ABCA Research Committee Title: What the Best in Baseball Do A longitudinal / cross-sectional biomechanical study of the best hitters and pitchers in the game of baseball. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate live swings and pitches of major league, college and high school players during the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. Using multiple high speed cameras for biomechanical analysis, video data capturing will begin at Spring Training 2011 and continue with selected regular season games in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Multiple views will be collected for biomechanical analysis using high speed cameras. Subjects: Group #1 33 Elite major league hitters and pitchers taken from live major league competition Group #2: 33 Elite college hitters and pitchers taken from the Pac10 baseball conference Group #3 33 Elite high school hitters and pitchers taken from three baseball schools representing three regions, MountainWest Baseball, Baseball Northwest, Amateur Baseball development. Instrumentation: Ariel Computerized 3- D Motion Analysis System; of multiple high-speed cameras. The Ariel Performance Analysis System (APAS) is the world's most advanced computerized system for biomechanical analysis and the study of human motion.
Presentation: The results will be provided in the way of a video / power point presentation will be presented at the 2015 (hitting) and the 2016 (pitching) ABCA National Convention by the ABCA research Committee, Bio-Kinetics and its research team. Staff: The ABCA research committee and Bio-Kinetics Research & Development will work with a team of scientists as well as Major League, College, and High School Pitching and Hitting Coaches. Each subject will be digitized and measured by a Bio-Kinetics Research & Development biomechanist as well as an independent lab to assure accuracy. Research Team: Jerry Haugen: Research Committee Chair Glen Tuckett: Former ABCA chairmen of the board Alan Blitzblau: Sports Biomechanist Alfred Finch: Sports Biomechanist Iain Hunter: Sports Biomechanist Bobby Valentine Former Major League Manager Tom Robson: Major League Hitting Coach Bob Apodaca: Major League Pitching Coach Ralph Dickinson: Professional Hitting Coach Pat Casey: Oregon State University Jeff Mckay: Baseball Northwest Bill Kinneberg University of Utah Gary Pullins: ABCA Board Dan Moffett: Bio-Kinetics Research & Development Bob Keyes: Bio-Kinetics Research & Development
HITTING STUDY 1. Balance and Posture (Positional Movement) Description: Tracking the body s center mass (CM) and posture from start to finish 1. Pitcher / Hitter Interface (Movement Time) Description: Hitters movement (Length of swing cycle) in relationship to pitcher. First movement out of rhythm, forward CM movement, foot strike, launch, contact, finish 2. Leg lift Description: Peak height of the lifting leg ball of foot 3. Stride Length Description: Linear displacement, start (stance), foot strike (stride X), swing (contact) % of body height 4. Linear Velocity Description: Peak CM velocity into foot strike 5. Foot Strike Angle Description: The turned out angle of the front foot as the front heel reaches the ground. Relative to the front edge of home plate 6. Head Movement Stride Description: Linear displacement. Head movement on the X, Y & Z axis from foot lift to foot strike (head tilt) 7. Blocking Description: How far the CM. drifts forward after directional shift (linear to angular)(launch to contact) 8. Kinetic Link Description: Peak disassociation in degrees of the upper half of the body from the lower half and the % of swing cycle
9. Segment Contributions Description: Angles, velocities and displacements of the body s remaining contributing segments 10. Axis of Rotation Description: The location of the center axis of which the body rotates around 11. Bat Lag Description: The relationship between the body s rotation and bat movement 12. Bat Speed Description: Peak angular velocity of the bat head 13. Bat Acceleration / Quickness Description: Elapsed time from the launch of the bat until contact is made 14. Head Movement Swing Description: Head movement on the X, Y & Z axis from launch to contact (head tilt) PITCHING STUDY 1. Balance & Posture (Positional Movement) Description: Tracking the body s center of mass (CM) and posture from start to finish 2. Pitch Tempo (Movement Time) Description: Length of pitch cycle First movement to ball release First movement to foot strike Peak disassociation and the % of pitch cycle Foot Strike to Ball Release 3. Leg lift Description: Peak height of the lifting leg ball of foot and the % of body height.
4. Linear Velocity Description: Peak CM velocity into foot strike 5. Stride length Description: The displacement of the front foot from the back foot at foot strike (X) and the % of body height 6. Foot Strike Angle Description: The angle of the front foot as the front heel reaches the ground. Relative to the front edge of the rubber 7. Kinetic Link Description: The peak disassociation in degrees of the upper half of the body from the lower half / % of pitch cycle 8. Segment Contributions Description: Angles, velocities and displacements of the body s remaining contributing segments 9. Torso Rotation Description: % of stride length 10. Torso flexion & Velocity Description: Peak torso flexion and torso velocity on the x axis 11. Blocking Description: Foot strike knee angle and glove arm movement 12. Arm Action Description: Elbow Joint Angle at foot strike and release (degrees) Throwing / lead arm alignment (displacement angle between upper arms) Elbow / Shoulder acceleration Angle (height of elbow relative to should) Shoulder angle of arm relative to torso/spine (degrees) Horizontal Abduction External Rotation Hyper extension 13. Arm Velocity Description: Peak forearm, wrist, hand, finger and ball velocity 14. Release Point Description: How far away the ball is from the rubber and ground at release 15. Head Movement Description: Head movement on the X, Y & Z axis