Thursday, February 10, 2005

We can make you stronger, faster...

Rick Peterson takes the boys down to Alabama for biomechanical evaluation. Sure it seems unlikely, but when you need the latest in sports medicine technology, you've got to make a run for the Mason-Dixon line. Braden Looper apparently doesn't have much time for it, but Bartolome Fortunato, who MST3K fans might agree looks like the "Amazing Colossal Man," seems to find the motion-capture process rather enjoyable.

I'm a believer in the Oakland philosophy of player evaluation and player development, and I'm glad to see Peterson get some much deserved credit for the success of the A's staff. "The Big Three" were and are extremely talented pitchers, but several teams have had similar talent that they have not been able to keep healthy. Some of them are downright scornful of Peterson's little color-coded notebook, which he uses to track practically each pitch his guys throw. Apparently it's not cool to take your job seriously.

Should the Mets rotation fail to perform well and stay healthy, I don't think it will take very long at all for the local news coverage to switch from "Peterson is ahead of his time" to "Peterson is a charlatan fruitcake who should have stayed out west where he belongs." But I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

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