MLB ‘Steroid Commissioner’ Gets HoF Nod

Posted on December 5, 2016 by admin

MLB’s 16-member Today’s Game Era Committee is an offshoot of the old Veterans Committee. It nominates non-playing personnel and players who were passed over during Baseball Writers Association of America election period.

Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Mark McGwire, Lou Piniella, John Schuerholz, Bud Selig and George Steinbrenner were the candidates considered by this committee for the 2017 Hall of Fame class.

These are the 16 people who make up that committee, which voted Bud Selig into the MLB HoF, against the expressed will of baseball fans everywhere. At least 12 of them voted for him:

Hall of Famers: Johnny Bench, Whitey Herzog, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Tony Pérez, Frank Robinson, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith

Executives: Bill Giles, David Glass, Andy MacPhail, Jerry Reinsdorf

Media: Bob Elliott, Tim Kurkjian, Ross Newhan, Tom Verducci

Bud Selig will be inducted, along with Atlanta Braves GM John Schuerholz and any players elected by the BBWAA (announced January 18) at Cooperstown, N.Y. on July 30– which also will be Selig’s 83rd birthday.

One can only see this for what it is– political horse-trading & backroom deal making. A straw poll on Bud Selig’s popularity among baseball fans would run 90+% negative. This is well-deserved for:

1.) Being the Steroid Commissioner
2.) Cancelling a season & World Series in 1994
3.) Attempting to contract the Montreal Expos & Minnesota Twins
4.) Bankrupting the Montreal Expos, then MLB’s subsequent gutting of the franchise from 2003-05 [1]
5.) The 2002 All-Star game hosted in Milwaukee, which was to be his triumphant farewell to a Brewers franchise he owned & mismanaged for over 20 years, which turned into a fiasco by going extra innings [!] with both managers running out of pitchers. Selig intervened by stopping the game, which ended in a tie & a hail of boos for the commissioner from the hometown crowd
6.) Refusing to be at the game when Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s career HR record, proving more his own gutlessness & lack of leadership than anything else

That’s just off the top of my head.

Selling MLB to Fox hasn’t helped the game in any way either; outside of enriching owners, management, and star veteran players. More exploding graphics, late starts, soaring prices and Joe Buck in our faces isn’t good for baseball. This is why many fans have turned to free advanced media to get around as much of the hype & commercialization as possible. It isn’t easy.

What Selig did best was make money for the owners, and the owners are the ones who control the game– including the HoF committees. That’s how Selig breezes in on his 1st ballot, when an entire generation of all-time great players are shut out. [2]

This hypocrisy is simply class struggle, as this is a labor/ownership issue, with management & the media co-opted as tools to control & scapegoat the players. The message sent in the Selig (& Schuerholz) HoF selection is, ownership & management take no responsibility for the PED era– it’s all on the players. That position is irrational, contrary to the facts, and insulting to the intelligence of baseball fans everywhere. When bootlicks like Richard Justice apologize for this garbage, they need to be shouted down. [3]

Baseball fans everywhere are disgusted by this selection, and the only way towards improvement is for fans to start speaking their minds, and more importantly with the wallets. These institutions need to be ruthlessly exposed for their corruption, no longer deserving of fan support. That is the only message the people running the game will understand. It is the only path towards the betterment of the game.

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Padres Clean House & Amputate

Posted on December 3, 2016 by admin

Norris returns to Nats in deal with Padres 12-2-16 5:47 PM ET
Derek Norris had about as tough a season as any catcher could have in 2016. The entire Padres rotation was disabled and/or traded. Their All-Star closer (Fernando Rodney) was also traded. Due to service time issues and a hand injury to top catching prospect Austin Hedges, Norris was forced to carry too much of the load, as backup Christian Bethancourt is still a liability behind the plate. Teams can’t have poor defense from the most valuable defensive position, which directly affects the entire pitching staff. Norris is a bounce-back candidate because he’s going to a much better team with competitive depth. This is another nifty move by Padres GM AJ Preller to clear roster room & salary, while adding value.

AJP waited as long as he could and found a situation in Washington to maximize his return with a high-upside young Latin American arm. Preller is essentially continuing his summer selling spree. and will now seriously shop Ryan Buchter & Brad Hand, two of the most valuable commodities on the market: effective & cost-controlled lefty relievers. AJP will be looking for big prospect hauls, or no deal. The alternative is big $$$ free-agent closers, which is a volatile and costly market, so there should be plenty of interest.

The Derek Norris trade also ends any irrational speculation of AJP being unable to make deals after his MLB suspension. Everyone who paid attention now knows it was an old-school vendetta from East-coast teams whom he had made look foolish on a scouting level. The fallout from the MLB suspension was Padres team president Mike Dee being fired, which has strengthened AJ Preller’s position in the organization. Dee’s replacement has yet to be announced.

SD’s Ross non-tendered, now a free agent. Righty had October surgery; Pirela, Amarista, Sanchez, Edwards and Johnson let go 12-2-16 ~9:00 PM ET

Shoulder injuries are high risk, and the thoracic outlet surgery to correct Tyson Ross’ problem is still healing. In addition, there’s rehabilitation & strengthening of the shoulder capsule, which will take him into the summer (at least) before he’s possibly able to pitch. That’s not worth the money (~$10M) as he was going to be in his walk year. AJ Preller had a chance to trade Tyson Ross in 2015, but held out.

What really cost the Padres with Ross was not getting an early diagnosis. If they had figured it out early, then the surgery could have taken place in time for him to be ready for 2017. Tyson Ross was hurt on Opening Day, and the Padres medical staff didn’t even get a diagnosis until September. That incompetence stung the Padres organization– big time.

I am not around Tyson Ross & the Padres, but I recall reading for months in their MLB forum about “shoulder tightness” and “fatigue issues” which are conditions & symptoms. The Padres were rehabilitating without knowing the cause of the problem. By early summer the Padres had Ross throwing again, even featuring his slider against medical orders according to manager Andy Green.

Part of this debacle was hard-headedness on Tyson Ross. He also set himself back by injuring his ankle in a hotel room, so there are red-flags about his head and what he’s thinking, but the major issue was the Padres medical staff not diagnosing the condition sooner. That is their job, and it took far too long to figure out a problem which has affected others, and has precedence in sports-medicine. All this cost the Padres $9.625M in 2016, and leaves them without the front-line starter they were expecting to have through 2017.

Final Notes: A new MLB CBA was ratified on the eve of its expiration, and will run through 2021. The major takeaway from a business standpoint is the change in the International draft system, where each team now gets $5-6M/year, with a hard spending cap. The Padres are penalized for the 2017-18 period, and can’t spend over $300,000 on any player they sign, but with the hard cap now in place, that hurts much less than it would under the previous system. Padres CEO Ron Fowler was leading the negotiations for the owners. A.J Preller played it perfectly knowing the system would be scrapped and revised under the new CBA, grabbing the lion’s share of the most-talented prospect crop under the old rules.

This was the most contentious of the labor issues, as several Latin American players voiced their opinions at the bargaining table concerning the exploitative nature of this annual third world talent grab by MLB.

Jon Jay signed with the Chicago Cubs for 1yr/$8M. The Federalist is a winning player, who is undervalued. The San Diego outfield youth movement now has room to sort itself out. If Jay hadn’t been beaned in the wrist by Gnats RHP Gio Gonzalez, he probably would have been flipped at the deadline. Jon Jay was leading the league in doubles with an excellent OBP when he got hurt. Many Cardinals fans this past season talked about how they still root for the Federalist, and I imagine many Padres will now do the same. The Cubs grabbed the perfect guy (at a bargain) to fill CF, and that makes them the team to beat again– already.

Compared to Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Mark Trumbo, etc… (albatross contracts waiting to happen, due to their age and defensive liabilities), Jon Jay is a steal and proves the brains running the Cubs will keep them in front for the foreseeable future. Staying away from most of the remaining free agent market, is required for GM’s serious about winning. Smart GM’s save their budget and deal from strength at the 7/31 deadline, for what their team needs most.

MLB article “Non-tendered players hit free-agent market” is a good early list of low-level free agents, of which pitchers will draw the most interest. AJP now has an extra $20M or so to spend in a very thin market. This will be another interesting Padres off-season, where trades will be the primary vehicle for competitive teams improving, as the free agent market is mostly barren & very costly. AJ Preller also has Padres fans guessing who he is going to take in the Rule 5 draft, with the 3rd pick on December 8. Preview at “10 intriguing names for the Rule 5 Draft.” Remember, AJP made a record four selections last year and two are still on their 40-man roster– RHP Luis Perdomo & OF Jabari Blash.

Padres reveal lineup of 2017 uniforms 11-22-16

Padres need brown in their uniforms for continuity with their nickname. The Milwaukee Brewers are another organization that had an awesome look (ingenious 70’s/80’s logo design with the glove & ball being the ‘M’ & ‘B’), and threw it away for a generic one. You have to have brown in the Padres uniforms, otherwise it doesn’t make sense. The debate is between yellow or orange as its compliment. More money than brains making these decisions. Who, specifically designed & approved this? This is supposed to be the easy part of franchise building.

Rule 5 Draft Results 12-8-16:

3. Padres: Allen Cordoba, SS, Cardinals is their major Rule 5 pick of 2016.
AAA phase: Padres had the 2nd pick and took Trevor Frank, RHP, Indians
Linked is a brief bio on Allen Cordoba, who just turned 21 and hasn’t played above rookie ball. [1]

This is an intriguing selection, and it would be a bigger jump than RHP Luis Perdomo made last year. Cardinals fans and personnel are probably not loving AJP, after looting them again. Cordoba provides depth behind Luis Sardinas.

AJ Preller also traded for the top 2 Rule 5 picks, right-hander Miguel Diaz from the Brewers, catcher Luis Torrens from the Yankees. AJP got the top 3 picks in the Rule 5 Draft, which is unprecedented. The cost of a Rule 5 pick increased from $50,000 to $100,000, and from $25,000 to $50,000 for returning a player, in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Total cost for the Padres claiming the top three Rule 5 picks (& a AAA selection) is $324,000, plus the cash to Minnesota & Cincinnati– who also get a PTBNL.

Round 1
1. Twins: Miguel Diaz, RHP, Brewers No. 21 prospect
2. Reds: Luis Torrens, C, Yankees No. 17 prospect
3. Padres: Allen Cordoba, SS, Cardinals No. 19 prospect

The Padres didn’t lose anybody, so Preller did a great job managing & protecting his roster. He’ll probably let the market settle a bit more before he moves in on free agent pitching. AJP filled his 3rd catcher & backup infielder slots with these selections, obtaining the top available starting pitcher as well. Tell me that isn’t impressive work?

Padres complete trade for Rule 5 pick Torrens
Friars send VanMeter, cash to Reds for catcher 12-9-16
Josh VanMeter is now listed as a 3B, and hit .198/.248/.274 in just over 100 PA’s at AA San Antonio in 2016. He’ll be 22 next spring and is way behind for his age– likely destined to be a career minor-leaguer. This and $500-$700k (best guess) is what it cost the Padres for the top 3 picks in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft, all of whom were top-30 prospects from organizations with deep farm systems: MIL, NYY & STL.

With the Winter Meetings over, the Mariners, Twins & Pirates will be competing with the Padres for FA pitching bargains. For the 2017 Padres, only 1B Wil Myers & 3B Yangervis Solarte (thanks NYY) are proven. Fans are hopeful on long-time prospects C Austin Hedges & RF Hunter Renfroe, as well as newbie CF Manny Margot (Kimbrel trade). They are going with Luis Sardinas and a Rule 5 utility guy at SS. Christian Bethancourt and Rule 5 pick Luis Torrens make 3 catchers, with some interesting flexibility for Andy Green. LF needs a bat, with Alex Dickerson being the best internal option at this point, and Travis Jankowski as a 4th outfielder– until he learns to hit lefties. Second base is still a bit of a mystery as Ryan Schimpf was incredibly productive at the plate for half a season, but his defense was fair-to-poor. Cory Spangenberg will be ready, but who knows what to expect from him at this point? Fans only hope he stays healthy, which leads to off-season priority 1A (after acquiring starting pitching), which is cleaning up & improving the medical staff. The Padres invested ~$75M in the J2 draft, with many of these young prospects being pitchers. The Amateur & Rule 5 drafts have also yielded high-upside pitchers for the Padres under AJP. These arms are potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars, if they can be kept attached. The point is, with these investments in talent it’s critical to their development to keep them healthy. If that fails, then all this planning & hard work has been for naught.

The most veteran player on the current Padres roster is Carter Capps, with 4+ years of MLB service who is Arb2 in 2017. Every other player is Arb1 or less, giving this team payroll flexibility, especially as the dead money moves off the books. Every Padres fan needs to know this schedule: 2017 $31M, 2018 $20M, 2019 $10.5M, 2020 $8.5M. That’s the cost of foolish handouts (Byrnes/Gyorko) and FA splurging (Fowler group/AJP for Kemp & Shields).

Final Padres off-season thoughts: Four teams have dealt with AJP since his suspension: Nats, Twins/Angels & Reds. New Twins GM Thad Levine even went so far as to say, “Working with San Diego in this regard was extremely beneficial because they’re very creative.” See: Twins trade for RHP Haley in Rule 5 Draft 12-8-16. It was a very creative deal as the Twins got the pitcher they wanted (for free, paid for by SD), the Angels got some cash, and the Padres got the pitcher they wanted for a few extra hundred thousand dollars. Win-win-win. The only wariness other GM’s need to have in dealing with Preller is that he is a shark.

There are only 3 teams in which relationships between organizations were damaged by AJ Preller’s various dealings: the Red Sox, White Sox & Marlins.

I believe GM Dave Dombrowski would make another deal with Preller, if they needed say (ace lefty relievers) Brad Hand or Ryan Buchter, because Boston is always in it to win it and will do whatever they feel is necessary, putting hurt feelings aside.
The White Sox would be tougher to deal with, because they really feel burned on the James Shields deal, which they were. It was just a bad trade, no medical issues there, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf won’t forget it. That’s a family organization and the front office will have its orders, so any attempts to deal with them will likely be fruitless, as their price will always be too high for AJP.
The Marlins I believe will refuse to ever deal with AJP again. Preller made their front office look foolish three times in 2016, once in the Fernando Rodney deal and twice in a few days with the Cash Out & then the Colin Rea trade-back. This is a petty & narrow-minded organization, owned by a complete scoundrel. It’s too bad because they had a nice team in 2016, until bad trades (then the Jose Fernandez tragedy) ruined it.

Jose Fernandez 1992-2016

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The Ambidextrous Athlete

Posted on November 26, 2016 by admin

Ambidextrous athleticism & functional strength go hand in hand. It is impossible to achieve maximum body strength without ambidexterity.

If the hips & back are a mess, then nothing significant can be done in athletics. Pain sources must be diagnosed, then released for any muscular rebuilding to occur. The epidemic problem of hip injuries has been discussed at length in earlier articles [1], as well as its rehabilitation protocol [2]. Applying ambidextrous sports training can help in this discovery and rehabilitation process, as the athlete is now opening up their entire body by using both sides repetitively & vigorously.

This article will speak in terms of right-handed being the ‘dominant & preferred’ side, and the left as being the ‘weak & off’ side, in order to maintain continuity. Lefties– reverse it.

Long-term statistical analysis of MLB records which go back over 100 years, prove conclusively that athletic peak is age 27. By the time a human has reached 30, he/she is well past that prime. Therefore any individual’s focus should shift from peak athletic achievement, towards maintaining health for life.

Most recreational athletes cease competitive activity by age 30, and have fallen apart by age 50. This is mostly because they never learned to be great athletes, and therefore have poor mechanics, even when it comes to their favorite sports. This leads to injuries which get progressively worse, then the breakdown of the dominant side of their body. Meanwhile, there is an unused left side which is neglecting into atrophy, yet in much healthier condition.

Games that can (and should) be used to develop ambidexterity include basketball, soccer & tennis. Any competent youth basketball or soccer coach will tell their kids they must be right & left-handed/footed, otherwise they are only half a player. Actually without these skills, you are less than half a player, as it is impossible to be fluid & powerful with an overdeveloped right side and an underdeveloped left side.

For a tennis player with tennis elbow or a right shoulder injury, putting a racket in their left hand and starting over is more than most macho maniacs can take, but it’s actually how to recover without surgery. Rotator cuff surgery is a sports-career wrecker, so it’s best to do everything possible to avoid it.

Ambidexterity starts with correct form and mechanics, which means taking it slowly to start, and using each training session as purposeful rehabilitation. This leads to steady improvements on BOTH sides of the body. The injured right side is being rested, while the once-atrophied left side is now being strengthened & honed. This develops better overall coordination with rapid improvements in mechanics, muscle gain & fat loss. Peak efficiency can now be approached, as previously-unused muscle groups now provide real work & stabilization. With a healthy & balanced body, much of the ‘thinking’ and ‘negative self-talk’ during competition goes away, and many of the previous performance problems are now solved.

Note: One of the biggest deterrents to ambidexterity for most athletes is their pride. Most male athletes have a HUGE fear of looking bad in front of others. When they stink in front of others, they shrivel up. This cuts them to the quick, which leads to the trash talking & carrying on you see everywhere today, all to deflect inadequacies. This type of ‘athlete’ will never attempt anything as serious as what I’m proposing. The point for these posers is to always look good on the field/court, at any cost, then cover up the rest with bullshit. As their saying goes, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you place the blame.”

The truth is, wherever there are sports injuries there are reasons. It’s usually either 1) traumatic injury, and/or 2) improper repetitive mechanics. The serious athlete needs to look at this left side as an unused canvas. This is their chance to start over (with experience & knowledge!), on a clean slate. As the athlete progresses with sustained focus, inefficiencies will inevitably show up and left-side muscular breakdowns will occur. These breakdowns need to be scrutinized as likely the same mistakes were made on the right side. This allows healing to flow back and forth, through the body. Every athlete should become a student of anatomy. There are so many muscles in the human body, with most of the focus on chest and extremities, to the point that the major core muscles (which really matter for functional strength), are often ignored– even by top athletes.

Sports are most enjoyed by its participants when they are a pain-free experience, or at least as much as possible. This means avoiding the chemical route and its nasty side-effects, many of which are unknown to the user until long after usage has ceased.

Today it is basically a consensus of elite athletes and their sports organizations which prefers surgeries & pharmacology as their primary injury-management tool. While there have been revolutionary advances in these scientific fields, their real-world application can be most-accurately defined as abusive over-prescription. The sheer number of surgeries for sports injuries, weight loss and other ‘cosmetic’ procedures is a complete disaster for consumers, who continue to be unhealthy at record-setting rates. Globally we now have a whole subgroup of people who are addicted to this culture, and this is presented as normal– even desirable, when in fact it is deeply pathological.

All surgeries contains inherent risk, including the most common risk-outcome of making the situation worse for the patient. Too often this is the result, as the cutting of bone, ligaments and cartilage (with its resultant scarring) is a common pathway to future disability. Eventually the surgeons say there’s nothing they can do, and it’s chronic pain as a daily reality.

The only way to avoid this and maintain any semblance of youth into middle age & beyond, is to follow these outlined recommendations, which are based on science. Nutrition, work/stress management, and exercise must all be balanced. As you become more ambidextrous, you will become more balanced in everything. This is the true path towards health & wisdom.

This ‘Fountain of Youth’ is inside of all of us, but it is only something one can achieve thorough due diligence & hard work. It means remaining pure of heart and being open to new ideas. It takes steady purpose and focused intelligence to push through the pain & ridicule one must endure to achieve ambidexterity, but once this status has been achieved, it outshines everything else.

Eventually we all give way into the eternal cosmic ash, but knowing that one was the best they could be is an existence to admire. As we age we are supposed to get wiser, but this only happens when we learn life’s most valuable lessons. Ambidexterity is a life skill, which means that it helps the individual in all things. Working towards this ideal balance & synergy brings out the best in our humanity.

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San Diego Padres 2016 Wrap-up

Posted on September 29, 2016 by admin

Last game @ Petco tonight, in this toughest of seasons for the Padres. This team (currently 68-90) will have to fight for 70 wins & avoiding the NL West cellar (ARZ), but they will be much better for it going forward. The Padres opponents tonight are the NL West champion LA Dodgers. It’s been a long, but winning season for the Dodgers, who now have a suspect starting rotation (due to injuries) behind ace LHP Clayton Kershaw.

Dodgers also have an inconsistent run-producing lineup, led (and too often carried) by ROY Corey Seager. On the plus side, they do have good defense– rated 2nd in the NL in efficiency, behind the Cubs. Overall, the Dodgers look a bit thin matching-up against the Nationals in the divisional round, but the Gnats have never won anything themselves, so it could be an interesting series.

Padres finished just above league-average defensively, mostly due to their innovative use of shifting by new manager Andy Green. The Padres shifted more than any other team in MLB in 2016, and gained a huge advantage in outs recorded. Many Padres defenders individually were average (at best), or poor including: 3B Yangervis Solarte, RF Matt Kemp, second base, shortstop, and most of their bench.

Padres were last in the NL in OBP & 13th in SLG, yet they were 10th in runs scored. Again this is a testament to Andy Green & GM A.J. Preller working together with advanced metrics in everything, as the Padres offense had no business being as productive as it actually was. Their aggressiveness on the bases, in all aspects netted them several wins over the course of the season. Padres fans loved it.

Their GM traded away all their pitching by the 8/1 deadline, then acquired more-productive pitchers off the waiver wire in RHP Paul Clemens & LHP Clayton Richard. This cost savings allowed splurges in the amateur & international drafts, reaping a bonanza of talent for the organization. The Padres finished 10th in the NL in ERA, just behind PIT & STL.

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Rule 5 selection Luis Perdomo, age 23, threw 146.2 IP and survived the season with an ERA of 5.71. His 60+% ground-ball rate was the best in MLB for starters. Most likely he’ll be the Padres opening day starter in 2017, with the health status of RHP Tyson Ross still in question?

Padres would love for Clemens and Richard to return at affordable deals, but it’s a barren pitching market so they may receive significant offers elsewhere. They may have a better chance of thriving in San Diego, but they’re each certainly better than RHP Edwin Jackson, who is finishing off his overpay contract with the Cubs in San Diego. If the Padres can get RHP Jared Cosart (acquired in the Marlins ‘Cash Out’) healthy & right, he could be a rotation horse.

We’ll see what Preller, Green, pitching coach Darren Balsley, and their medical staff can come up with. Pitching is the crux of any future success. Padres must develop power arms and keep them healthy, if they are ever to consistently compete for a World Series.

Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

The last Dodgers/Padres tilt of 2016 signals the end of Vin Scully & Dick Enberg behind the microphone, two of the All-time Golden Voices. Each are amazing & incomparable in their resume & style. Each will be missed & forever loved by sports fans everywhere.

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Final Wrap-up: 10-2-16

Tough season for the Padres, and their fans knew it was over after the first series, getting shut-out 26-0 vs. the Dodgers @ Petco. 3B Yangervis Solarte got hurt the next series against Colorado (pulling his hamstring rounding first base), and RHP Tyson Ross never pitched after opening day. Lots of work to be done in San Diego. Player development & medical issues– mainly keeping their pitchers healthy, are priorities after their talent-grab this year.

At some point after the trade deadline when RHP Luis Perdomo pitched, there were 6 rookies in the Padres starting lineup. The Padres staff to start the season was Ross, Shields, Cashner, Pomeranz & Rea: 3 traded & 2 DL’d. How this team didn’t lose 100 games is mostly about Andy Green, and some great dumpster acquisitions by AJP in 2B Schimpf, RHP Clemens, LHP Richard & SS Sardinas.

Padres ended up with the 3rd worst record in MLB at 68-94, behind the Twins & Reds. This determines their slot order for the next Rule 5, Amateur & International drafts; as well as priority for any waivers claims, in which AJP has proven very effective. He’s possibly the best GM at evaluating talent in the game right now, and he owns high-slot picks for all the upcoming drafts.

The International draft will surely be modified, as the current MLB collective bargaining agreement (2012-16) is set to expire. New rules will surely be set in place for the this draft, to ensure one team doesn’t acquire 30% of the top talent all to itself– the way AJ Preller did this 2016-17 signing period for the Padres. [1]

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

One final off-season note: baseball fans should push to eliminate the DH under the new CBA. Papi is retiring, and David Ortiz was the best remaining argument for the DH. The DH has been kept in place by the MLBPA because it’s a high-salary, veteran player position. Unions like that. Unfortunately, the DH creates unfair AL line-ups, which abuse & destroy pitching.

It’s too much of a high-payroll advantage for the Boston Red Sox to start LHP David Price, and allow David Ortiz to hit for him. That’s 2 HoFer’s in one player, with no penalty for Ortiz’s bad defense. Also, the DH allows far too much throwing at hitters with no repercussions, since AL pitchers don’t bat. It’s not real baseball, and owners are going to want the savings. We’ll see…

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The Corruption of Modern Sports

Posted on September 24, 2016 by admin

I write about sports a lot, and here is why? First of all, I love sports and have always good at them. John McEnroe once stated in an interview, “I never met a sportswriter who didn’t want to be a professional athlete.”

In that pearl of wisdom, McEnroe summed up the male ego aspect of sports reporting, in which every sportswriter is a ‘wanna-be athlete’ at heart. This shows up usually in the forms of ignorance & bias, which have been discussed at length already. [1] [2]

I must say in reply to McEnroe: I’ve seen very few professional athletes who DIDN’T think they would be good journalists or broadcasters. I freely admit I wanted to be a professional athlete when I was young, but injuries & other circumstances took me in another direction. There are literally millions of these ‘failed athlete’ stories, everywhere. What’s special is that so few people actually care to find out why so many of these young boys & girls are being injured. [3]

These youth injuries are mostly the result of ignorance in medical science, and an obsessive desire to win-at-all-costs, from the bulk of the youth sports coaches. Most youth-level coaches are dads, who themselves are ‘failed athletes’ bringing their lack of skills & knowledge to a new generation. The motive to coach is (nearly) always nepotism, as they all stop coaching when their kid advances past their coaching level.

This is likely the main reason skills are largely lacking in ALL sports in America, despite the now-widespread availability of top-level instructional video via the Internet.

Shown above is a nearly-perfect serve from Serena Williams, broken down in super slow motion, with all the analysis one needs. Every tennis coach in the world should use this video (or a similar version from Federer, etc…) to teach the proper technique to maximize power & skill, while avoiding injuries. Yet, most U.S. tennis instructors won’t even think to use something like this, as their own ego is their master. That largely explains why there is no American ‘heir apparent’ to Serena in women’s tennis.

I learned much of this when I was young, so as a middle-aged adult I have no regrets about my life in recreational sports. I am simply an athlete. I’m not a professional one, and much happier for that. Professional sports is a tightrope walk for an entire career, competing against the best, to become the best. That is how the best think.

That is also what drives them past the edge, when it comes to PED’s and other forms of cheating & unethical behavior. Eventually, everything comes down to winning, and ALL the best athletes (in every sport) are faced with this dilemma: do I lie & cheat to win? It’s the proverbial Faustian deal, and it always haunts the athlete; whether it’s detrimental health side-effects & pain/addiction cycles, or the threat of blackmail and eventual public disgrace from those insiders who know, and always tell in the end.

I don’t regret my failed attempt to be a serious professional athlete, having to compete against this mentality, which is 90+% of the way top athletes think & act. I’d rather be able to actively enjoy my life into (and past) middle age. The demands & stress on those striving to be the best causes many of them to immediately go into ‘breakdown mode’ upon retirement. Notice how many former top athletes are overweight & unhealthy-looking in their middle age?

I’ve written about the NFL [4] [5], NBA [6] [7], soccer [8], tennis & the Olympics [9] [10]. MLB is my main sports beat, with the San Diego Padres as the home team. Why the Padres? Because they are my new favorite team, and they get very little coverage in mainstream sports media. [11]

Baseball is the most historical game, with precise accountability, making it the best sport for connecting deeper social narratives. Baseball, like all other sports, has been overrun by greedy billionaires, commercialism, militarism, and entitled ‘superstar’ athletes.

I spend time on all this because these ideas need to be discussed and understood. Right now, what is published on this site is considered ‘unmentionable’ in mainstream sports media. Everyone mouths the truth, “Sports is a business,” and then immediately goes back to cheerleading their favorite teams and/or athletes.

All the staging for a sports event, with the incessant advertising & hype around it, are choreographed with specific ideological intentions. Values promoted by Madison Avenue in sports broadcasting include: alcohol use as a lure for sex, expensive & powerful motor vehicles for affirmation, militarism & conformity– all through brand association with top athletes. The best example of this is in NASCAR, which I’ve covered in great detail. [12] [13] [14]

Fantasy sports is a huge problem of sports addiction, meeting gambling addiction. Fantasy started in MLB, but is now most popular (by far) in the NFL. ESPN has been featuring Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournaments for over 10 years now, leading to all kinds of confusion over what is a sport, and what are the benefits of gambling? [15]

In short, Americans are addicted to sports. This wanna-be complex has destroyed the minds & bodies of several promising generations. Addiction to celebrity culture & winning is a crisis of capitalism, in which nothing matters except the brass ring. There is no longer any morality or ethics when it comes to professional sports, and when one realizes that every college, high school & youth league organization takes its cue for the professional leagues, then the magnitude of this human disaster starts to come into focus.

As a society, we must STOP pushing our children towards sports glory & professional athletic aspirations. In the vast majority of cases, it is one (or both) parents(s) pushing their own dreams upon their children. The child ends up resenting their parents, and either 1) gets hurt & gives up sports; and/or 2) ends up absorbing the values & methods of their hated father/mother when they reach adulthood.

Sports are about fun, fitness & healthy interaction. Those are its best values which need to be re-embraced. Money corrupts everything under capitalism. Therefore, the filth that seethes around professional sports must be rejected as a mortal threat to a healthy human society. If universal rottenness is the fate of our sports & recreation, then what prospects do we have in political economy & the rest?

The message is: Never give up on yourself as an athlete. Never cease maintaining & improving your level of overall fitness. [16] Do this without delusions of grandeur, unless you are already a genius:

Become a student of anatomy & physiology. Stay away from the pharmacology, as much as possible– all drugs have side-effects which is a serious issue. Pursue internal vs. external goals.

This is what a true athlete does.

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Shifting & Drifting: NASCAR Chase Nonsense

Posted on September 22, 2016 by admin

NASCAR kicked off it’s 2016 ‘Chase for the Cup’ at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend. The best promoter for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 was (as usual), a non-Chase driver:

The actual race was a microcosm of the entire 2016 NASCAR season, as Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota’s were the fastest cars in the field. Martin Truex, Jr. (#78) is not officially affiliated with JGR, but his Furniture Row Racing team receives plenty of support and he is considered a ‘5th driver’ for Gibbs Racing.

The story on Sunday was #78 dominance on the track, then its failing the post-race laser inspection station (LIS). The LIS measures tolerances for aerodynamics of the car body, which are set by NASCAR. Jimmie Johnson (#48 Hendricks Racing) also failed post-race LIS. Under the existing rules, as ‘P2’ penalty would have to have been enforced on both drivers, with the 10-point deduction being more severe for Johnson, who would have been in immediate danger of missing the next round of cuts in the Chase.

NASCAR couldn’t let that happen to one of their most-popular drivers, so it changed the rules (again) in the middle of the season to clear both Martin Truex, Jr & Jimmie Johnson. This is the final NASCAR penalty report from Chicagoland 2016:

As you can (or can’t) see, #16 Greg Biffle & #43 Aric Almirola (both non-Chase drivers) were assessed the severest sanctions, P3 penalties for a missing lug nut and a broken stud. Newly-modified rules on lug nuts are already being pushed to (and past) their limits by many teams. Six to eight cars are chosen at random for post-race inspection. How random, is anyone’s guess? If every car was inspected after every race, surely more than half wouldn’t pass an inspection at this point.

NASCAR just announced that it will change its post-race inspection penalty structure for infractions stemming from the LIS, eliminating the P2 and P3 levels for those violations. The P4 level for LIS infractions remains, and violations at this level will remain “encumbered.” NASCAR is the only sport I know that constantly changes its rules during its regular & play-off season. [1]

NASCAR defines the concept of an ‘encumbered victory,’ meaning a driver would keep the trophy but would lose the other benefits of a win, meaning it would not ensure advancement to the next round of the Chase. The idea is to discourage blatant infractions of the rules, but still allow cheating at a certain level. The drivers and their teams are already two steps ahead of this NASCAR rule-tweaking, you can be sure. [2]

Note that having the fastest car doesn’t make Truex the best driver. Not by a long-shot. Check out his performance in NASCAR ScanAll starting at 2:45. [3]

2:45: #78 Martin Truex Jr. (the fastest car all day) crawls up her ass and exclaims, “Get that (expletive) #10 car out of the way. I want the bottom.”
2:48: #10 Danica Patrick (at the top of the track, up against the wall) says to her spotter, “I give these guys the bottom lane and it just confuses them I think.”

She’s correct, and once again proven a better driver than the race winner (and current Chase leader); she just has no speed in her team or car. Typical NASCAR nonsense, and this is how some people feel about them and their HQ in Charlotte right now:

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How to Take Down a Genius

Posted on September 18, 2016 by admin

MLB’s 30-day suspension of San Diego Padres GM A.J. Preller for no explained reason is stunning. What’s even more strange are the continuing reports of possible further sanctions against Preller & the Padres organization. Can the Padres be punished twice without an official explanation? It seems it may be possible in this bizarro sports-media world.

This leads to the question: why are so many people out to get A.J. Preller?

In my summary coverage of this year’s MLB trade deadline, I wrote about the consequences of what A.J. Preller did, which was control an entire trade season up through the deadline. He dumped everything he needed to unload (Shields, Upton, Cashner & primarily Matt Kemp), while killing the market for much of the rest. He owned most of the available pitching, and brilliantly timed & maximized each deal. I also mentioned there would be repercussions, and here they are. [1]

Preller’s most controversial deal was the ‘Cash Out’ which deserves close scrutiny. At least 10-12 teams were interested in RHP Andrew Cashner as the 8/1 deadline approached. A few dropped out, but at least half a dozen were still interested when the deal to Miami was announced. It was a shocker to Padres fans, as rookie RHP Colin Rea was included. The Padres were never shopping him, and he was approaching his innings limit. Skipping starts and/or shutting him down, became issues discussed in the Padres fan forums. Note, these are people with ZERO inside knowledge concerning scouting or team medical, and yet they knew more than the Miami GM, front office, scouting & medical staff.

Marlin’s GM & team president Mike Hill was interviewed during their broadcast that evening, saying how pleased they were to not only get Andrew Cashner, but “also Colin Rea for many years to come.” Rea was then rushed onto the mound the next evening for the pitching-desperate Marlins, and after 3.1 IP, his right elbow ligament snapped. The Marlins then screamed ‘damaged goods’ as loudly as they could. AJP was compelled to revisit the deal, and took Rea back in exchange for the A-level reliever prospect in the original deal. The Padres received RHP Jared Cosart, closer Carter Capps (recovering from TJ surgery) and top 1B prospect Josh Naylor– for 2 months of Andrew Cashner.

Cashner is 1-4 in eight starts with the Marlins, with an ERA of 6.13 as of this writing. He’s had blister issues in Miami. He’s had nearly every other kind of injury issue in San Diego, so a ‘damaged goods’ claim won’t hold here. Padres fans are glad their GM doesn’t have to worry about making a qualifying free-agent offer to this bum. Simply bad deal-making by the Marlins who overpaid on Cashner. They probably lost this deal twice, by insisting the Padres immediately take Colin Rea back. Rea is rehabilitating without surgery (for now), and will likely be ready for 2018 either way. That’s probably more valuable than a reliever prospect, even one who throws 100 MPH. This was finalized before the deadline on Monday, August 1; and the Marlins didn’t even bother for a MRI on Colin Rea.

So Preller invents a way to win a deal twice, and the Marlins season goes down the tubes immediately after. Guess who’s help responsible? Certainly not the incompetent GM’s. Preller managed to scoop up ~30% of the top talent during this year’s International Draft, which will give the Padres a huge competitive advantage for years to come. That wasn’t supposed to happen. For all this & more, A.J. Preller (the genius) is punished.

The biggest reason ex-Padres pitchers don’t do well for their new teams is pitching coach Darren Balsley. Andy Green is a brilliant young manager, but Balsley is long-recognized as one of the best. LHP Drew Pomeranz was acquired from the A’s (by AJP) in the off-season for 1B Yonder Alonso. Padres were in need of starters entering 2016, so an open competition was created. Pomeranz had here-to-fore been a reliever, but he went into Green’s office and asked for an opportunity to start. He did very well, and made the rotation as their #4 starter out of spring training.

He steadily listened & learned, and by mid-season he was their best starter. Pomeranz wasn’t initially selected for the ASG, but was added when Clayton Kershaw went on the DL. Green & Preller encouraged NL manager Terry Collins to use him in the game (played in SD), when many managers didn’t even want their pitchers used. Drew Pomeranz pitched a clean inning, and it turned out to be a showcase, as he was flipped to the Red Sox before his next start.

Drew Pomeranz was never hurt, and this whole MLB investigation/punishment is about Preller fleecing the Red Sox (and a few other teams), that did a poor job SCOUTING. There were no unknown injuries to Fernando Rodney, James Shields, Drew Pomeranz or Andrew Cashner. The Padres immediately took back Colin Rea, with the understanding that was to be the end of it. As it turns out, some East-coast people lied about that. The Red Sox accusing any other team of cheating is beyond hypocritical. [2]

The real issue is the Red Sox were expecting a #2 starter for top RHP prospect Anderson Espinoza, and they got a #3/4 instead. Preller sold high on Pomeranz, which is what a good GM does. As far as the accusation of “doctoring up medical records to make their players look better to the opposition”, here it seems comparable to washing & detailing a used car before selling it. If either seller doesn’t do this, they’re a loser and everyone knows it. Most importantly, it’s the buyers’ obligation to look carefully & extensively under the hood before any final agreement.

That’s why Preller has 100% support from Padres ownership and his organization. Red Sox GM Dave Dombrowski got swindled in the Kimbrel deal last off-season too, so he was already looking bad. Therefore the Red Sox called in their daddy (MLB) and big-bully brother (ESPN) to help them out with AJP.

The suspension came with no official explanation from anyone. Just implications from Buster Olney who acts a mouthpiece for the Red Sox. His ESPN articles are full of innuendo, with no hard proof of any malfeasance, hence the collective ‘no comment’ from all the other teams involved. It appears we’re down to therapeutic rubdowns and Ibuprofen not being documented on the medical side. Sloppy & incomplete? Yes. But not even close to a reason for nixing any of these deals. The fact that MLB had to dig this deep, to find this little, proves a significant level of enabling for the Boston Red Sox by MLB & ESPN.

Any mention from Olney that the Padres discovered bone chips in Anderson Espinoza’s elbow? The Padres aren’t blaming the Red Sox for not telling them, they are managing the issue with medical science & diligence. MLB likely pried open Padres proprietary team data in order to educate a few patsy GMs who were behind the curve in scouting & medical evaluation. A fan can actually understand why no one wants to talk about that.

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Padres GM A.J. Preller Clipped by MLB Old-Guard

Posted on September 16, 2016 by admin

MLB suspends Padres GM Preller for 30 days 9-15-16 [1]

Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today that A.J. Preller, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Padres, has received a 30-day suspension without pay. MLB considers the matter closed and has no further comment.

No explanation from MLB!

What this is really about is punishment for A.J. Preller winning the trade deadline, dumping all his junk ahead of everyone else and getting the best prospects while glutting the market. Padres aren’t supposed to do that. It would have been alright for the Yanks or Sox, but not the Friars. Therefore, MLB steps in and ‘corrects’ the situation. [2]

Every team submits player medical records to a central database, while maintaining their own records & opinions of their players. This is proprietary to each organization, as each seeks an edge over the rest. It isn’t unethical to withhold that data, in fact it’s considered best-practice for the industry.

Each team has the right to a player undergoing a complete physical before any trade is approved by MLB. This should be more than a cursory review of the partner organization’s records, but an independent evaluation by their own medical staff. MLB plays the role of enabler here, trying to make up for the lack of diligence on behalf of their chosen favorites.

One final note on the Buster Olney piece up on ESPN, which amounts to a hatchet job on the Padres. It is very clear that the White Sox & Marlins are in on this with the Red Sox. These teams got fleeced by A.J. Preller during the trade season because their GM’s & scouting failed. James Shields, Fernando Rodney, Drew Pomeranz & Andrew Cashner were all overpays for their buyers, and this story is an attempt to defect the blame away from their front office incompetence.

RHP Colin Rea was near his innings limit, yet still rushed into the Marlins rotation the day after the deal was made, and immediately injured by the Marlins. In the end, the Padres took 3 Tommy John pitchers from the Marlins (Chris Paddack, Carter Capps & Rea), without complaint. This punishment for Preller is hypocrisy, but it helps to maintain ‘team integrity’ and the proper ‘competitive balance” which is very important to MLB & ESPN.

Now that’s it’s over and Preller & the Padres have accepted their punishment, is there any comment from the owners & front offices of the Red/White Sox & Marlins? Their collective silence speaks for itself as cowardly & pathetic.

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Hip & Back Rehabilitation Protocol

Posted on September 10, 2016 by admin

Now that we have identified major hip & back injuries, a rehabilitation & training plan is needed. This article extends what was discussed previously in “Undiagnosed Hip Injuries & Stubborn Fat Loss.” [1]

The first major issue in recovery is dealing with the psychological pain. The injury victim is now realizing the full extent of their injury, which is equivalent to a gunshot wound to the groin that nicks the back. It is useful to think of ‘expelling the bullet’ during the pain-releasing process, because that is what it feels like. There are likely many fragments, as the groin & lower back have been wiped out, and superficial muscle sheaths have been herniated. The cause of the injury may have been a malicious teacher/coach, ignorant/uncaring parents, or a friend’s betrayal. Anger, blame and acceptance are issues that need to be addressed during recovery. This is very much part of the mental aspect.

Pain is stored energy, and the proper method is to release it and immediately put it to good use. Tai chi & yoga principles are used in rehabilitation of hip & back injuries. This means creating energy with minimal circular movements, then flowing it through the body to release pent-up pain. This will create ‘popping’ sensations all along the nerve/muscle chain, activating atrophied muscle– all down the line. It will ‘pop’ at the downstream insertion and often flow to the next insertion point. This quickly activates long-line muscle tissue, which will stabilize & strengthen the injury victim.

It is wise to apply engineering principles to musculo-skeletal development, by creating triangles of muscle bands. Triangles are strong and allow a framework to ‘fill-in,’ as a road worker fills in a pothole with asphalt. Once a band of muscle has been lashed together triangularly, that area can now be flexed. Muscle groups can quickly be rebuilt in this manner, with maximum efficiency and minimal pain.

A couch or love seat can be useful, as the injury victim’s back will need soft support. Gently throw the hips onto the arm with the legs extended over. Work the injured side primarily, while releasing to the contralateral hip. The idea is to control the femur, hip and back in positions of flexion & extension. Work around the deepest source of pain to strengthen surrounding muscle. This bracing support is needed to go after deeper injuries. A beanbag on the floor is a great tool for this.

Do this rehabilitation at climate. That means no A/C or heat. Make your body one with nature, and it will be better. Use ice locally to cool overheated spots, and COLD showers for rapid body cooling. A fan is helpful for cooling during the workout. Fat-burning requires water, so hydrate often. If you have 12 pounds (typical) of stubborn fat to lose, you will add ~4 pounds of muscle, for a net weight-loss of ~8 pounds. That difference in muscle-to-fat ratio, is all the difference in the world.

Since all movements inferior to the head start with the hip & back, the flash-release of the stored energy (chi) will reveal other injuries downstream into all the extremities. The injury victim will soon realize that most of these injuries were caused by the original hip/back injury. A breakdown of the central hub, causes later breakdowns all along the human kinetic chain.

How do you know when you’re completely recovered? When the last of the pent-up energy transfers directly from the injured hip, into the opposing hip. Now the hips are re-connected, and the injury victim can work towards a one-armed push-up & Russian pistol on each side, cleanly & repetitively. That will prove total body fitness and protect against future injury. These exercises were reviewed in an earlier piece titled “You Must Be Physically Strong.” [2]

A clue as to when the injury victim is nearing completion is when he/she can identify the true injury line from hip to back, to contralateral shoulder. Since this is a spinal injury, there is a measure of paralysis in the back, meaning the contralateral vertebral spine is compromised. Some contralateral hip and trapezoid neural connections are short-circuited, leading to atrophy. How much depends on the origin & severity of the injury, but it always has some negative effect.

The hip needs to be mostly healed before the back can be aggressively rehabilitated. Protecting the back (which carries the spinal cord) is always primary to the human condition. Once the injured vertebrae are released (with fresh muscle support), the hip-back-shoulder injury line can be established. The hip-back-shoulder line is the true axis of this injury. It is around this line that the injury can be quickly & safely rehabilitated.

Energy can be safely flowed circularly around this axis, without risk of aggravating the deep injury. The energy that transfers directly through the injury line must still be controlled. This hip/back injury cut its victim in half. If they don’t rehabilitate, they will never be able to transfer energy from their legs & glutes, up through their torso, to their chest & arms for maximum torque & power. The untreated injury victim will always have to ‘leak out’ most of the energy, to avoid sharp pain in their hips & back. If asked to perform under this stress, in a life-or-death situation, they would certainly fail.

One way to train transferring energy from legs to arms is standing under an open door frame, pushing up with the hands and down (through the floor) with the feet. The areas that don’t allow transfer due to ‘leakage’ are the injury points. Work around them, to get to them. Expel all the bullets.

A few health benefits were discussed in the initial piece, so a few others of interest (to most) will be cited. Improved skin tone and health is a given here. More restful sleep and feeling much better about oneself are huge psychological benefits. As mentioned above, there are many types of pain involved here, so dealing with this will make one stronger in character as well. Whatever happened to originally cripple the injury victim may have be cruel & unfair, but that doesn’t allow it to become an excuse for not facing it and recovering. If one does have the strength & fortitude for this, he/she will have to put themselves through self-torture, in order to come out better than ever.

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Undiagnosed Hip Injuries & Stubborn Fat Loss

Posted on September 8, 2016 by admin

There are two types of fat which people are concerned with losing. Visceral fat surrounds your internal organs, like the intestines. When you see someone with a huge gut, that’s visceral fat. This type of fat is relatively easy to lose with a sensible diet & exercise.

Subcutaneous fat is the ‘stubborn fat’ that stays, even through dieting & regular exercise. It becomes even more difficult to remove after the human athletic peak (around) age 27.

There is much literature on ‘stubborn fat’ and much of the science is recognized. [1] But what actually causes this fat to be so stubborn? I propose the answer is: hip & back injuries which people don’t recognize they have, until it’s too late.

Women tear their hip, abdominal and back muscles during childbirth, so this pertains to all mothers. [2]

Everything thing we physically do starts with our hips & back, and these are the most powerful skeletal muscles in the human body. They are also often the most neglected. You never hear any barbell guys in the gym say, “I’m going to work my lower back and hip stabilizers today.”

Other athletes are the same way, focusing too much on arms & legs, and not enough on their core– which means hips, back & abdominals. These are the muscles that true athletes maintain throughout their lives.

If these groin injuries aren’t properly & completely rehabilitated, then a semi-paralysis of the mid-section ensues. This injury victim will not be able to rotate their spine freely in the affected vertebrae, which are located in the lower back. This leads directly to weight (fat) gain. Other common issues become incontinence, colon cancer, and loss of virility.

The skin around stubborn fat becomes cold & lifeless. This is because there is no muscular activity, therefore little bloodflow to these areas. This is the pooch gut, love handles, cottage cheese thighs & butt, and back fat which honestly are disgusting. The injury victim will not be able to activate these areas because the deep muscles are torn, and atrophy has set in on the superficial muscles as well. The victim needs to focus on activating the deep injury, gently at first, then more actively & aggressively, but always under control. If done with persistent focus & vigilance, these muscles can be rebuilt and reinforced in a short period of time.

This will allow the injury victim to regain a youthful gait & look, as compared to most who limp & slump into middle age & beyond. These ‘dead backs’ exist in ~80% of the U.S. population, by my casual inspection. This means tens (hundreds?) of millions of American adults are suffering (right now) from an undiagnosed apophyseal avulsion fracture. The most common hip injury locations are shown below:

$pelvic-apophyseal-avulsion-fracture-diagram$

The apophysis is the projection on the spine that links the brain & spinal cord (CNS) to every skeletal muscle. This is what is fractured, as the hip muscles are torn from the bone.

Victims of an apophyseal avulsion fracture should be able to recall a specific event that triggered the pain; a traumatic injury on the sports field, playground, gym class or while alone. In children, adolescents & teenagers these injuries occur so frequently, and are often dismissed as ‘minor tweaks,’ so they often remain undiagnosed into adulthood.

The pain is most severe during activity and improves with rest. Tenderness can be appreciated by palpation, and the injury victim may actively guard against contraction of the musculature attached to the injured apophysis. Passive stretch of these muscles will reproduce the pain. [3]

The injury victim will recover (somewhat), but he/she will never be the same. Their strength and coordination will be eroded by this deep groin/back injury, which limits and restricts certain directional movements. Over time (years/decades), these injuries become disabling to those who don’t deal with them directly.

Into adulthood, a limp will often present itself, and there is a noticeable atrophy in the muscle group attached to the avulsed apophysis compared to the contralateral side. [4]

Hip fractures are common in the elderly, and often attributable to these injuries. The atrophied hip muscles leave only skin & bone, with fatty protection. Elderly men & women fall everyday and never get up.

An atrophied hip has no muscle tissue to protect the femoral arteries, and many geriatric hip fractures slice this vital vessel. The injury victim can bleed out in seconds.

This ignoble fate can be avoided by rehabilitating & strengthening your hips for life. The knowledge is here, but you must have the most serious dedication because this injury is very deep, meaning true rehabilitation will be intense & painful. It will take a period (weeks/months) for successful and complete activation of this atrophied muscle tissue, buried in stubborn fat.

Stubborn fat is a protective mechanism. Since the injury victim didn’t rehabilitate their injury, a layer of fat is deposited to protect the muscle from further injury. This causes the muscle to atrophy over time– since it can’t be used until healed. If it never heals, the stubborn fat remains.

Once the injury victim reactivates this long-atrophied muscle tissue, new muscle can quickly be rebuilt, and the stubborn fat in that area will melt away. This means that when the injury victim finally fixes all the torn muscles in their back, hips & abdominals (deep to superficial & back again), then all their stubborn fat will disappear. This is the best weight-loss program, as it is natural with no PED’s or crazy diets. I do recommend marijuana for the pain, as you’ll likely need something. It’s the most organic choice, and easiest to quit when you’re finished.

Note that you must maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight. You need plenty of sleep to lose fat, as that’s the primary fat burning period (diagram above). Eat a sensible whole food diet, that is high in fresh vegetables (juicing) with minimal lean protein, as most of the amino acid building blocks will come from your stubborn fat burn-off. Carbohydrates should be (mostly) organic and minimal, for energy boost and craving relief. Imagine this to be your normal diet, just in smaller proportions until you lose all of your stubborn fat.

Once you are truly lean & healthy, you will see life in a new way. Your thinking will be sharper and eyesight clearer. Former injury victims will now feel many years/decades younger, with more power, better coordination and longer stamina. Future injury-risk is sensibly minimized with a complete rehabilitation of these nasty hip/back injuries. The alternative is more pain & suffering. [5]

It’s not really a choice, once you know what to do– so do it now.

Hip & Back Rehabilitation Protocol

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Ric Size

Songwriter, Musician, Artist

Category Archives: Sports

MLB ‘Steroid Commissioner’ Gets HoF Nod

Padres Clean House & Amputate

SD’s Ross non-tendered, now a free agent. Righty had October surgery; Pirela, Amarista, Sanchez, Edwards and Johnson let go 12-2-16 ~9:00 PM ET

Padres reveal lineup of 2017 uniforms 11-22-16

The Ambidextrous Athlete

San Diego Padres 2016 Wrap-up

The Corruption of Modern Sports

Shifting & Drifting: NASCAR Chase Nonsense

How to Take Down a Genius

Padres GM A.J. Preller Clipped by MLB Old-Guard

Hip & Back Rehabilitation Protocol

Undiagnosed Hip Injuries & Stubborn Fat Loss