So do you think better mechanics can bring back THIS Kazmir? (fast forward to 1:35 to see the best...

So do you think better mechanics can bring back THIS Kazmir? (fast forward to 1:35 to see the best parts). If so... Shields, Price, Garza and fixed Kazmir. (shaking head)

over 2 years ago LodeStar 9 comments 0 recs |

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The people who think that his mechanics are broken and fixing them will make him better are fading away from this blog

But watching this video made me think back a little bit.

Remember when Kaz talked about adding weight during the offseason? I know it’s unfair, but he’s a lot thinner then then he is now. 20lbs of extra bulk in the wrong places can make it harder to move and in a way could affect his ‘mechanics’. Not being able to whip your arm around as fast because you’ve gotten too big would contribute to a loss of velocity and create issues with things like arm slotting and release points. He’s billed at 190lbs on the Rays official website, that’s by no means heavy, but it might be too heavy for him.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 4, 2009 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

I'm kind of talking from personal experience too

I have a somewhat similar build to Kaz, I’m 5’11" without shoes and my normal weight was around 175. In the last year I’ve added 32lbs of ‘muscle’ through my local gym. My 32lbs of ‘muscle’ is really about 7lbs of ‘lean weight’ and 22lbs of body fat. I wear the weight well enough. People who haven’t seen me comment that I look ‘stronger’, not fatter.

I did some fitness tests early this week and found that I’ve lost a considerable amount of flexibility in my shoulders and legs, and for the last couple of months I’ve had issues with my rotator cuff on my primary arm when doing heavy weight-lifting. Unless he did a couple of steroid cycles, which is possible, you can’t just put on 20lbs of lean weight in 5 months. And in either situation, his bulk could still hinder his ability to pitch.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 4, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I said this a month ago

A friend of mine is a Tigers fan and warned me before the year when I was bragging about the extra muscle that Nate Robertson did the same thing a couple years back and lost velo and control.

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 4, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I must have missed when you said it.

I wasn’t buying the 20lbs was going to help him from the start, I thought he put too much weight on over too short of a period of time. I didn’t think it was steroids, but too often people will lift weights, put on weight, then call it muscle when it’s just shoveling food in your mouth. Personally, based on what I see, it doesn’t look like pure muscle weight; but it’s hard to tell over a TV screen and with the baggy uniform.

If his weight actually is a problem, he needs to see some kind of compromise between 170 and 190. His throwing motion is far too violent for him to hold together at his high-school weight.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 4, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Well said

Or at least hold it together from now until the end of the season. Slam the door and then Edwin his ass so he can prosper somewhere else and we can hear what dumbasses run our front office.

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 4, 2009 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions