Obesity Discussion Forums

[PassTheBypass]

My kids are playing baseball this summer. You know in all the old baseball movies, like Bad News Bears, The Sandlot, etc. There was always the one heavy kid that was made the catcher. In the pros, there was Babe Ruth, hitting home runs with a little extra around the middle.

Well, in the year 2007, 5 of the 9 kids out there are built like "the catcher" in those movies! 3 of the 9 MLB starters (including pitchers!) are built like that, too! The thing is, they can hit the HECK out of the ball, while the thinner players are just getting it out of the outfield.

When we were kids, the chubby kid was told to "put his weight into it", well, these kids are doing that, and doing it well. Is this common now? I don't want my kids to bulk up just to hit the ball farther, but heavy Barry Bonds hits home runs, heavy Miguel Cabrera hits home runs, heavy Prince Fielder hits home runs, while the "skinny" healthy hitters are getting by with singles.

Not a big deal, not an obsession, just curious if anyone else has seen that trend on the field both in little league and in the pros.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by PassTheBypass

My kids are playing baseball this summer. You know in all the old baseball movies, like Bad News Bears, The Sandlot, etc. There was always the one heavy kid that was made the catcher. In the pros, there was Babe Ruth, hitting home runs with a little extra around the middle.

Well, in the year 2007, 5 of the 9 kids out there are built like "the catcher" in those movies! 3 of the 9 MLB starters (including pitchers!) are built like that, too! The thing is, they can hit the HECK out of the ball, while the thinner players are just getting it out of the outfield.

When we were kids, the chubby kid was told to "put his weight into it", well, these kids are doing that, and doing it well. Is this common now? I don't want my kids to bulk up just to hit the ball farther, but heavy Barry Bonds hits home runs, heavy Miguel Cabrera hits home runs, heavy Prince Fielder hits home runs, while the "skinny" healthy hitters are getting by with singles.

Not a big deal, not an obsession, just curious if anyone else has seen that trend on the field both in little league and in the pros.

The game of baseball (professionally) has turned into more of a power game and less of a speed game. Fans want to see the long ball, and the game of baseball is giving it to them. Fences are shorter, pitching is diluted, balls are wound tighter, and pitchers throw faster (which makes for longer home runs), not to mention supplements are helping players get stronger.

Home runs=sexy, Stolen bases and bunting= not so much.



As far as the little leagues go, it's a function moreso of kids in general are a LOT heavier now then when you and I were growing up. In any sport you're going to see more overweight kids (in the United States anyway), because of the drastic increase in childhood obesity.

[MikeB]

Can they do pushups and lunges and run 5 laps around the in field? If so they're in shape enough to survive.

[IsaYogi]

Chicken and egg? Are fat hitters good at homeruns or are homerun hitters fat because they do not have to run fast? Bad hitter + Slow = Not On Team.

And this has been forever. Old Babe Ruth was one of the fattest men in Baseball in his day.

[PassTheBypass]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Can they do pushups and lunges and run 5 laps around the in field? If so they're in shape enough to survive.

My boys? They can do the push-ups and the five laps easy (they LOVE to run, and they have to do push-ups after the game if they make a non-hustle play), the lunges though, I am not sure, since I have never had them try it. I thought they were too young for that.

The Home run hitters? They would get worn out after 1 1/2 laps, but then they ony need to do one for a HR, and then they take a breather while playing first base.

[PassTheBypass]

Originally Posted by IsaYogi

Chicken and egg? Are fat hitters good at homeruns or are homerun hitters fat because they do not have to run fast? Bad hitter + Slow = Not On Team.

And this has been forever. Old Babe Ruth was one of the fattest men in Baseball in his day.

Understood. He gave the term "athlete" a real stretch.

However, there were alot fewer of those type of "power" hitters in the 1970's. Then the 1990s had a sudden bulking up (not from steriods, heavens no!), and now you have first base, third base, and left field held by the big hitters, and when was the last time you saw a skinny DH in the AL? Just seems like bulk is getting rewarded in what was once a speedster's sport.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by IsaYogi

Chicken and egg? Are fat hitters good at homeruns or are homerun hitters fat because they do not have to run fast? Bad hitter + Slow = Not On Team.

And this has been forever. Old Babe Ruth was one of the fattest men in Baseball in his day.

If you remember Cecil Fielder was a big boy when he played in the early nineties and he had a home run title being the first to hit 50 in a long time.....and now his son Prince Fielder is going to win the NL HR title and also quite the big boy.

Originally Posted by PassTheBypass

Understood. He gave the term "athlete" a real stretch.

However, there were alot fewer of those type of "power" hitters in the 1970's. Then the 1990s had a sudden bulking up (not from steriods, heavens no!), and now you have first base, third base, and left field held by the big hitters, and when was the last time you saw a skinny DH in the AL? Just seems like bulk is getting rewarded in what was once a speedster's sport.

Before A-Rod went to the Yankees you had him at Shortstop hitting over 40hrs a year, and shortstops were always the quick scrawny ones (like Ozzie Smith).

I don't see this changing anytime soon.

[William Wallace]

Originally Posted by PassTheBypass

My kids are playing baseball this summer. You know in all the old baseball movies, like Bad News Bears, The Sandlot, etc. There was always the one heavy kid that was made the catcher. In the pros, there was Babe Ruth, hitting home runs with a little extra around the middle.

Well, in the year 2007, 5 of the 9 kids out there are built like "the catcher" in those movies! 3 of the 9 MLB starters (including pitchers!) are built like that, too! The thing is, they can hit the HECK out of the ball, while the thinner players are just getting it out of the outfield.

When we were kids, the chubby kid was told to "put his weight into it", well, these kids are doing that, and doing it well. Is this common now? I don't want my kids to bulk up just to hit the ball farther, but heavy Barry Bonds hits home runs, heavy Miguel Cabrera hits home runs, heavy Prince Fielder hits home runs, while the "skinny" healthy hitters are getting by with singles.

Not a big deal, not an obsession, just curious if anyone else has seen that trend on the field both in little league and in the pros.

Your kids if they want to play competitively in the long run they will have to lift weights, train, etc. Having a lot of muscle does not mean they are not healthy (assuming the are not using dangerous supplements to get there).

Nowadays, parents are pushing their kids to play baseball all year round and to train when they're not playing. I gave up on baseball in middle school because I could not dedicate needed time to play consistently competitively.

Just something I have noticed over the years.

[Merle]

Being obese as a child may not have a tremendous impact on ability to play as a child, however I find it hard to believe that it would be of benefit should on aspire to make baseball or just about any sport a career. The last baseball game I went to, all the butts, I mean players I saw seemed to be in good shape.

[cardinarky]

I watched some of the LLWS playoffs from Steamboat Springs and could not believe the size of one of the players from Oklahoma. He is 13 years old and has to weigh in at 260/280. He was dominant in this series because he is hitting the ball with his arms and upper body. When hitting 300 ft or less you can get enough energy into the swing using your arms and upper torso. You really don't have to "turn" on the ball in LL


ML Baseball is a game that concentrates on lower body strength.
The reason "fat kids" can hit the ball in little league is because the pitchers don't have overpowering ball speed.
Once you hit senior level high school and college, the pitcher will generally dominate the LARGE BODY hitter because the hitter cannot swing the bat fast enough to catch up with the baseball.
The coach in Steamboat Springs chose to pitch the big player down and in. The kid's weakness was really high and tight. He was using his arms and wisth his size he could not get around on a high hard pitch. The "fat" simply will not permit the swing to be executed.
He does not have the bat speed necessary to wait to start his swing while his brain is examining the nuances of the pitched baseball. A mdeium to good pitcher will tie the larger batter in knots. Oh once in a while he will connect but his strikeout ratio will be through the roof.
What has made Bonds successful is BAT SPEED. He has the fastest bat in MLB at around 115MPH through the hitting zone. Typical major leaguers are in the 95 to 100 MPH range. A close speed to Bonds is Gary Sheffield. And both of them can wait longer to start their swings.
In MLB you need speed with the bat, and speed on the bases. You don't win with one dimensional players. If the American League would do away with the DH, you would see about 12 major league players looking for a job.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by cardinarky

I watched some of the LLWS playoffs from Steamboat Springs and could not believe the size of one of the players from Oklahoma. He is 13 years old and has to weigh in at 260/280. He was dominant in this series because he is hitting the ball with his arms and upper body. When hitting 300 ft or less you can get enough energy into the swing using your arms and upper torso. You really don't have to "turn" on the ball in LL


ML Baseball is a game that concentrates on lower body strength.
The reason "fat kids" can hit the ball in little league is because the pitchers don't have overpowering ball speed.
Once you hit senior level high school and college, the pitcher will generally dominate the LARGE BODY hitter because the hitter cannot swing the bat fast enough to catch up with the baseball.
The coach in Steamboat Springs chose to pitch the big player down and in. The kid's weakness was really high and tight. He was using his arms and wisth his size he could not get around on a high hard pitch. The "fat" simply will not permit the swing to be executed.
He does not have the bat speed necessary to wait to start his swing while his brain is examining the nuances of the pitched baseball. A mdeium to good pitcher will tie the larger batter in knots. Oh once in a while he will connect but his strikeout ratio will be through the roof.
What has made Bonds successful is BAT SPEED. He has the fastest bat in MLB at around 115MPH through the hitting zone. Typical major leaguers are in the 95 to 100 MPH range. A close speed to Bonds is Gary Sheffield. And both of them can wait longer to start their swings.
In MLB you need speed with the bat, and speed on the bases. You don't win with one dimensional players. If the American League would do away with the DH, you would see about 12 major league players looking for a job.

Coincidentally, both Bonds and Sheffield were tied to Balco's steroid scandal. Not sure if that means anything or not. Bonds also is known for using one of the lighter bats in MLB, not sure if that helps with bat speed either, although I would surmise yes. I do agree on your synopsis on chubby hitters, and torso, legs and flexibility all are keys. More weight to turn has to slow things down about, although Prince Fielder seems unaffected by that this year, same goes for his father Cecil who was fairly heavy in his hay day and still hit moon shots.