Strength in Numbers #231
I was recently visiting Oklahoma City. When on the plane, I was thinking about how flying affects our bodies. In Major League Baseball, red-eye flights across time zones wreak havoc on the body. Travel, in my opinion, is one of the most challenging aspects of pro sports to master, but there…
Strength in Numbers #230
Baseball players are obsessed (in a good way) with the details: sleep, lifting, arm care, nutrition, and mechanics. But there’s one invisible factor almost nobody screens for that can quietly wreck energy, recovery, strength, and decision-making on the field- intestinal parasites.
I have had a few athletes who have had difficulty…
Strength in Numbers #229
We are in an age of instant information. We lack patience. We at times lack the dedication. We can lack the humility to change… but we cannot give up on demonstrating growth mindsets, adding new tools, and getting better each day.
I had recently connected with a former D1 football strength…
Strength in Numbers #228
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the people, the experiences, and the season behind you, and to reframe your mind for the offseason ahead. Family gatherings are restful for some, turbulent for others.
In the past, I have communicated the importance of deloading the throwing volume and reloading the arm…
Strength in Numbers #227
We need to keep the conversation on Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s performance. The 2025 World Series was a showcase of durability, precision, and adaptability rarely seen in modern baseball, but may be considered a new norm in years to come.
In do-or-die situations, pitching on short rest — including back-to-back appearances — Yamamoto…
Strength in Numbers #226
Having worked closely with some of Japan’s most remarkable athletes, including Shohei Ohtani, I’ve witnessed firsthand the discipline, adaptability, and extraordinary work ethic that define Japanese baseball players.
These athletes are masters of routine and resilience—able to handle immense workloads. However, once they come to the US, Asian players must…
Strength in Numbers #225
In last week’s Strength in Numbers, we went through the history of weighted ball training, the risk-reward aspects of it, and directed you to our Velocity Checklist. The big picture theme is that baseball players, regardless of whether they are a pitcher, catcher, or position player, must test their arm strength.…
Strength in Numbers #224
About this time in the competitive season, I start to gulp.
Players finish a Fall season, they get itchy, and they want to immediately get off the mound and start throwing into a net with a high-powered run-and-gun. They do not give their arms a break; instead, they are ready…
Strength in Numbers #223
In our last Strength in Numbers, we hit on the problems with focused training on boosting maximum strength. Showed evidence that the highest conversions are boosting lean mass, balancing the shoulder, and having greater contractile velocity.
However, in the high-performance world of baseball, throwing arm strength isn’t just about velocity —…
Strength in Numbers #222
I often write articles connected to my athlete cases.
I have to say, at times, I experience frustration when our college pitchers are dominating, pain-free after years and years of arm pain, in a groove, throwing harder and smarter than ever, the arm strength is skyrocketing, shoulder balanced, recovery like an…