Interesting article with insights about various body types. As the mother of a "short, light" MIF (as defined by the article), I'm encouraged!
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/does-size-matter/
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Size matters to many and not to others---if a kid can play does it really matter ?
As so many of us know, it doesn't really matter in the ability to "play".
But so many of us know that it sure does matter in the ability to "get noticed".
Infield08: Because perception is reality for so many people, I thank you for posting this. Maybe it will help to change the perceptions and then the reality for the "short, light MIF"...I have two!
But so many of us know that it sure does matter in the ability to "get noticed".
Infield08: Because perception is reality for so many people, I thank you for posting this. Maybe it will help to change the perceptions and then the reality for the "short, light MIF"...I have two!
Infield08,
Odd you would bring this subject up right as we were starting to write an article about a new PG employee.
Here is the unedited beginning of that article. It deals with more than one interesting topic here at the HSBBW. If short MIF are having a problem, just think about short RHPs.
Richie Lewis joins Perfect Game USA
Always one of baseball scouting’s most interesting topics revolves around the height of right hand pitching prospects. For the most part it is very true that the tall projectable RHP seems to be the first drafted. Richie Lewis was not the prototypical tall lanky RHP when he pitched at Florida State. In fact, to this date, Richie Lewis is one of the shortest players to ever pitch in the Major Leagues. At 5’6” tall he played for 7 years in the Big Leagues.
Height is one factor and now days another hot topic is about high pitch counts and lack of sufficient rest/recovery between appearances. Richie Lewis is second among all NCAA DI pitchers in strike outs with 532.
In the mid 1980s he threw 201 pitches in the first game of the year at LSU. In the College World Series he threw 175 pitches in the opening game and came back in relief two days later and then started and threw a complete game the next day. He then became the 44th pick of the draft in 1987, by the Montreal Expos. Lewis was a 5’6” power pitcher who would often walk the bases full while striking out the side. He had several arm surgeries including Tommie John more than once. His MLB career included stints with the Orioles, Marlins, Tigers, Athletics and the Reds.
Lewis has been inducted in the Florida State Hall of Fame. He graduated from South Side high school in Muncie, Indiana. He spent 2006 as the pitching coach for Columbus in the South Atlantic League. Lewis finished his 18 year professional playing career in 2003.
The most important thing that Richie Lewis brings to the table is hope. Hope, for the many undersized pitchers who are led to believe there is no future for them in professional baseball. Lewis was not only one of the shortest of all MLB pitchers he was also one that could be described as being abused by high pitch counts and insufficient recovery time. He has gone through the surgeries, the ups and the downs of a long baseball career. Once again, his official height is 5-foot-6!
Odd you would bring this subject up right as we were starting to write an article about a new PG employee.
Here is the unedited beginning of that article. It deals with more than one interesting topic here at the HSBBW. If short MIF are having a problem, just think about short RHPs.
Richie Lewis joins Perfect Game USA
Always one of baseball scouting’s most interesting topics revolves around the height of right hand pitching prospects. For the most part it is very true that the tall projectable RHP seems to be the first drafted. Richie Lewis was not the prototypical tall lanky RHP when he pitched at Florida State. In fact, to this date, Richie Lewis is one of the shortest players to ever pitch in the Major Leagues. At 5’6” tall he played for 7 years in the Big Leagues.
Height is one factor and now days another hot topic is about high pitch counts and lack of sufficient rest/recovery between appearances. Richie Lewis is second among all NCAA DI pitchers in strike outs with 532.
In the mid 1980s he threw 201 pitches in the first game of the year at LSU. In the College World Series he threw 175 pitches in the opening game and came back in relief two days later and then started and threw a complete game the next day. He then became the 44th pick of the draft in 1987, by the Montreal Expos. Lewis was a 5’6” power pitcher who would often walk the bases full while striking out the side. He had several arm surgeries including Tommie John more than once. His MLB career included stints with the Orioles, Marlins, Tigers, Athletics and the Reds.
Lewis has been inducted in the Florida State Hall of Fame. He graduated from South Side high school in Muncie, Indiana. He spent 2006 as the pitching coach for Columbus in the South Atlantic League. Lewis finished his 18 year professional playing career in 2003.
The most important thing that Richie Lewis brings to the table is hope. Hope, for the many undersized pitchers who are led to believe there is no future for them in professional baseball. Lewis was not only one of the shortest of all MLB pitchers he was also one that could be described as being abused by high pitch counts and insufficient recovery time. He has gone through the surgeries, the ups and the downs of a long baseball career. Once again, his official height is 5-foot-6!
I remember him well. Not for how tall he was but for how tough he was. That guy had electric stuff on the hill and would battle big time. I can only imagine what you had to do to overcome his height. No not really how about bringing the cheese and getting guys out at every level he ever played. Size matters but it does not determine the final outcome. The player does that.