Sandoval-Sweeney. It is not Futurology, it is Rationality!
With some information from the training world it is possible to predict the future. And it is not because some unique cosmic force allows few of us to do so, it is because training is a methodical science. The rational organization of information allows to predict with some level of accuracy the possible outcome of training decisions, plans and implementations.
To illustrate it here we have the cases of Mr. Sandoval and Mr. Sweeney that I analyzed few month ago, where I risked some predictions that finally became facts. Lets review them shortly and see where are those players today.
Case 1: Mr. Sandoval
After loosing a lot of weight rapidly before the 2011 season, I explained the risk that this type of practices imply for a competitive athlete. The main concern was the difficulty for the body to adjust to a so fast change of body composition and the associated weakness of most of the muscle skeletal system. Please review the previous article for more information http://danielkamenetzky.blogspot.com/2011/05/pablo-sandoval-injury-analysis.html
Two days ago the online newspaper MercuryNews.com reported: "Even if Sandoval requires only a minor cleanup procedure (since he strained the left shoulder few weeks ago), surgery would be a major setback to his off-season conditioning program. Giants officials acknowledge that Sandoval has gained back a good portion of the 38 pounds he lost in his physical transformation last winter, the club would like to see him take similar steps this off-season" http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_18939160?nclick_check=1.
The outcome of Mr. Sandoval's training process is: 1) Sandoval could not afford the stress of the season. With a soft tissue degradation process thanks to the restrictive diet that he implemented and a high intensity training program he got injured again; 2) the body composition achieved during the irrational winter training regimen, that everybody believed successful, was impossible to be maintained (the famous YO-YO diet effect); 3) Nobody understood what was done with him and with not review at all of the plan implemented the club is asking him to do it again!
What we expect therefore for Mr Sandoval in the near future is a performance decrement and more injuries to come if he continues repeating the same arbitrary process. As Dr. Einstein said, ignorance is to expect different outcomes while repeating the same process over and over.
Case 2: Mr Sweeney
I analyzed Mr Sweeney's running and batting technique after I filmed him during a game with a high speed video camera . I explained that his mechanics might be the most likely reason for his knees and legs pains over the years. Also that if he does not make technical changes soon more injuries to the legs will come and his career soon will be jeopardized. See my article about him: http://danielkamenetzky.blogspot.com/2011/04/ryan-sweeney-injury-analysis.html
Well, he is now out and the SF Chronicle reports: "Ryan Sweeney pulled up limping while running out a grounder in the sixth inning Wednesday and said after the game that it is a Grade 1 right quadriceps strain. Quad strains typically require 10 days to six weeks of recovery time, and given Sweeney's right knee surgery a year ago, it's possible his season is over. "This whole season has been frustrating mentally and now physically," said Sweeney."
He injured now a muscle of the same leg that had surgery few month ago and, as I anticipated, the risk of ending his career is here now. The quadriceps is stressed constantly because an early extension of the leg during the flying face of the running and a rigid impact with an extended leg during the landing face. Technical adjustments are essential when pain and injuries are detected. Will the team renew his contract after a second frustrating year?
This two cases, among many that each year occur in the baseball world, show how few attention is payed to the individual characteristics and necessities of each athlete. We expect at the professional level a more sophisticated system of training and athlete care. But actually seems that, even though this players cost and generate a lot of money, there is not interest in a scientific and methodical work approach ...even though Moneyball said that baseball has a very sophisticated system of analyzing things!
To illustrate it here we have the cases of Mr. Sandoval and Mr. Sweeney that I analyzed few month ago, where I risked some predictions that finally became facts. Lets review them shortly and see where are those players today.
Case 1: Mr. Sandoval
After loosing a lot of weight rapidly before the 2011 season, I explained the risk that this type of practices imply for a competitive athlete. The main concern was the difficulty for the body to adjust to a so fast change of body composition and the associated weakness of most of the muscle skeletal system. Please review the previous article for more information http://danielkamenetzky.blogspot.com/2011/05/pablo-sandoval-injury-analysis.html
Two days ago the online newspaper MercuryNews.com reported: "Even if Sandoval requires only a minor cleanup procedure (since he strained the left shoulder few weeks ago), surgery would be a major setback to his off-season conditioning program. Giants officials acknowledge that Sandoval has gained back a good portion of the 38 pounds he lost in his physical transformation last winter, the club would like to see him take similar steps this off-season" http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_18939160?nclick_check=1.
The outcome of Mr. Sandoval's training process is: 1) Sandoval could not afford the stress of the season. With a soft tissue degradation process thanks to the restrictive diet that he implemented and a high intensity training program he got injured again; 2) the body composition achieved during the irrational winter training regimen, that everybody believed successful, was impossible to be maintained (the famous YO-YO diet effect); 3) Nobody understood what was done with him and with not review at all of the plan implemented the club is asking him to do it again!
What we expect therefore for Mr Sandoval in the near future is a performance decrement and more injuries to come if he continues repeating the same arbitrary process. As Dr. Einstein said, ignorance is to expect different outcomes while repeating the same process over and over.
Case 2: Mr Sweeney
I analyzed Mr Sweeney's running and batting technique after I filmed him during a game with a high speed video camera . I explained that his mechanics might be the most likely reason for his knees and legs pains over the years. Also that if he does not make technical changes soon more injuries to the legs will come and his career soon will be jeopardized. See my article about him: http://danielkamenetzky.blogspot.com/2011/04/ryan-sweeney-injury-analysis.html
Well, he is now out and the SF Chronicle reports: "Ryan Sweeney pulled up limping while running out a grounder in the sixth inning Wednesday and said after the game that it is a Grade 1 right quadriceps strain. Quad strains typically require 10 days to six weeks of recovery time, and given Sweeney's right knee surgery a year ago, it's possible his season is over. "This whole season has been frustrating mentally and now physically," said Sweeney."
He injured now a muscle of the same leg that had surgery few month ago and, as I anticipated, the risk of ending his career is here now. The quadriceps is stressed constantly because an early extension of the leg during the flying face of the running and a rigid impact with an extended leg during the landing face. Technical adjustments are essential when pain and injuries are detected. Will the team renew his contract after a second frustrating year?
This two cases, among many that each year occur in the baseball world, show how few attention is payed to the individual characteristics and necessities of each athlete. We expect at the professional level a more sophisticated system of training and athlete care. But actually seems that, even though this players cost and generate a lot of money, there is not interest in a scientific and methodical work approach ...even though Moneyball said that baseball has a very sophisticated system of analyzing things!
Great article, Daniel! As you say, you'd expect more from the world of pro sports where the stakes are so high.
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