I was sent this link to a story about the revolutionary changes in the Seattle Mariner's conditioning program. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2011184657_mariners_completely_overhaulin.html I do not know the the guy
who is implementing it, but I tip my hat to him. As I read it I could help but
compare to what we were doing twenty years ago with the Chicago White Sox. We
were doing all of this and more. In fact Don Wakamatsu, the manager of the Mariners was
a player in that system whose career was revived and saved by what we did. The
first day of spring training was devoted to testing. In the morning it was
physical tests in the afternoon it was physical therapy evaluations. From the
testing over the years we developed a database to physically profile each
position in baseball. This enabled us to design a development plan for each player.
In addition we used these profiles in the identification and drafting process
of the players. We used biomechanical analysis to devise and revise our
pitching conditioning program and design programs that met the needs of the
individual pitchers. We biomechanically analyzed the starting position and
running mechanics for baseball and came up with unified teaching methodology. Every player and pitcher in the minor leagues was required to
workout. The program was periodized based on the phase of the season. This
eliminated the staleness factor. The pitchers program was set-up in revolving
five day cycles for starters and a revolving seven-day cycle for the
relievers. We had a pitchers and
catchers mini camp in January to assess those players and make any adjustments
necessary for spring training. We had a sport psychologist working with us and
used the TAIS test to help identify the coaches and the players’ attentional
strengths and weaknesses. We had a nutrition program, although I will say this
part of the program lagged behind the rest of the program. We trained vision
early on with many of the things that people are calling cutting edge today and
found them not as effective as we were led to believe. Skill and physical development were developed concurrently. After the A ball level each player had a plan to allow them to develop their abilities. There are two players from this system still playing in the Major Leagues today, Maglio Ordonez and Mike Cameron. They are poster children for what a development program can accomplish.
I only had one assistant and he focused on rookie ball. That was
important to get the players oriented into the “White Sox” way of physical and
mental preparation for baseball. The trainers (ATC’s) were also the
conditioning coaches. I was in charge of the minor league trainers and
supervised the rehab. All the rehab of minor league players was done in-house
in Sarasota. We set up a complete system for tracking injuries and
productivity in terms of player days and pitcher days missed. Over the years
were able to show significant reduction in injuries and lost days due to
injuries. In nine years we only had five hamstring pulls and six groin pulls
that caused players to miss days. Look at that in the context of today’s
injuries and you can see we must have been doing something right.
Why did this
program work? Over the years I certainly have reflected on this. It worked
because the general manager Larry Himes who hired me and Al Goldis his farm and
scouting director gave unconditional support to the program. They involved me in
the scouting process, sending me to evaluate players along side the baseball
scout. It worked because I had control of the minor league trainers and was
considered equal in the organization to the uniform field coordinator. It worked because Steve Odgers was the
Major League conditioning guy, so that the major league players were on the
same page, in other words there was continuity. It worked because Dewey Robinson our
pitching coordinator believed in the program and made supervision of the pitchers
conditioning part of each pitching coaches responsibility. Above all it worked
because the players were sold on it. They worked their butts off.
Finally this
all begs the question - What happened? A change in administration brought a
return to a old school philosophy. They wanted me to cut back at a time when we
on the cusp of a real breakthrough, so rather than compromise I resigned the
position. Sometimes I look back nostalgically on what our team of professionals
was able to accomplish in a very traditional sport, in a sometimes hostile
environment and I smile. I wish the Marnier program all the success in the
world. I will be following their progress with great interest.
