Can your 90+mph pitcher jump 2 feet high?

While I think fitness, and strength are certainly common amongst most elite hard throwers, the vertical jump statement is a "myth".  The person stating it, makes a living by teaching "mainly" Olympic style lifts for his pitchers, thus it is part of his marketing approach.  I don't discount all the Bret states, however his 3x, Olympic weights, etc., is somewhat IMO "bologna".

 

CC Sabathia?  Heath Bell?

That's what I thought too...I have seen some BIG boys on the mound...but I also didn't see what they looked like in High School and College....hence the question.

Lol, I'd pay to see Sabathia, or Bartolo try it.

The way it is phrased would imply that if you can't jump 25 inches currently - you can't throw 90 currently.  Not sure if that is what he means, but it sure sounds like it to me.

 

Although I admit I don't know if 25 inches is really a big jump or not.  I'm over 40, probably 30 pounds overweight, and I can do it.  Just jumped up on my desk to test.  Guy in the office next to me thinks I've lost my mind.

Rob T...I will try to remember to add a disclaimer to my posts...DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME (or office)

The guy in the office next to you may be correct....can you have him video you and post?

ok Rob, u made me laugh out loud.

let us know how the Achilles surgery goes.  

Nope.  First rule of office hijinx is to never leave evidence behind. 

What are we in Vegas people?  VID-E-O.....VID-E-O.....VID-E-O!!!

 

 

The fun isn't over, yet. Vert is measured by measuring the highest point you can reach standing flat-footed, then measuring the highest point you can touch jumping straight up from flat-footed.

You may need one of those flag stands that they use at the NFL Combine... or just hang varying length streamers from the ceiling of your office.. Let us know how you fare on that one.

 

What mid atlantic said...  I have read this same thing.  I believe most athletic people have at least a 24" vertical.  Think of it this way if you can barely touch your 8 ft ceiling but you can touch a basketball rim then that is like having a 24" vertical.  So I think this is a chicken or the egg thing.  Do pitchers throw 90 BECAUSE their legs have some spring or do they throw 90 because.they have some athletic ability and most people with athletic ability can vertical 24".  Sort of like taking the LSAT.  if all 90mph pitchers are good athletes and all good athletes can jump 24 inches plus are all 90mph pitchers good athletes?   And if you read the question correctly the answer is no.  There is still some room for guys who are not overly 'athletic' to throw 90 mph.  My son's trainer who interned for cressey and is a cressy deciple believes much more in the lateral jumps - skater jumps, or maybe even broad jumps etc.  One thing that can not be questioned is getting power from your legs and driving quickly down hill leads to more velocity.  Does that necessarily have to equate to vertical jump?  No, but it usually does.  For the record I could do 24" - roughly 30 years ago!!

If I got a guy throwing 90 I could care less how high he jumps.  I want him throwing strikes past people.  

Coach I am sure we all agree with that.  But the spirit of the question is does it matter?  And then the implied question is should we be working on that in order to DEVELOP kids who throw 90.  I am not necessarily sold on the vertical thing but I am open minded and would not close the door on it either.  Anecdotally I will say my son's vertical has increased drastically increased through his workouts.  It was an unexpected bonus from his workouts designed for baseball.  He is 13 and probably around 18 to 20 inches far better than barely jumping over a nickel last year.  Could it be the same muscle groups are needed?  I will leave that to the experts but I will certainly follow these thoughts.

My son can has a 90 mph fast ball and can vertical  jump onto our breakfast bar which is 44 inches high with ease.  He is only 5'11. 

Not a universal truth. Mass + technique is universal.

So maybe it's not 24" but 36" minimum? :-)

Tom House has also suggested a possible correlation between jumping ability and velocity.  However, I think he MAY have been talking about standing broad jump rather than vertical jump.  

Athletic six footers can dunk these days. Touching the rim would be about a 30 inch vertical. Being able to dunk would be 36+. So a 24 inch vertical doesn't seem like much. Hell, I could dunk until I was 42.

Now you made me do it too (Jump on my desk)! I got the are you crazy stare

Glad to know I have inspired people to go out and jump on desks across this great land.

 

Anyway, I'm 6'3 250.  I can still touch the rim, but I haven't been able to dunk for about 50 pounds. My 5'10 son can touch the rim, but he's not touching 90.

Just to clarify with the hoops talk, the standard vert measurement is from a flat-footed starting position jumping straight up, not running down the lane.

I have seen a very large number of pitchers throw 90mph.  I have no idea how high any of them can jump.  I do know that some are more athletic than others.  I know that most people that can run fast, can also jump well.  And I also know that some Major League pitchers don't run very well.

Good post PG.
Pitchers dont practice at running or jumping!

I still have a 24" vertical and hit 70 at the fair last summer....so much for that theory. 

I grow as hard as I did forty years ago. But the pitch arrives later now.

Mine too...unfortunately that doesn't measure his vertical leap. He can grab the rim flat footed which is a good measureable. The college players do it at the NFL combine, starting flat footed and slapping the bars on the Vertec.

To much info RJM