DOES SIZE MATTER?

By John B Holway

My buddy and favorite sparring partner, Fred “Fredrico” Brillhart, usually

wrestles me to a draw when it comes to baseball debates. Our latest debate was:

Does size matter?

I say yes and point to the Michelin Tire-man physiques of Barry Bonds and his

souped-up power-hitting friends. (Mysteriously, they hit more homers than the

old-timers, but they don't hit longer ones.)

Fredrico says a good little man is as good as a good big man and points to the

power-pitching stars of past and present. He told me to look it up, and I could

throw my theory out the window.I did, and I hate to admit it, but he may be

right. Here are some numbers we found:

 

FASTBALLS AND SIZE

 

                   pounds   mph    pounds/mph   mph/pound

Dalkowski    160…..111*…1.45…….    .69

Feller            185…..107… 1.73…….    .58

Ryan             170…..106… 1.60….....  .62          

Dibble           230…..105     2.19……..  .46             

Chapman      180…..105 ....1.71…….    .58

Wagner         180…..104….1.73……..   .58

Drysdale        190…. 104* ..1.82……..   .55

Barber           195…..104*.  1.83……    .55            

Strasburg       225…. 103… 2.18……..  .49

Broxton          295…..103    2.86…….    .35

Zumaya           210…..103… 2.04……..  .49

Wohlers          210…..103….2.04……   .49

Martinez         170…..102…1.67……..   .60

Benitez……   260…..102…  2.55……….39

Holway          115…..  45**  2.56 ……. .39  

*converted from “old gun” to new  

** using an egg-timer

 

HOLWAY TOPS BROXTON

 

                     Pounds/mph

Dalkowski        .69

Ryan                .62

Martinez           .60

Feller                .58

Chapman          .58

Wagner            .55

Drysdale           .55

Barber              .55

Strasburg          .49

Zumaya            .49

Wohlers……. .49

Dibble              .46

Holway            .39

Benitez……….39

Broxton            .35

 

Holway threw his arm out throwing fastballs. If they had known about Tommy John

surgery back then, no telling what heights he would have reached. And if he had

bulked up on steroids - well, I shudder to think.

I sent Fredrico a bill for $50 for a new window – he didn't tell me to open it

first.

_______

John B Holway is author of TED, the Kid