More Data. More Injuries. What Are We Missing?

Major League Baseball has never had more data.
We measure everything — from kinematic sequencing to spin rate, hip-shoulder separation, bat speed, and launch angles, among others.
Yet something’s not adding up:
- ⚠️ UCL injuries are at an all-time high
- ⚠️ Oblique and lat injuries are surging — not just in pitchers, but in hitters too
- ⚠️ Performance volatility is rising
- ⚠️ Trust between athletes and development staff is eroding

We were told biomechanics and data would solve these problems.
But things are getting worse.
👉 What if the problem isn’t undertraining… but misalignment?
👉 What if “representative” training and “ideal” mechanics are part of the problem — not the solution?
⚾️ The “Representativeness” Trap
In modern player development, one mantra keeps getting repeated:
- “Make it game-like.”
- “Design for transfer.”
- “Keep it representative.”
So we build bullpens that mimic in-game conditions.
We structure BP around pitch types and zones.
We match visual cues, speed, and intensity.
But here’s the hard truth:
- ❌ What looks game-like… isn’t always game-right.
- ❌ And what’s “representative” for one athlete… might be a biomechanical trap for another.
We’ve confused similarity with relevance.
We’ve mistaken aesthetics for adaptability.
We’ve chased averages — and lost sight of individuals.
⚾️ Pitching: When Optimisation Becomes Overload
We obsess over clean mechanics, “efficient” sequencing, and textbook timing.
But when a pitcher’s natural motor preferences are ignored…
- 👉 You don’t build consistency.
- 👉 You build compensation.
- 👉 And compensation leads to tissue breakdown.
That’s why we see pitchers with “perfect” mechanics… and shredded lats or recurring oblique strains.
The problem isn’t bad movement.
It’s the wrong movement — for the wrong body.
⚾️ Hitting: Why One Swing Doesn’t Fit All
Elite hitters don’t move the same way.
They don’t load, time, or release energy the same way.
But systems try to make them conform anyway.
They’re taught to match angles, hit metrics, or “clean up” inefficiencies on video.
Meanwhile:
- Obliques overstress
- Barrel control becomes inconsistent under pressure
Why?
Because biomechanical uniformity doesn’t equal performance security.
It often creates invisible conflict between the player’s brain and body.
📉 Data That Doesn’t Deliver
Here’s the kicker: the very data we’re using to guide development —
- 👉 launch angles
- 👉 arm angles
- 👉 pitch design
- 👉 spin Rate
- 👉 kinematic graphs
- 👉 normative benchmarks
— are based on statistical averages.
But “average” is not the same as “authentic.”
And “representative” data often represents no one.
We’ve built systems to detect patterns, not people.
We’ve mistaken numbers for nuance.
This isn’t precision.
It’s standardisation — and it’s coming at a high cost.
🔄 Flip the System: The MotorBall Model
At #BaseballActionID, and in our new platform #MotorBall, we do it differently.
We start with:
- The individual, not the drill
- The athlete’s natural blueprint, not the model
- The player’s internal timing, posture, perception and rhythm, not biomechanics alone
We reverse-engineer transfer from the inside out:
- ✅ What does the body recognise as trustworthy under pressure?
- ✅ What movement sequences feel “clean” from the inside, not just on camera?
- ✅ What structure produces durable performance — not just max output?
💥 Why It Works?
Because when the body trusts the movement…
- The brain commits.
- The skill transfers.
- The tissue tolerates.
- The performance stabilises.
That’s the MotorBall Principle:
🧠 Motor intelligence leads biomechanical efficiency — not the other way around.
🚀 What Baseball Needs Now?
Not another wearable.
Not another benchmark.
Not another “game-like” drill designed around the wrong player.
We need:
- Individualised coaching that respects motor identity
- Systems built around the athlete, not imposed on them
- Durable transfer — not fragile imitation
We don’t need more averages.
We need authentic movement.
We need real performance.
We need fewer injuries.
Welcome to #BaseballActionID.
Welcome to #MotorBall.
Let’s rebuild development — one body at a time.
