Late Life. It’s the perfect title for a documentary by filmmaker, Frank Chen on rise, fall and resurgence of ex-Yankee Ace, Chien Ming Wang. It premier’s in LA on May 9th. I am honored to be a part of it.
Coaches at our baseball training camps know that, when you have a soft tissue injury (UCL, labrum, rotor cuff) that doesn’t result in catastrophic failure, it’s very important during the rehab process that you provide controlled stress to organize the healing tissue along the line of resistance.
Any time a pitcher complains of pain on the inside of the elbow, you worry about damage to the UCL — the dreaded Tommy John surgery. But sometimes it’s not the Tommy John ligament at all. Here is a rudimentary field test to see if you might have damage to the UCL. It’s called “The milking test.”
As Lance and his mom walked away, I came up with one more penetrating thought: I suck! Ever since that day with Lance and his mom, I have made a pact with myself. I will meet every player exactly where he is physically, mentally, and emotionally and do everything in my power to help him improve himself as ballplayer and a person.
As baseball gradually returns to normal for most players reading this story, I would like to submit my question again… How do you become Jimmy Chitwood? I believe you do it by intentionally building relationships and fostering a culture of love, respect, and service among your teammates.
