Gillett Javair S, Dawes J Jay, Spaniol Frank J, Rhea Matthew R, Rogowski Joe P, Magrini Mitchel A, Simao Roberto, Bunker Derek J
Athletic Performance, Houston Rockets, Houston, TX 77002, USA.
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA.
Sports (Basel). 2016 Feb 25;4(1):14. doi: 10.3390/sports4010014.
The purpose of this study is to provide descriptive and comparative information regarding the cardiorespiratory fitness of professional baseball pitchers. Twenty-four ( = 24) major league (ML) baseball pitchers (starters = 14; relievers = 10) over seven seasons (2007⁻2013) were evaluated. A modified Bruce protocol and the CardioCoach™ CO₂ metabolic analyzer were used to estimate VO and anaerobic threshold (AT) at the beginning of each season. Performance data from each season was utilized to draw inference about pitching performance. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare Starting (S) and Relief (R) pitchers above/below the group mean for VO and AT. Pearson product moment correlations were also used to examine relationships between cardiorespiratory fitness and performance. Significant differences in performance were discovered between S pitchers above/below the overall group mean for VO. ( ≤ 0.05) and for AT in Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP) ( ≤ 0.05) and Earned Run Average (ERA) ( ≤ 0.05). Significant relationships between VO and Walks per 9 Innings (BB/9) ( ≤ 0.05), Home Runs per 9 innings (HR/9) ( ≤ 0.05), Wins (W) ( ≤ 0.05), Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) ( ≤ 0.01), Strikeouts (K) ( ≤ 0.01), Hits per 9 innings (H/9) ( ≤ 0.01), Strikeouts per 9 innings (K/9) ( ≤ 0.01), ERA ( ≤ 0.01), and WHIP ( ≤ 0.01). Low, but significant, correlations were discovered between AT and WHIP ( ≤ 0.05) and ERA (≤0.05).
Higher aerobic capacity appears to be more influential for S than R pitchers. Strength and conditioning practitioners should ensure that pitchers, especially S pitchers at the ML level, perform sufficient and appropriate endurance training to support pitching performance.
本研究的目的是提供有关职业棒球投手心肺适能的描述性和比较性信息。对七个赛季（2007 - 2013年）的24名美国职业棒球大联盟（ML）投手（先发投手14名；救援投手10名）进行了评估。在每个赛季开始时，使用改良的布鲁斯运动试验方案和CardioCoach™二氧化碳代谢分析仪来估计最大摄氧量（VO₂max）和无氧阈（AT）。利用每个赛季的表现数据来推断投球表现。采用单因素方差分析（ANOVA）比较先发（S）和救援（R）投手的VO₂max和AT高于/低于组均值的情况。还使用皮尔逊积差相关来检验心肺适能与表现之间的关系。发现VO₂max高于/低于总体组均值的先发投手在表现上存在显著差异（P≤0.05），以及在每局投球中保送加安打数（WHIP）（P≤0.05）和自责分率（ERA）（P≤0.05）方面的无氧阈存在显著差异。VO₂max与每9局保送数（BB/9）（P≤0.05）、每9局本垒打数（HR/9）（P≤0.05）、胜场数（W）（P≤0.05）、投手独立防御率（FIP）（P≤0.01）、三振数（K）（P≤0.01）、每9局安打数（H/9）（P≤0.01）、每9局三振数（K/9）（P≤0.01）、ERA（P≤0.01）和WHIP（P≤0.01）之间存在显著关系。发现无氧阈与WHIP（P≤0.05）和ERA（P≤0.05）之间存在低但显著的相关性。
较高的有氧能力对先发投手似乎比救援投手更具影响力。体能训练从业者应确保投手，尤其是美国职业棒球大联盟水平的先发投手，进行足够且适当的耐力训练以支持投球表现。
