Velocities in the past fifteen years have skyrocketed. In today’s game we have two handfuls of guys who can hit three digits on the radar gun. Just this season the Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman was recorded at 105 mph. This is the highest velocity ever recorded in a game. Nolan Ryan and Bob Feller are estimated to have thrown harder than this but they used different equipment in those days compared to today’s standards. So they are not on this list because of the technology differences.

The biggest question here at TopVelocity.net and around the web is how are these guys doing this? My answer is digital pitching science and strength and conditioning. There also may be a drug factor in the mix as well to be honest. Let’s take a closer look at these three reasons so we can better understand what is going on.

Digital Pitching Science

This is Pitching analysis using today’s sophisticated computer technology. I am not talking as much about expensive analysis software or expensive high speed cameras, what I am talking about is youtube. The fact that almost anyone can film themselves and send it to an expert to analyze is amazing. Ten years ago you would have had to contact a professional cinematographer and a video editor to do this and it would have cost you an arm and leg. This is why here at TopVelocity.net we offer FREE video analysis because we are helping everyone reach their velocity goals. C heckout our latest pitching analysis’.

Strength and Conditioning

The world of strength and conditioning has now taken over baseball. For years baseball was seen as Americas past time and if you didn’t look like Babe Ruth then you just didn’t have what it takes. The steroid era has changed this because ball players like Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds proved that Bigger, Stronger, Faster dominates the game and it doesn’t mean you have to be born with it. You now have the ability to change your physique through your own will to be Bigger, Stronger and Faster. Proper Strength and Conditioning can take an 85 mph fastball and make it 90 mph, in one year, if done correctly. The problem is most pitching coaches are not strength and conditioning specialist, so they have no idea how this works. This is why the Ace Pitcher Handbook is so effective because it has the Fusion System. This is a series of training programs that I worked closely with a top Strength and Conditioning specialist to develop for a pitcher. I used it in my career to overcome a major rotator cuff tear and to not only pitch again but gain almost 10 mph.

Athletic Performance Enhancing Drugs

This is not my favorite subject and I like most ballplayers who love the game of baseball wish it would go away but it is not going away, unfortunaly. When I talk about drugs in baseball, I am even talking about RedBull as well as Steroids and HGH. There are labs all over the world working overnight to come up with the next greatest athletic performance enhancer because it is a billion dollar industry. What is happening today is as the game becomes more global with the World Baseball Classic and competition grows more competitive then people search for more ways to enhance their performance. Well, we have the legal enhancers and the illegal enhancers. My recommendation is to understand what drugs are out their and how are they being used and how will they effect your body. Remember you only get one chance at life, with this one body, so don’t screw it up. If you find an over the counter supplement or drug that is legal and the effects on the body or positive then I recommend using it, but if there is any issue with using the supplement, I recommend leaving it alone. You will find in your career that you are always better off spending your time and money on the things that have a bigger impact on your performance, like video analysis and training programs. If you are going to find yourself one day in the list above, it will be because you worked as smart, as you worked hard on your goals and dreams.

What bonds the list of pitchers together above is of course superior genetics but also as important a Fusion System of training programs that cover everything from strength and conditioning to pitching mechanical analysis. There isn’t one thing that gives them their rare velocity, it is a list of things that they harmonize together. If you want to reach these velocities in your career you will need to as well develop a fusion system of training programs that you can harmonies together that work best with your genetics. The first step starts here at Topvelocity.net reading and learning the knowledge you need to develop your Fusion system.

The question of which pitcher throws the hardest has been one of the most hotly debated questions in all of sports. For the first time, we now have the missing data required to allow us finally reveal the fastest pitchers ever recorded.

FFE=50 foot equivalent
Today’s MLB standard uses pitch speed measured at 50 feet from home plate.

(*) Last updated as of: 11/5/2009 – We are combing through the 2007 season records for any addons to this list and will update the list, if needed.

Tim Lincecum Note

Despite reported 101 mph pitches, the highest recorded pitch speed we have during the 2008 and 2009 seasons for Tim Lincecum is 99.3 mph for the 2008 season on 4/24/2008, and 96.8 mph for the 2009 season on 6/29/2009.

2009 Season Fastest Pitchers 100+ (qty 100+ for year)

16 pitchers threw 100+ mph in 2009.

• 102.7 (138),Joel Zumaya (Tigers), 6/30/2009, Oakland Coliseum
• 102.6 (39), Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers), 7/3/2009, PETCO Park
• 102.2 (16), Brian Wilson (Giants), 9/5/2009, Miller Park
• 101.3 (12), Daniel Bard (Red Sox), 7/30/2009, Fenway Park
• 101.1 (14), Neftali Feliz (rangers), 8/7/2009, Angel Stadium Anaheim
• 101.0 (15), Justin Verlander (Tigers), 9/19/2009, Metrodome

10 other pitchers threw 100+ but less than 101 mph. Bobby Parnell 100.9 (3), Henry Rodriguez 100.6 (11), Ubaldo Jimenez 100.6 (14), Juan Morillo 100.3 (1), Matt Lindstrom 100.2 (1), Merkin Valdez 100.2 (1), Kyle Farnsworth 100.2 (4), Fernando Rodney 100.1 (1), Kevin Jepsen 100.0 (1), and Mark Lowe 100.0 (1).

In the 2009 World Series, no 100+ mph pitches were thrown – Joba Chamberlain was fastest at 97.1 on 11/1/2009. In the 2009 postseason, 3 100+ mph pitches were thrown – Jonathan Broxton 101.3 (2), Daniel Bard 100.6 (3), and Ubaldo Jimenez 100.0 (4).

2008 Season Fastest Pitchers 100+ (qty 100+ for year)

10 pitchers threw 100+ mph in 2008.

• 101.0 (12), Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers), 8/21/2008, Dodger Stadium
• 101.0 (9), Matt Lindstrom (Marlins), 7/10/2008, Dodger Stadium
• 101.0 (32), Joel Zumaya (Tigers), 6/20/2008, PETCO Park

7 other pitchers threw 100+ but less than 101 mph. Ervin Santana (2), Ubaldo Jimenez (3), Fernando Rodney (1), Brian Wilson (1), Joba Chamberlain (1), Juan Morillo (3).

In the 2008 World Series, no 100+ mph pitches were thrown.

The article on TopVelocity.net that has been getting a lot of attention and the one that Jaeger is not happy with, is the article called Long Toss and the Placebo Effect. You can view it by selecting the title. The comments are below the article. Everyone thinks that I am against Long Tossing and the truth is that this isn’t true. I believe in Long Tossing up to about 120 feet. What I DO NOT agree with is “Extreme Long Tossing” like Jaeger promotes which can exceed distances of 350 feet. I feel that this is reckless because if you do not have efficient throwing mechanics you are taking a big risk with the health of your arm at these levels. This is why I preach against Jaeger’s Long Toss program because he does not work intently on correcting mechanical flaws before pushing his pitchers to these extreme distances. A great example is Joel Zumaya. This is Jaeger’s claim to fame whom he has put all over his website. Just this past MLB season Joel Zumaya broke off his shoulder bone. This is a major mechanical flaw that caused Zumaya’s shoulder bone to snap and you would hope his pitching coach could have prevented this major shoulder injury. If I was his pitching coach I would have at least taking responsibility for his injury.

Another reason I do not support this “Extreme Long Tossing” is because I like many other pro pitchers did not use this in my professional career. Actually before I tore my rotator cuff in college, I would perform extreme long toss. I am not saying that this is why I injured my arm. What I am saying is I never used it again and was able to add 8 mph on my fastball which got me into pro ball.

The day I broke 90+mph post surgery, which I had at 18 years old when I was throwing 86 mph with horrendous mechanics, is because of a new program I was on for about 6 months to a year. The day I found this program was the day I decided to stop making this stuff up and seek professional help from those who I felt knew what they were talking about. I found Tom House who is a well known pitching coach and Doctor and Kurt Hester who is a nationally recognized strength and conditioning specialist. Tom House taught me about hip to shoulder separation, which I had none and Kurt taught me speed and strength like you wouldn’t believe. With this combination I experienced an 8 mph increase in velocity.

I wasn’t long tossing past 250 feet plus. I wasn’t using weighted balls. I was performing the Olympic lifts, plyos, and sprint work, 1 hour a day, 5 days a week while I was playing for a travel team in the summer. If I pitched on a day of a lift, I would not change my program. I would lift at full intensity and then pitch a 7-9 inning game one hour later. This is because the lifting program was lower body dominate. I wasn’t pounding my arms. I was pounding my legs. I also was working on good hip to shoulder separation during practice and before the games. I thought at this time, that with the lifting intensity and the pitching of 7-9 innings that my body would give out and it did the opposite. I would finish a 9 inning game with higher velocities than in the first inning. I continued this program and it is what I believe put me into pro ball after doctors told me I would never be able to compete again.

The program I used is now the Ace Pitcher Handbook. I am aware that this program isn’t for everyone and that just because it worked for me, doesn’t mean it will work for you. I understand this but you will never know if a program like this will have the same effect on you if you don’t give it your best.

I also believe that the reason arm injuries have increased by 700% in the past ten years is because pitchers are training outside of the mechanics of the pitcher. Extreme long toss mechanics is a lot different than on the mound mechanics. I explain this here

The Proper Research on Why Long Toss is Bad for your Arm

This is also the case in the weight room. This is why I believe the Olympic lifts are the only intense lifts you should use because they have a lot of similarities in mechanics to pitching. You can read more about this point in the first article I wrote on this site.

Olympic lifting Increases Pitching Velocity.

I am glad that “Extreme Long Tossing” is getting this much attention with this site and Jaeger’s but I hope that those who are using this approach are educating themselves on the dangers. I also hope those who use my approach are educating themselves on the dangers as well. Which are, just like learning good throwing mechanics before you try to throw your arm off you must learn good lifting mechanics  before you try to move a house. Be smart, work hard and always listen to your body!

I have written about this component in just about every article on pitch velocity. I will once again define this into more detail. I am doing this because of how important it is to master the pitching component of “Separation.”

The picture here of Felix Hernandez pretty much says it all. You can see the “Separation” from his hips to shoulders. It is like he is a towel being rung out to dry. Tim Lincecum calls this tightening his “Rubber Band.” The “Rubber Band” being his core. To understand core torque and its effectiveness, you must understand how torque is generated in a 90 MPH pitcher.

When throwing a pitch, we rely on the rotation of three pivots. The hip pivot, collar pivot and the shoulder pivot. If we remove torque in one of these pivots then the other two are forced to handle more torque to keep the same velocity, which leads to poor velocity and injury. The most common loss of torque in young pitchers is because of poor “Separation.” To understand why this happens, let’s take a look at each pivot.

The Hip pivot builds torque just when the front foot lands and the back leg “Triple Extends.” View animation. This is the first pivot to build torque and it is important to achieve full range of motion in this pivot. If the hip pivot does not open completely to the target when the front foot lands, then you are not building maximum torque. The most effective way to build torque is with momentum. Without momentum, the torque is created with only a rotational force. A good example would be the old saying, “Squish the bug.” This would be turning the hip pivot instead of using the driving force from the legs and the fall, to build the torque. Using momentum to build torque is much more effective for generating top velocity.

In between the hip pivot and the next pivot I will discuss, this is the moment “Separation” must occur. If  “Separation” of the hips and shoulders DO NOT occur then the pivots are moving together. This combines the pivots into one pivot and the pitcher losses the opportunity to build core torque. This is because, when “Separation” occurs, the hip pivot and the collar pivot stay separate. The core is now stuck in the middle and forced to tighten or stretch like a towel or rubber band. Once again notice the picture of Felix Hernandez above with hip to shoulder  “Separation.”

The next pivot in the chain of building maximum torque would be the Collar pivot. The collar pivot occurs after “Separation,” or “Scap Loading.” If the collarbone or shoulders would have traveled with the hips, then this pivot would have built zero torque. This is like removing the back two tires from a race car. This is so important to velocity and longevity that it is surprising how very few young pitchers know about its importance. If the collarbone or shoulders stay back, while the hips open to the target, then the spine or core builds torque. Every vertebra of the spine begins to tighten like a towel being rung out. This is just like those little model race cars you had as a kid. The ones that you press to the floor and role back slowly on its wheels to wind the engine. There is a little rubber band like engine within the car that is building torque and when you let it go, BAM, it takes off. This is the same concept behind the pitching component “Separation.” This is why this component is so effective in generating top velocity. Adding more torque here means adding less torque to the last pivot. Which is the Shoulder Pivot.

The shoulder pivot is the most common and most familiar pivot. It is the pivot of the shoulder joint. When the arm externally rotates backwards this is building torque. The reason this pivot is so familiar to the average pitcher is because it is the easiest to use. This is only because it is used all of the time. It opens bottles, doors, used with a screw driver and any other house hold tools. It is very important to a persons quality of life. The problem is the shoulder pivot or joint is designed with a very delicate and intricate system of muscles. This is because it is the only multidirectional joint in the body. The key to top velocity and a long career is preventing this pivot from handling most of the torque. This pivot should mainly be used to guide the pitch to the target.

To visually understand how to  build torque in all three pivots is a lot easier than actually performing the task. The reason is because we are dealing with three pivots. For each pivot to build torque and then to use that torque to generate velocity, takes as much timing as physical strength and coordination. Learning this timing can take an entire career. This is why it is important to continuously analyze your pitching mechaincs to make sure you are building maximum torque within the first two pivots and using that torque to generate top velocity in the 3rd and final pivot.

It is very important to remember the keystone to this entire system of pivots is “Separation.” Master this component and the rest will come naturally. Best of luck!