscles(obliques and back) and practiced on a delivery like his you could get pretty close to his speed. It's amazing that some people out there believe that you can become apitcher like this by working out certain muscles. Are you out of your mind??? Manny says:

January 21st, 2008 at 9:15 pm (Reply)
Im pretty if you worked out the right muscles(obliques and back) and practiced on a delivery like his you could get pretty close to his speed.

It’s amazing that some people out there believe that you can become apitcher like this by working out certain muscles. Are you out of your mind???

]]> By: Lanny http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46922 Lanny Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:08:46 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46922 The only possible comparison of Joba and Lincecum is the fact that they are both supremely talented, ace level pitchers. They have nothing else besides supreme confidence in common especially physically. The only possible comparison of Joba and Lincecum is the fact that they are both supremely talented, ace level pitchers.

They have nothing else besides supreme confidence in common especially physically.

]]> By: dan http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46915 dan Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:36:30 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46915 I have a feeling that you might have a stimulating conversation Mike Marshall, if he'd talk to you. He doesn't listen to suggestions about his own theories, but it could be worthwhile. His email is on the bottom of this page: http://www.drmikemarshall.com/index.html Also available on that page is his free book on pitching mechanics, which seems to be extremely different from your approach. I have a feeling that you might have a stimulating conversation Mike Marshall, if he’d talk to you. He doesn’t listen to suggestions about his own theories, but it could be worthwhile. His email is on the bottom of this page:

http://www.drmikemarshall.com/index.html

Also available on that page is his free book on pitching mechanics, which seems to be extremely different from your approach.

]]> By: Cra http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46913 Cra Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:05:37 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/21/analyzing-tim-lincecums-mechanics-2027/#comment-46913 Well Aaron,it does get frustrating at times with comments from broadcasters in the media and pitching experts thoughout baseball...I hear all sorts of things about Tim's mechanics and where and how I supposedly developed them. I've been contacted by pitching coaches in the majors and minors inquiring about my theories.There is an excellent camp in Houston run by Ron W. and Brent Strom. A player I've worked with on and off for the last few years was taken there by his dad in late December and the dad told me of how often they used Tim's mechanics as an example of the proper way to use his body. Brent contacted me through e-mail and expressed his appreciation of Tim's mechanics.I agree with most everything I heard that they use in their theories. All in all I don't let critics(of all levels) deter me of how I feel a pitcher should perform. I know what works and why. When I read and hear different comments about his durabilitie and unusual mechanics I just take it with a grain of salt and move on.Tim and me both learned to just let that fuel our desire to continue to prove them wrong. I did notice after watching the video a few times that Mike A. was probably not the commentator of the video and that it was most likely filmed in May. They didn't have many appearances to judge Tim by and they mentioned his change-up as being a work in progress..Well, they ought to ask the hitters that try to make contact with it.And it's not change.It's an abbreviated forkball..Along the lines of what many call a split-change..Nasty!! Well Aaron,it does get frustrating at times with comments from broadcasters in the media and pitching experts thoughout baseball…I hear all sorts of things about Tim’s mechanics and where and how I supposedly developed them.
I’ve been contacted by pitching coaches in the majors and minors inquiring about my theories.There is an excellent camp in Houston run by Ron W. and Brent Strom. A player I’ve worked with on and off for the last few years was taken there by his dad in late December and the dad told me of how often they used Tim’s mechanics as an example of the proper way to use his body.
Brent contacted me through e-mail and expressed his appreciation of Tim’s mechanics.I agree with most everything I heard that they use in their theories.
All in all I don’t let critics(of all levels) deter me of how I feel a pitcher should perform. I know what works and why.
When I read and hear different comments about his durabilitie and unusual mechanics I just take it with a grain of salt and move on.Tim and me both learned to just let that fuel our desire to continue to prove them wrong.
I did notice after watching the video a few times that Mike A. was probably not the commentator of the video and that it was most likely filmed in May. They didn’t have many appearances to judge Tim by and they mentioned his change-up as being a work in progress..Well, they ought to ask the hitters that try to make contact with it.And it’s not change.It’s an abbreviated forkball..Along the lines of what many call a split-change..Nasty!!

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