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January 21, 2013

Pebble Hunting

The Year in Pitchers Not Getting Focal Dystonia

by Sam Miller

There wasn’t a lot that went well with Heath Bell’s 2012 season, but there was this pitch:

And that pitch was something. It was a strike, obviously. In order for it to be a strike, a lot had to happen at once. Forgive me for quoting something as mockable as Yahoo! Answers, but this guy either knows what he’s talking about or he uses enough big words that I don’t care:

The Posterior Deltoid causes the Glenohumoral Joint to horizontally adduct and externally rotate. The Anterior Deltoid stretches to slow the external rotation and the Pectoralis Major stretches to slow the horizontal adduction. Also, the Back Extensors and Obliques cause trunk rotation. The Rectus Femorus and Illiop Psoas flex the hip, bringing the leg up.

The Pectoralis Major and Anterior Deltoid work in conjuction to both internally rotate and horizontally abduct, moving the ball forward. At the same time, the Triceps Brachii extends the elbow, providing more forward vectors. Also, the Abdominals and Obliques rotate the trunk toward the throw, also increasing forward vectors. The Quadriceps extend the Femorotibular joint (knee) and the Glutes extend the hip, which further increases the forward vectors.

The Posterior Deltoid must undergo massive stretching to slow the motion of the arm (the reason for common Anterior Shoulder Subluxations). The rear leg comes off the ground involuntarily to balance the throw and to bring the pitcher back to a normal position.

All that and the brain has to work, too, and that’s what makes Bell’s strike impressive: the bases were loaded; the game was tied; he had just thrown 13 consecutive balls; and still he managed to throw one right into the strike zone. I can’t even comprehend throwing a strike in that situation, which is, I suppose, why I can’t comprehend it. A brain with that much self-doubt would fall apart. I doubt my ability, therefore I don't have the ability. It takes a brain without self-doubt to do what Bell did, and what every other pitcher in baseball did this year, which is not get the yips.

There were six pitchers this year who threw at least 10 consecutive balls in one outing. None of those pitchers panicked, wet himself, got disoriented and threw a pitch into left field, or in any other way lost the ability to play in the majors. They all started throwing strikes as though nothing had happened, and they'll all make money playing baseball in 2013. But does anything happen to a man between the first ball and the 10th?  

Here are the six:

10 consecutive balls
Andrew Carignan, April 16
Octavio Dotel, May 7
Evan Scribner, Sept 22
Edinson Volquez, May 7

12 consecutive balls
Gio Gonzalez, April 29

13 consecutive balls
Heath Bell, April 13

Let's answer some questions.