Much leaner Brett Cecil feels like new man

[dagger]

Dropped 33 pounds in the offseason, wasn't sure his struggles last year was all about being too heavy, but knows he has to change his approach. Finished last season over 250, now down to 219.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/b ... le2344227/

“I weighed 252 pounds by the end of last year,” Cecil said after throwing a bullpen session at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. “I’m 219 today. My foot quickness is so much better, everything is so much better.”

Does he feel like a new man?

“Yes,” Cecil said. “Yes, I do.”

He said it was a matter of altering the way he ate more than what he ate, and coupling that with an emphasis on core strengthening to regain the leg drive so important to a pitcher.

He said trainers and coaches showed him a video after the season that “measured the biomechanics” and the “speed of my body parts” throughout the pitching motion.

“My legs were skipping the core and not giving me the torque needed from the core,” Cecil said.

Being overweight factored into that.

[flatjacket1]

I like the sounds of Cecil this season.

[dballislife]

he needs to be mentally and physically ready than most, he doesn't have great stuff

[satyr9]

Every player in every sport in the history of modern sports after having a bad year has this article written about them the next year. They're always fresher and healthier and more prepared. The injury/health issue is alwyas fixed and will allow them to have a full pre-season, something they missed the season before. I won't speculate whether it's true in Cecil's case, but this story is 100% formula.

[YogiStewart]

wow, dude was a fat pig.
where was he hiding those 30 lbs? it wasn't all muscle, methinks.

[tecumseh18]

I don't know why pitchers let themselves go like that. Do they convince themselves that more mass will mean a few more mph on the fastball? Jeez, if only Pedro M. had known this, he could have had a pretty good career.

OTOH, the article below seems to suggest that fat pitchers ARE better - certainly more durable. Skinny pitchers have to go to the bullpen much earlier in their careers. I can think of many exceptions, but this guy has crunched a lot of numbers - every MLB pitcher since WWII.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/artic ... er-part-5/

Every player in every sport in the history of modern sports after having a bad year has this article written about them the next year. They're always fresher and healthier and more prepared. The injury/health issue is alwyas fixed and will allow them to have a full pre-season, something they missed the season before. I won't speculate whether it's true in Cecil's case, but this story is 100% formula.

Hah, we should compare the inevitable Lind article in the coming weeks with this one, the way Little Ozzy took down Bleacher Report (talk about a soft target) today.

I gave up ascribing any importance to such pre-training camp puff pieces after the whole Jermaine O'Neal experience with the Raptors.

[BobbyBoy]

Same kind of thing happened to me when I was a kid. One season I could throw hard, the next I was throwing soooo slow. But I wasn't fat. I just worked out and got my arms stronger.

[darth_federer]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.ph ... d-shapers/

Who is he going to end up like?

[BobbyBoy]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-good-shapers/

Who is he going to end up like?

Hopefully Romero.

[Lateral Quicks]

Wow, 250 is a lot for a guy who's 6'1. I didn't think he was that heavy.

I'm happy for him he shed the weight. Thirty pounds in one offseason is quite the achievement and he should feel better going forward.

I wonder if starting a family had something to do with the weight gain. Aside from the stress that can entail, it can also mean less time spent in the gym and poorer dietary habits.

Looks like he's got his head on straight this year, and focus is a necessary - though not sufficient - precondition to success. It would be a huge boost to the team if he could return to 2010 form or better.

[jrsmith]

Hopefully this overrated lard contributes to something this year. I'd be surprised.

[BobbyBoy]

Hopefully this overrated lard contributes to something this year. I'd be surprised.

LOL, sooo true.

[HSOB SIRHC]

On an unrelated note, Brett Cecil's fiancee is pretty hot.

[BobbyBoy]

On an unrelated note, Brett Cecil's fiancee is pretty hot.

HOW THE HELL DID HE GET HER???

[BigLeagueChew]

At least he has something to fall back on, if things don't work out.

[darth_federer]

[BobbyBoy]

In brett cecils case he has Money and hoes.

[J-Roc]

I don't understand how these pitchers can maintain their velocity and release points when they make such a huge jump in weight.

[flatjacket1]

I don't understand how these pitchers can maintain their velocity and release points when they make such a huge jump in weight.

Pitching is mainly mechanics and fast twitch muscles. How else can skinny Noah hit 102 MPH, or not that big Verlander hit high 90's with consistency. I think we will see Cecil average around 92 MPH this season (up from last year)

He will have improved stamina for sure, I heard most of his workouts involved swimming and long toss.

[silverhill27]

Typical spring training story. Every team has them. (cough Demar...) I'm eager to see if his hard work will translate into results.