Articles

80 FALSE THEORIES, BELIEFS AND STATEMENTS MADE IN BASEBALL TODAY
2007
By
Coach John C. Price

  1. Underhand pitching of a softball is a natural act for we walk with our arms at our sides so arm, shoulder or elbow injuries do not occur to the softball pitcher.
  2. Soreness and injuries to the arm, shoulder or elbow incurred from throwing a baseball overhand is a normal occurrence for the overhand delivery is not normal.
  3. Overuse is the major cause of injuries to the arm, shoulder and elbow today.
  4. Throwing in cold weather causes sore and injured arms in baseball.
  5. Throwing curve balls causes sore and injured arms in baseball.
  6. Throwing sliders will cause sore and injured arms in baseball.
  7. Throwing the five-ounce baseball overhand will cause arm soreness and injuries.
  8. Muscle imbalance will cause soreness and injuries in baseball.
  9. Deceleration at the end of the pitchers delivery  puts strain on the arm and causes soreness and injuries.
  10. The follow through puts strain on the arm and causes soreness and injjuries.
  11. Pitching from the pitchers mound causes soreness and injuries to the arm.
  12. Shoulder instability causes soreness and injuries to the arm when throwing overhand.
  13. Arm tiredness will occur in the late innings when pitching and this is normal.
  14. Arm stress when throwing is normal because the overhand delivery is not normal.
  15. Stress or pain when throwing or pitching is a normal occurrence in baseball.
  16. Back muscles are not that important to a baseball player.
  17. Stomach muscles are not that important to a baseball player.
  18. Velocity in pitching comes from driving hard off the rubber with the pivot foot in baseball.
  19. Power in hitting comes from driving off the rear leg in baseball.
  20. A baseball player should not work on weights for he will become muscle bound and will not be able to throw a baseball overhand.
  21. Running is a waste of time in baseball.  There are other things you can do that will help the baseball player more.
  22. The short stop must touch second base before throwing to first base to make a double play.
  23. With runners on 1st base, the pitcher should move their stride leg foot as quickly to the catcher as he can so the runner can’t steal 2nd base. 
  24. Runners on first base steal on the pitchers slow move to home every time.
  25. Runners steal 3rd base on the pitchers slow move to home.
  26. Players that have broken their humerus while pitching only had a freak accident.
  27. In fielding ground balls, 95 percent of balls that get by the infielder occur when the ball jumps over the fielder’s glove.
  28. Upper body coil or reach back is not necessary to make a throw from 3rd base to 1st base.
  29. Making the jump in the air throw deep behind 3rd base while moving away from 2nd base like Derek Jeeter does can only be done by a few gifted players.
  30. Hitting with power is a gift and can’t be taught.
  31. Throwing with velocity is a gift and can’t be taught.
  32. In baseball, sore arms and dead arms are normal.  Most players have soreness or e pain when throwing.
  33. The baseball player’s rear foot position is not that important when hitting or throwing.
  34. The baseball player’s front foot position is not that important when hitting or throwing.
  35. There is no such thing as a natural throwing groove for the baseball player when throwing or pitching.
  36. There is no such thing as a groove for the hitter in baseball.
  37. Running up a hill is a waste of time for a baseball player.
  38. In fielding a ground ball, normal reaction of any one is to move the body down, not up.
  39. The baseball players hip position when hitting or throwing is not important.
  40. The baseball players shoulder position when hitting or throwing is not important.
  41. The baseball player’s arm and hand position is not that important when hitting or throwing.
  42. A pitcher that pitches over 100 pitches in a game is asking for trouble.
  43. You should always ice the pitchers arm and shoulder after pitching a game.
  44. The throwing or pitching action does not take place or began until foot plant.
  45. The swing does not take place or began until foot plant.
  46. From the full windup or stretch position, the pitcher should never take his stride foot behind the rubber when he is getting a coil before throwing. 
  47. The condition of the legs is not a factor for a pitcher or hitter.
  48. The strength in the grip of a baseball player is not important.
  49. Wrist strength and flexibility is not important in a baseball player.
  50. Every pitch made during a game should be counted and when he gets to 100 pitches, take him out. 
  51. To throw a baseball hard you should lean the head and body away from the throwing arm side of the body.
  52. When throwing a baseball in the final stage just before releasing the ball, the humerus should brush the ear with the elbow leading in a forward and downward motion.
  53. The shoulders and humerus should not even be close to being horizontal to the ground or level with the shoulders when throwing a baseball.
  54. The reach back is not important when throwing or hitting a baseball.
  55. Just because a player throws 90mph, or hits balls over the fence, it is not important to a player that wants to play MLB.
  56. One orthopedic surgeon said, “Baseball players are one throw from rupturing the UCL in the elbow”.
  57. A major league manager said in 2005, “When a player has a sore elbow, it is faster to go ahead and operate on the elbow than it is to wait and let it heal without surgery”.
  58. When a player breaks his humerus (upper arm) pitching, it is a freak accident.
  59. When a player is diagnosed with Steve Blass Disease, Steve Sax Disease or Mackey Sasser Syndrome, this is a mental disease and career-ending diagnosis.
  60. Blass disease, Sax disease or Sasser Syndrome is a psychological problem and the player needs to see a Sports Psychologist or Doctor of Psychiatry for help.
  61. Ball movement is not that important in baseball.
  62. The arm was not designed to throw a baseball.
  63. Today, kids throw too much which causes arm problems later.
  64. Pitchers that have arm fatigue when pitching just are not in shape.
  65. Pitchers that play more than eight months a year will probably need surgery later.
  66. Pitchers today are having too heavy a workload at such young ages in baseball.
  67. Many players today are having arm surgery before entering high school. (True)
  68. Many players that are having arm surgery are found to have only one week off a year.  This theory was made by coaches, but not the cause of surgery.
  69. College coaches are saying they need to select kids that play two sports today.  This theory was made by coaches, but this is not the reason for arm problems.
  70. High School coaches overthrow pitchers and summer coaches overthrow pitchers for they do not care what the kid is doing on the other team.  Theory by coaches.
  71. Surgeons say that when they open up a kids elbow today, it looks like a 30-year-old arm, and looks like their tendon or ligament is frayed and this is proof of overuse.  True statement by doctors, but overuse is not the cause of the damage.
  72. The cause of all the arm injuries today is overuse.
  73. All players that have Tommy John Surgery today will regain full velocity. 
  74. Players that have shoulder surgery will regain their velocity.
  75. Not many major league teams have players that have had TJ surgery.
  76. The position of the rear foot is not important for accuracy when throwing.
  77. The position of the rear foot is not important for velocity when throwing.
  78. Upper body coil and shoulder rotation is not important for accuracy when throwing a baseball.
  79. Upper body coil and shoulder rotation is not important for velocity when throwing a baseball.
  80. Hamstring injuries in baseball occur on the players rear drive leg, not the stride leg.