Today I have an “Ask me Anything” round where I answer questions on:
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- Differences between strength and stability and how to train it
- Anaerobic conditioning for baseball players
- The Importance of having systems in place
Podcast #63: Rehabbing Athletes Back to Sport with Dr. David Schwartz
Today we’re sitting down with DPT David Schwartz from Blue Iron Physio. Topics include:
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- Strength vs Stability – What’s the difference?
- Getting athletes back-to-sport
- How to select the right PT
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Release Extension… Why It’s Important and How to Maximize It?
Two pitchers both throwing 90 mph… are they both just as fast? Well, it depends. Just because a pitcher is hitting 90 on the gun does not mean that the batter sees 90, which is what matters most in the game. One of the main factors that affects how fast your pitch looks to the batter is your extension at release, more commonly referred to as release extension. How important is it? and what’s stopping you from maximizing the amount of extension you can get? Let’s dissect it…
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Athlete Highlight – Gettysburg’s Jackson Kammen Exit Velo is up 5-6 mph
Rising College Sophomore, Jackson Kammen joined us this summer for the 3-month college hitting development program. Jackson, a catcher at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, had just finished his freshmen year. At 5’9” and 182 lbs. he is strong and physical. His plan for the summer was to increase his bat speed and exit velocity and generally improve his contact at the plate. He began his summer training in May, and needless to say, a lot has already changed since. Jackson’s bat speed has increased 3 mph while his exit velo now at 91-93, has also increased nearly 5-6 mph.
How did he do it?
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Podcast #62: Extension, Hip Bias and Creating the Script for Efficient Mechanics with Niko Leontarakis
Today we’re sitting down with Niko Leontarakis, RPP Director of Pitching, and talking about some common issues we see in pitchers and how it’s not always only about mechanics. Topics Include:
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- Incorporating anatomy into coaching
- Understanding the athlete in front of you
- Importance of hip bias and ultimately extension
Athlete Highlight: Charalambous Back from Spine Injury Touching 89 mph
Presbyterian College commit Christian Charalambous finished his spring season with a 1.51 ERA touching 89 mph. Christian started his training at RPP over two years ago in November 2020, during his sophomore year at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey. During the fall of that year, he was clocked at a Perfect Game event at 81 mph. Two years later and a spine fracture in between, he is now touching 89 mph.
How did he do it?
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Expanding Jose Ledesma’s Pitch Arsenal… A Game Changer
Pro pitcher Jose Ledesma, a recent Graduate of the D1 baseball program at the University of Delaware, spent the past off-season training at RPP Baseball. During this time, he worked on just about every aspect of his craft, from improving his velocity to expanding his pitching arsenal. Fast forward to summer of 2023, pitching for the Sussex Country Miners of the Frontier League, he has pitched 50.1 innings with an ERA of 3.75 and 9 Ks/9. A year earlier, pitching for the Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League, he pitched 26.2 innings with an ERA of 5.06 and 5.1 Ks/9.
So… what changed?
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What is Stuff+ and How Can it Help You?
Over the last decade, many new pitching stats have been created, including FIP, SIERA, CSW%, and xFIP, all with the single purpose of getting a better understanding of a pitcher’s ability beyond the ERA. Recently, a new pitching stat was created by Eno Sarris which he calls Stuff+.
What is it? and how can it be helpful?
Podcast #61: A Deep Dive into Player Development with Duke University’s Tyler Rost
Today we’re sitting down with Tyler Rost, Duke University’s Director of Player Development. Tyler brings a great deal of experience to the table and is a great listen. Topics include:
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- The full on-boarding process for freshman
- Merging data with “real” feel
- Creating a great “team” environment both on and off the field
Podcast #60: Training Power in Rotational Athletes with RPP Director of S&C Zach Kollar
Today we’re sitting down with Zach Kollar, RPP Director of Strength and Conditioning . Zach has been a big part of what we’ve develop here on the S&C side of things during the past few years . Join us as we’ll be discussing training “power” in rotational athletes. Topics Include:
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- Why power is the gold standard in athleticism
- Different types of training based on the individual
- When and how to train it (it matters!)