Strength in Numbers #178 In today’s fast-evolving professional landscape, how we learn and grow has transformed dramatically. While digital education platforms have democratized access to knowledge, in-person conferences remain irreplaceable for fostering human connections and hands-on experiences -especially for coaches.  Together, these two modes of learning complement each other beautifully, enabling professionals to maximize growth…

' Strength in Numbers #177 When you hear the word "INVERTED," your mind instantly wanders to the dark side.  Two elbows over the shoulders, arms turned down, a la Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, the famously perceived mechanical flaw considered insidious by the entire industry. However, the word "inverted" can be positive and is integrated…

Strength in Numbers #176 Catch22 – Offense No Defense Conundrum at the Catching Position In baseball, the catcher's role is integral to a team's defensive and strategic success.  Very rarely do you find an offensive catcher that plays good defense, and I have found catchers are spending more and more time at the plate than…

Strength in Numbers #175 People often ask me what I miss about being in Major League Baseball. I used to think it was going to work and playing for a championship—the competitiveness of it all and wanting to dominate the league each day, especially being on teams that were sometimes the underdogs that the world…

Strength in Numbers #174 Carry exercises—movements in which athletes hold weights while walking or performing other actions—are fundamental for developing stability, strength, and endurance. I see too many suitcase carries prescribed, heavy trapbar carries, and athletes wonder why their throwing arms continue to be unbalanced and how their grip strength becomes overly fatigued.   For baseball…

Strength in Numbers #173 Welcome back to the discussion (Read Part I HERE) on whether you should or should not attempt to learn Olympic lifting techniques.  In my 20 years of coaching, I have seen more injuries happen with heavy loading on a tired body versus Olympic lifting, but you have to have common sense…

Strength in Numbers #172 Olympic lifting, encompassing exercises like the snatch and clean-and-jerk, is often utilized in sports for its benefits in developing explosive strength, coordination, and power. In baseball, where performance depends on speed and power, Olympic lifting can contribute to improved athleticism, but the FEAR (False Evidence Appearing is Real) clouds the benefits…

Strength in Numbers #171 We are building off Part 1 in this two-part series, starting with the word "survivorship" regarding Tommy John Surgery (TJS).  We are referring to the length of time a player can expect their reconstructed UCL to remain functional without re-injury. It's a strange word as it makes you think of death…

Strength in Numbers #170 I used to be squeamish at the sign of blood until I was present in the OR room for my teammate's shoulder surgery at Penn Medicine.   My teammate was a 29-year-old pitcher who came in and out of sedation to talk to me while being operated on for a slap tear. …

Strength in Numbers #169 You have learned a great deal about inverted closed-chain training from the previous two parts of this three-part series (Part 1 and Part 2) Pitchers and position players throw with more speed, raising the joint loading for most players. The highest single force to the shoulder happens almost at the instant…