Mike Marshall (baseball pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Michael Grant "Iron Mike" Marshall (born January 15, 1943 in Adrian, Michigan
) is an American
former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. He played in 1967 and from 1969-1981 for nine different teams.
Marshall won the National League
Cy Young Award
in as a member of the Dodgers as well as being named the NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News
. He was a member of the National League All Star Team in 1974 and . Marshall was also named Fireman of the Year by TSN with three different teams: in the NL in 1973 with the Montreal Expos
and 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers
, and a third time in 1979 in the American League
with the Minnesota Twins
(sharing the award with Jim Kern
).
Marshall, who relied primarily on an elusive screwball
, led his league in games pitched
four times, saves three times, and games finished
five times. He is the holder of two major league records, both of which he set in the 1974 season: most appearances (games pitched
) in a season (106), and most consecutive team games with a relief appearance (13). In his record-setting 1974 season, he pitched 208.3 innings, all of which came in relief appearances.
Marshall attended Michigan State University
, earning three degrees, including a Ph.D.
in kinesiology
. In the months preceding his 1974 CY Young season, Marshall considered retiring in order to work on his Ph.D.
Marshall teaches and advocates a pitching method he developed that he "believes could completely eradicate pitching-arm injuries."
Marshall wants the pitchers to have a smooth transition. To pitch the arm has to externally rotate (hand lays back) before the ball accelerates. With traditional pitchers the thrower often lifts his elbow before his hand (also called scapula loading). this leads to the ball coming up late and the arm to externally rotate late. The elbow will be accelerated forward while the hand still goes backward, which creates enormous stress on the arm.
Marshall instead wants pitches to externally rotate early as they swing their arm up. that means the will lift the hand before the elbow, so that the wrist faces away from his body and up, the hand is above the elbow when the front foot touches the ground. that leads to a smooth transition without a "forearm bounce" as Marshall calls it (Marshall believes this causes UCL injuries which require Tommy John surgery).he wants to first lay back the forearm and then accelerate by using the body instead of accelerating before the hand is laid back
Marshall also believes in using the rotation of the trunk instead of bending over at the waist and in pronation the arm which according to him protects the elbow.
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He played in 1967 and from 1969-1981 for nine different teams.
Marshall won the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
in as a member of the Dodgers as well as being named the NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. He was a member of the National League All Star Team in 1974 and . Marshall was also named Fireman of the Year by TSN with three different teams: in the NL in 1973 with the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, and a third time in 1979 in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(sharing the award with Jim Kern
Jim Kern
James Lester Kern is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. Kern had a thirteen-year Major League career from 1974 to 1986 with the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.Kern was elected to the American League All-Star...
).
Marshall, who relied primarily on an elusive screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
, led his league in games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
four times, saves three times, and games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
five times. He is the holder of two major league records, both of which he set in the 1974 season: most appearances (games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
) in a season (106), and most consecutive team games with a relief appearance (13). In his record-setting 1974 season, he pitched 208.3 innings, all of which came in relief appearances.
Marshall attended Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, earning three degrees, including a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
. In the months preceding his 1974 CY Young season, Marshall considered retiring in order to work on his Ph.D.
Marshall teaches and advocates a pitching method he developed that he "believes could completely eradicate pitching-arm injuries."
Marshall wants the pitchers to have a smooth transition. To pitch the arm has to externally rotate (hand lays back) before the ball accelerates. With traditional pitchers the thrower often lifts his elbow before his hand (also called scapula loading). this leads to the ball coming up late and the arm to externally rotate late. The elbow will be accelerated forward while the hand still goes backward, which creates enormous stress on the arm.
Marshall instead wants pitches to externally rotate early as they swing their arm up. that means the will lift the hand before the elbow, so that the wrist faces away from his body and up, the hand is above the elbow when the front foot touches the ground. that leads to a smooth transition without a "forearm bounce" as Marshall calls it (Marshall believes this causes UCL injuries which require Tommy John surgery).he wants to first lay back the forearm and then accelerate by using the body instead of accelerating before the hand is laid back
Marshall also believes in using the rotation of the trunk instead of bending over at the waist and in pronation the arm which according to him protects the elbow.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball individual streaks