|
| ChrisOLeary.com |
| ChrisOLeary.com > The List |
|
I have been making pitcher injury predictions for years... The ListThese are the predictions I made during 2015. Most Accurate PredictionsIf you're looking for the single best demonstration of my ability to see pitching injuries coming (in advance) it would have to be this thread. I express my concerns about both Matt Harvey and Jose Fernandez, Harvey a couple of days before his elbow injury and Fernandez a few years ahead of both his elbow AND shoulder problems. The Tipping PointThe accuracy of these two predictions convinced me that my algorithm has progressed to the point where it's time to put it in production. My most recent successful set of predictions were about Jose Fernandez. I saw both his elbow injury and his shoulder injury coming a month in advance. For more information about Jose Fernandez, I have put together a piece that discusses Jose Fernandez's pitching mechanics at length. Another recent, and extremely accurate, prediction from 2015 is Henderson Alvarez. Although he isn't definitively dealing with a pitching-related injury, I believe Jarred Cosart's problems may be due to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or something similar and are caused by his high elbows and resulting timing problem. Other Recent PredictionsOther predictions that I have made are below. Named in my 2014 podcast with Will Leitch. 
Matt CainNamed in my 2014 podcast with Will Leitch. The Inverted V is basically half of an Inverted W. Also named in my 2014 podcast with Will Leitch. For more information, see my piece on the Power T and my analysis of Matt Harvey's pitching mechanics. I love Tim Lincecum's stride and lower body, but he has an Inverted L in his arm action that makes me nervous. I would argue that Tim Lincecum's Inverted L explains why his velocity has declined so dramatically. Tim Lincecum Pitching Mechanics Analysis Lincecum's still got a major timing problem that puts his shoulder and elbow at risk, although his velocity drop suggests that his shoulder may go first. Baseball-Fever Thread Jason Motte
I discuss Jarrod Parker's timing problem at length in my piece on Flat Arm Syndrome. In that piece, which was first published in May 2015, I stated that I didn't think anything was going to change if Parker didn't change anything. Sadly, that turned out to be exactly the case. Chad Qualls Major Inverted W. Hasn't broken down. Yet. It helps that he's a reliever. 2015.04.14. Named in my 2014 podcast with Will Leitch. Jason Vargas In June, people were saying Jason Vargas' forearm problems were no big deal; totally unrelated to any problem with his elbow. I disagreed. I thought his forearm problems were a sign of an impending UCL failure. Yes, he's a reliever, and that will tend to reduce the risk. However, I don't believe that Jordan Walden's mechanics will allow him to last while being used in a regular set-up role. Instead, I think the only way he will last is being used as a stopper, not a regular set-up guy. I predicted his Tommy John Surgery back in 2007. Now it looks like the Inverted L in his arm action may be starting to cause shoulder problems. 2015.04.14. If you are interested in the topic of pitching injuries and the basis for the predictions I make, my interview with Will Leitch about pitching injuries is a good place to start. MissesI have made a large number of predictions, some of which haven't come true. In some cases, and particularly for relievers, my answer to why those predictions haven't come true is, "Just wait." However, in other cases, I have missed something and have had to update my algorithm as result. Cliff LeeI still like the majority of Cliff Lee's pitching mechanics. That is because he lasted 13 years and, while he currently isn't playing, he hasn't needed Tommy John Surgery. And he plays for the Phillies. So what's going on with his forearm? As you may know, I am not a fan of the cue "Point the ball at second base" or "Show the ball to center field" in kids because I believe it significantly increases the risk of elbow problems. 
I have video of Cliff Lee from his time in both Seattle and Philadelphia where his Premature Pronation isn't as prominent. However, the more high-quality images I accumulate, the more evidence I see that Cliff Lee has a problem with Premature Pronation. In my opinion, that is what's causing his forearm, and perhaps elbow, problems. I used to think this was just an issue in kids, because I had never seen it (obviously) cause problems in adults. That's why I didn't take more seriously the (at the time) few pictures of Cliff Lee exhibiting Premature Premature pronation that I had. However, Cliff Lee's problems, while not necessarily severe, let me to take a much closer look at the problem of Premature Pronation and led to my correct predictions about Jose Fernandez. I still think pitchers should copy Cliff Lee's pitching mechanics, but not that twist in the wrist of his pitching arm. Michael WachaThe simplest way to sum up what, in my opinion, is going on with Michael Wacha is this. He's a different pitcher than he was in college. As I discuss in detail in my piece on Michael Wacha's pitching mechanics, in college Michael Wacha was a low-90s guy who topped out at 94. As a pro, Michael Wacha is throwing significantly harder, sometimes with an average fastball velocity above 95 mph. As with many pitchers (e.g. Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, and Aaron Nola), as Michael Wacha's velocity goes up, so too does the load on his arm and his risk. Max Scherzer and Clayton KershawWhile they are hardly clean, they both employ the same trick to give their arms time to catch back up with their bodies. Max Scherzer is also apparently aware of my concerns about his arm action and actively works to make sure that his elbow lift doesn't cause him problems. C.J. WilsonC.J. Wilson's elbow jast gave in, so he wasn't a pure miss. However, he did take longer to break down than I thought he would. Why? Like Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer (and Sonny Gray), he employs a trick that helps his arm catch back up to his body. But obviously not completely. Current PredictionsI have consolidated all of my current pitcher evaluations into one piece entitled Pitcher Picks and Pans. About The AuthorChris O'Leary never played baseball beyond grade school due to a shoulder injury suffered due to poor pitching mechanics. As a result, he is focused on ensuring that what happened to him doesn't happen to anybody else. The Epidemic is one way he hopes to achieve that goal. |
| about | contact | copyright | sitemap | liability policy |