Biomechanics/Neuromuscular
EXPLOSIVE PITCHERS EXHIBIT HIGHER FASTBALL VELOCITIES IN TAIWANESE SEMI-PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE.
Po-Hsuan Hu (he/him/his)
Master's Student
National Taiwan Sport University
Changhua County, Changhua, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Chieh-Ying Chiang
Associate Research Fellow
Taiwan Institute of Sport Science
New Taipei, New Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Chin-Wei Yeh
Master's Student
National Taiwan Sport University
Chiayi, Chiayi, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Chun-Yu Wang
Master's Student
National Taiwan Sport University
Pingtung, Pingtung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Background: Recent studies have explored the associations between lower extremity strength characteristics and baseball pitching performance. However, the strength characteristics differences between high and low fastball velocity pitchers remains uncertain.
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the strength characteristics of pitchers with different fastball velocities in Taiwanese semi-professional baseball players.
Methods: 27 pitchers participated in this study (age 23.5 ± 4.9 years, height 179.5 ± 5.6 cm, weight 88.5 ± 13.6 kg). Force-time curves from the countermovement jump (CMJ) were collected using a force plate. Parameters including jump height (JH), jump power (JP), eccentric rate of force development (ERFD), and reactive strength index modified (RSImod) were calculated. Ball velocity (BV) was obtained using the Rapsodo pitching analysis system. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships among BV, CMJ-JH, PP, ERFD, and RSImod. Participants were categorized into High and Low BV groups (top and bottom 30%). Subsequently, the independent sample t-test was used to compare jumping variables between groups. Cohen's d was employed to calculate the effect sizes of each metric.
Results: BV showed a significantly moderate correlations with JH and RSImod (r = .508 and .474, p < .05). JH from the High BV group was significantly superior than the Low BV group (t = 2.208, p < 0.05) with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.042). In addition, RSImods were higher in the High BV group compared to the Low BV group. However, the differences did not reach the statistical significance, despite with a large effect size (p = 0.08, Cohen’s d = 0.922) was showed.
Conclusions: Based on the results, pitchers with higher fastball velocity exhibit more explosive characteristics, indicating a better stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) efficiency. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: JH and RSImod from the CMJ can be employed as indicators for selecting and monitoring pitchers’ lower extremity SSC efficacy. Strength and conditioning professionals can implement the CMJ into the regular training routine to maximize pitchers' performance.