Analysis of Injuries and Pitching Performance Between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball: A 2-Team Comparison Between 2015 to 2019

Crotin, Ryan L.; Yanai, Toshimasa; Chalmers, Peter N.; Smale, Kenneth B.; Erickson, Brandon J.; Kaneoka, Koji; Ishii, Midori

doi:10.1177/23259671211008810

Cited by 5 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…A study comparing pitching performance in official games and the incidence of injury between an MLB team and a team in Japan's professional baseball league reported that the MLB-affiliated pitchers threw faster than their Japanese counterparts and the MLB team had a higher rate of throwing-related injuries compared with the Japanese team. 3 A similar observation of faster ball velocities in American pitchers was reported at the collegiate level. 30 This study also reported that American pitchers had greater maximal shoulder external rotation with greater peak joint torques at the elbow and shoulder than the Japanese counterparts, suggesting a possible link among kinematic characteristics, ball velocity, and risk of elbow injury.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…The first is that the data were collected from Japanese pitchers only; thus, generalization of the results may require some caution in translation to other competitive populations. A study comparing pitching performance in official games and the incidence of injury between an MLB team and a team in Japan's professional baseball league reported that the MLB‐affiliated pitchers threw faster than their Japanese counterparts and the MLB team had a higher rate of throwing‐related injuries compared with the Japanese team 3 . A similar observation of faster ball velocities in American pitchers was reported at the collegiate level 30 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…Chronic shoulder pain has been a major cause of lost playing time among baseball pitchers. [1][2][3][4] Countless investigations have been conducted since the first study was published on shoulder pain in professional pitchers in 1941, 5 and shoulder internal impingement, originally described as "impingement of the undersurface of the cuff on the posterosuperior glenoid labrum," 6 is now identified as a common pathway to shoulder injuries and disability in pitchers. 7 However, the explanation and treatment of the problem have remained a challenge among medical professionals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Proximal to distal sequencing impacts on maximum shoulder joint angles and the risk of impingement in baseball pitching involving a scapular independent thoracohumeral model

Yanai

Crotin

2023

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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Background: Hyperangulation of the scapulohumeral joint due to poor coordination of the scapula during throwing motion is claimed to be a major cause of internal impingement in baseball pitchers. However, evidence of injurious scapular kinematics is lacking, particularly regarding how hyperangularion actually occurs in full-effort pitching. The purpose of this study was to describe sequential scapular motions involved in attaining maximum joint angles during pitching and the implications for internal impingement in elite baseball pitchers.Methods: An electromagnetic goniometer system computed kinematics for pelvis, thorax, scapulae, arms, and forearms during baseball pitching in 72 pitchers.Internal impingement risk was assessed based on kinematic characteristics of internal impingement quantified in a cadaveric study. Results:The pelvis, thorax, and scapula rotated in the proximal-to-distal sequence. Large forearm layback observed near the end of the cocking phase (182 ± 27°) was achieved with a submaximal scapulohumeral external rotation (98 ± 14°). In the next 0.027 ± 0.007 s, forward thoracic rotation and then scapular rotation caused increased scapulohumeral external rotation to a maximum of 113 ± 14°. Here, humeral horizontal adduction and scapula protraction occurred simultaneously preventing the humerus from lagging further behind the scapula.Only one participant reached critical hyperangulation beyond which internal impingement was reported to occur. Conclusion:Most elite pitchers safely attained the fully cocked position, yet off-timed recoiling of scapular protraction caused hyperangulation in full-effort pitching. Therefore, proximal-distal sequencing between the scapula and humerus should be evaluated to lessen the risk of internal impingement in baseball pitchers.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Proximal to distal sequencing impacts on maximum shoulder joint angles and the risk of impingement in baseball pitching involving a scapular independent thoracohumeral model

Yanai

Crotin

2023

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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“…In fact, previous research has shown a greater injury risk in larger professional pitchers, who throw at higher velocities. 4 Future research on the relationship between body size and ligament strength would be beneficial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of Biomechanical Efficiency in Collegiate and Professional Baseball Pitchers

et al. 2022

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Background: Biomechanical efficiency, defined as fastball velocity per unit of normalized elbow varus torque, is a relatively new metric applied to improving the performance and health of baseball pitching. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this work was to evaluate kinematic parameters influencing biomechanical efficiency among professional and collegiate pitchers. Kinematic differences were compared between pitchers of high and low biomechanical efficiency. We hypothesized that professional pitchers would have greater biomechanical efficiency than collegiate pitchers. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: A deidentified biomechanical database of 545 pitchers (447 professional, 98 collegiate) was analyzed. A multivariate linear regression model was used to evaluate significant findings a priori with α = .05. Additionally, biomechanical differences were identified between competition levels and between high and low biomechanical efficiency groups using Mann-Whitney U test (α = .05). Results: Competition level and 11 (of 21) kinematic variables explained 27% of the variance in biomechanical efficiency, with most of the predictors being throwing arm kinematics (elbow flexion at stride foot contact [SFC]: β, −1.47; SE, 0.26; shoulder abduction at SFC: β, −1.78; SE, 0.39; shoulder external rotation at SFC: β, 0.60; SE, 0.22; maximum external rotation [MER] angle: β, 1.82; SE, 0.42; shoulder horizontal adduction at MER: β, −3.42; SE, 0.71) (all P≤ .05). Professional pitchers had greater biomechanical efficiency than collegiate pitchers (711.0 ± 101.0 vs 657.0 ± 99.3, respectively; P < .001; d = 0.53). Compared with the low-efficiency group, the high-efficiency group had significantly lower normalized elbow varus torque with greater weight and height (high: 0.047 ± 0.004 %wt*ht vs. low: 0.063 ± 0.006 %wt*ht, P <.001; d = 3.20). At the instant of SFC, the high-efficiency group demonstrated greater shoulder external rotation and less elbow flexion, shoulder abduction, and pelvic rotation. The high-efficiency group also had greater MER and less shoulder horizontal adduction at MER, trunk side tilt at ball release, and knee excursion from foot contact to ball release. Conclusion: Professional pitchers had greater biomechanical efficiency than collegiate pitchers. Biomechanical efficiency was also affected by 11 kinematic variables identified in this study. Pitchers with higher efficiency had distinct differences in arm position, trunk side tilt, and lead-knee extension range of motion in the delivery. Thus, pitchers and baseball organizations should focus on these factors to lower normalized elbow varus torque relative to ball velocity.

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“…In hitting, research has shown advancement of bat speed with improvement in lean body mass; however, such lean body mass gains were associated to improvement in vertical jump power, torso rotational strength, squat, and bench press strength profiles in highschool baseball players, thus substantiating the effect of strength training on offensive characteristics (17,18). As it relates to baseball pitching, increased body mass seems to influence throwing velocity at different stages of development and between professional pitching cohorts (6,16). A deeper investigation into lean body mass development seemed to be a strong covariant associated with absolute vertical jump power and linear and transverse momentum in the pitching delivery, all of which demonstrated to be greater in collegiate pitchers who threw at faster velocities (16).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropometric Evaluation of First Round Draft Selections in Major League Baseball

Crotin

Conforti

Szymanski

et al. 2023

Journal of Strength &Amp; Conditioning Research

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Crotin, RL, Conforti, CM, Szymanski, DJ, and Oseguera, J. Anthropometric Evaluation of first round draft selections in Major League Baseball. J Strength Cond Res 37(8): 1609–1615, 2023—Physical stature effects on future Major League Baseball (MLB) performance and player evaluation are not known among amateurs. Amateur athletes with greater stature were expected to perform at a higher MLB level, play first base or catcher, be drafted earlier, begin earlier MLB careers, and receive higher signing bonuses compared with lower stature players. Publicly available high-school amateur data on 319 first round player selections from 2005 to 2015 identified athletes' body mass, heights, and body mass index (BMI) to determine impacts on MLB Wins Above Replacement (WAR) ratings, draft selection number, signing bonuses, position, educational background, innings pitched, and plate appearances before making an MLB debut. Student t tests split sample data above and below the median to examine mean differences for body mass, height, and BMI, whereas one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction calculated first round selection groups and positional differences in anthropometry at an a priori alpha level of p ≤ 0.05. First basemen and catchers had the highest BMI of all positions (p < 0.05, d > 0.80), high-school signees had higher BMI than collegiate signees during high-school years (p < 0.03, d > 0.05), the first 5 selections had higher BMI than the last 5 selections in the first round (p < 0.05, d = 0.38), all with moderate-to-large effects. High-school pitchers with less body mass reached the MLB level in less innings than heavier pitchers (p < 0.001, d = 0.62). No anthropometric differences were seen in player WAR ratings. Results indicate a scouting preference toward high-school athletes with greater BMI, yet high-school anthropometrics seem to not influence future MLB performance.

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Analysis of Injuries and Pitching Performance Between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball: A 2-Team Comparison Between 2015 to 2019

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Proximal to distal sequencing impacts on maximum shoulder joint angles and the risk of impingement in baseball pitching involving a scapular independent thoracohumeral model

Proximal to distal sequencing impacts on maximum shoulder joint angles and the risk of impingement in baseball pitching involving a scapular independent thoracohumeral model

Determinants of Biomechanical Efficiency in Collegiate and Professional Baseball Pitchers

Anthropometric Evaluation of First Round Draft Selections in Major League Baseball

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