$80,000,000 Tiger

Last Friday, December 15, 2012 was a very rewarding day. It was when Anibal Sanchez, SP, agreed to a 5 year $80 Million contract to remain with the Detroit Tigers. Having been his off-season baseball strength coach for the past 3 off-seasons it was an equally rewarding day for me...maybe not 80 million dollars worth, but it sure was rewarding. You see, prior to teaming up with Five Tool Baseball in 2009, Anibal saw time on and off the Disabled List(DL) for each of his first 4 years in the MLB. Since joining FTB, our plan never wavered; train to keep him on the mound.

You have to be healthy and capable of taking the ball every 5th day to show your worth. For the past 3 years Anibal has been healthy, strong, with zero trips to the Disabled List. As his trainer, that's been my reward...his health. Three years healthy, got him 5 years and a whole lot of money.

He has been the perfect example of gym tested and field proven. Anibal out trains the game!

Buena Suerte Anibal.

Adam

Anibal Sanchez 3 years of Reflection

The other day I found myself reflecting about the strength training I had orchestrated for Anibal Sanchez over the past three off-seasons (2009-2011). More importantly I took a mental inventory of his on-field performance accomplishments during the respective 2010 thru 2012 seasons.

Before sharing those performance based accomplishments, it's important to note that when Anibal and I first met in 2009 he had just completed his 4th MLB season which also happened to represent the 4th year in a row in which he had spent some sort of time the Disabled List (DL). 2009 represented the 1st of three consecutive strength & conditioning off-seasons and 2012 represented the 3rd of three consecutive seasons in which Anibal did not spend ANY time of the DL. Bottom line is this, each of our off-season strength training programs had two goals: enhance performance and reduce incidence of injury (maintaining health). His results - THREE years strong!!!

Accomplishments:

• 2009 off-season dropped 30 pounds (235 to 205) and has maintained weight
• 2010 thru 2012: three consecutive injury free & DL free seasons; first time in his 7 year career
• 2010 career high starts (32)
• 2011 matches career high starts (32)
• 2011 career high innings pitched (196.1)
• 2011 career high strikeouts (202)
• 2012 American League Champion - Detroit Tigers
• 2012 World Series - Detroit Tigers

As I've said time and time again, In-Season performance starts during the Off-Season!!!!!

Out Train the Game.

Adam

Game #3 2012 World Series

Anibal Sanchez pitched the game of his life last night; Game 3 of the 2012 World Series.

Altho he and the Tigers didnt get the win, he pitched extremely well. Over 7 strong innings,  he threw 117 pitches that featured 8K's, 1BB. Great numbers!

It was an all 'round solid performance.  However he was on the receiving end of no run support.More importantly he's healthy!

As with each of our off-season training seasons, our goals have always been to enhance performance and reduce the incidence of injury. Game #3 of the 12012 World Series demonstrated that our goals are being accomplished.

Out train the game!

Adam

Congrats to Detroit Tigers Starting Pitcher, Anibal Sanchez and the rest of the 2012 Detroit Tigers for advancing to the 2012 World Series.

Out train the game!

Adam

Game 2 of ALCS

Anibal Sanchez goes 7 strong, keeping Yankees offense off the board while striking out 7 and walking 3. All in his first ever LCS game and on the road in Yankee Stadium.

Off-season training combined with diligent in-season training programs contributes to maintaining health, strength and power of your ball player into the post-season.

Keep strong. Keep Training.

Out train the game

AB

2012 ALDS

Anibal Sanchez takes the hill tonight in game 3 of the ALDS between Tigers and A's.  What a great nationally televised stage for him to showcase his talents in an all important free agency year.

All of our (his) hard work, over the past 3 years, will come to fruition as he enters free agency at season's end; seeking his first multi-year contract. 

Out Train the Game!

AB

Tiger catches a Fish

Former Miami Marlin, Anibal Sanchez (SP) has been traded to the American League Central leading Detroit Tigers. What a turn of events for Anibal - going from a team most likely not to see the postseason to a team in postseason contention.








Looking forward to watching him get after the AL.

Out train the game!

AB

Sanchez strikesout 14

career high 14Ks: 4/28/12

Five Tool Baseball client & Miami Marlins SP, Anibal Sanchez drops 14Ks on the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight. 

Out Train the Game!

Adam

Anibal Sanchez Wins

Combining great pitching with great run support, Anibal wins his 2012 opener throwing 6 1/3 innings against Phillies' Cole Hamels.

1-0!


Out train the game.

AB

Anibal wins Arbitration

The off-season leading into the 2010 season is when it all started. It was then that Anibal Sanchez and I were introduced to each other and began a strength training program that transformed not only his body but also his career. Although the previous 4 years he had been a MLB Starting Pitcher with the then Florida Marlins, much of those 4 years he was unfortunately plagued with injuries and/or spent time on the DL.

Fast forward to the 2010 season, Anibal makes all 32 starts, stays off the DL and out performs expectations. Based on this performance he is awarded a $3.7mil salary for the 2011 season.

Knowing he wanted more from the 2010 season, Anibal and I train for the 2nd consecutive year getting him more than game ready for the 2011 season. The 2011 season resulted in career highs in Innings Pitched (196 1/3) and Strikeouts (202) while making all 32 of his scheduled starts and remaining healthy and off the DL.

For his 2011 efforts the Miami Marlins offer Anibal $6.9mil. He declines, seeking $8mil through arbitration. This morning (Monday, February 6, 2012), while putting the finishing touches on our 3rd consecutive year training together, Anibal wins his arbitration case. There is no doubt in my mind that our off-seasoning performance training played a role in the success he experienced on the field over the past two years.

To all the baseball strength training coaches, what we do does matter and what we do can make a difference in a ball players performance and career.

Training Anibal over the past 3 years has been one of the most rewarding, and inspirational periods of my career. The transformation of his career has only just begun.

Looking forward to what the 2012 season brings.

Out train the game! Anibal does...

202 = 6th

As posted earlier, Anibal Sanchez recorded 202 strikeouts in 2011...good enough for 6th best amongst NL starters.

Congrats to Anibal.

New Highs in September '11

When the 162 game season begins taking it's toll on players, Anibal Sanchez is still in mid-season form. While tossing a 1-hitter vs. the pirates last night, Sanchez recorded his 3rd complete game and 2nd shutout of the 2011 season-both are season career highs.





I couldn't be more convinced about the structure of our off season training and conditioning programs. As I've said time and time again, "in season performance happens in the off-season".

Go hard in yard.

Adam

Throwing K's

Five Tool Baseball client, Anibal Sanchez, just threw his 158th strikeout of the season surpassing the 157 Ks he threw all of 2010 season.

During the off season we..well he... is dedicated to our training program providing durability to his season. Starting healthy, staying healthy, finishing healthy is a big part of the game.

Go hard in the yard.

Adam

It really does happen in the off-season

Im humbled by this article from Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Florida Marlins reporter for the Sun-Sentinel.


Winter workouts with local trainer help position A. Sanchez for All-Star nod

Sanchez outduels Halladay

Earlier this week, Anibal specifically asked for the Roy Halladay matchup; and he got it...In Philly. Anibal goes on to scatter 4 hits, 2 runs over 7 innings. After going 7 innings strong, and bettering Halladay, he turned over a 4-2 lead to the bullpen only to see the Phillies come back tie the game and win it in the 10th. No win for him (or Marlins) but sure was a nice moral victory. Durability didn't seem to be a factor either for Anibal as he threw a season high 125 pitches.


In season performance happens in the off-season.

Go hard in the yard.

AB

Chewing up innings

Anibal Sanchez threw his 2nd complete game of the season; a 5 hit shutout enabling the Marlins to finish off a 3 game sweep over the SF Giants. It's great to see his intensity get unleashed.

Out Train the Game!

Adam

Sanchez throwing K's

Anibal sets a career high in strikeouts with 11 Ks (over 7 shutout innings). His off speed stuff was nasty and he hit 95 with his fastball.



Out train the game.

Adam

Follow up on Anibal Sanchez

Here's a follow up story, as it appeared on Marlins.com, regarding Anibal's near no hitter.
________________________________________________________


Faster fastball key to Anibal's dominance
Pitch in 93-95-mph range helps Sanchez one-hit Rockies

MIAMI -- Dexter Fowler ended up foiling Anibal Sanchez's no-hit bid on Friday night with a broken-bat single to lead off the ninth inning.

Initially, Sanchez felt his quest for a second career no-hitter was about to end in the eighth inning.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Jose Lopez slapped a soft liner up the middle, but it was flagged down by Omar Infante just on the grass in center field.

"I thought that was it," Sanchez said on Saturday.

Sanchez ended up with a one-hitter as the Marlins beat the Rockies, 4-1, at Sun Life Stadium.

The lone hit came on Sanchez's 116th pitch, when Fowler singled to right. The broken-bat hit came on a 94-mph fastball.

A major reason why Sanchez flirted with making history is because his fastball was regularly in the 93-95-mph range, the hardest he's thrown in years.

"Yesterday, the ball was coming in heavy," catcher John Buck said of Sanchez's fastball. "It had that extra [zip]. When you're throwing a good slider, throwing a good slider, then all of a sudden you get that good fastball, and it's 95."

Sanchez struck out nine and finished with 123 pitches.

With his fastball working, it made his off-speed pitches more effective.

"I threw hard, and that's why I threw so many fastballs," said Sanchez, who no-hit Arizona in 2006. "I was ahead in the count a lot and I used my fastball. I was throwing my breaking pitches in the right spots and the right situations."

The Marlins have flirted a couple of times with a no-hitter this year. Josh Johnson went 7 1/3 innings without allowing a hit in Atlanta before Freddie Freeman doubled in the eighth.

Buck caught both games, and says he wasn't caught up in the moment.

"Even with JJ, I didn't really become conscious of it -- that there is a no-hitter -- until the sixth or seventh inning, because I'm so engulfed in every at-bat," Buck said. "I'm aware of how well he is throwing, rather than if we have no hits or a shutout going. I'm probably more aware of runs, because that's how you call a game, by how many runs are on the board."

_________________________________________________________



Out Train The Game!

Adam

Marlins' Sanchez tosses Gem!

Tonight (April 22, 2011) I was fortunate to be at the game as Anibal turned in an outstanding performance!! Just look at that intensity.

He took a no hitter into the 9th inning before giving up a broken bat, "seeing-eye" single to lead-off hitter Dexter Fowler.

Not only did Anibal toss a 1-hitter, he dropped down a suicide squeeze, made an incredible defensive play, lowered his ERA from 5.51 to 3.55, and set a new career high of 9Ks.



Every inning that went by I reflected about everything that went into our off-season training program; designed for night's like tonight. Designed to take his body well beyond 9 innings worth of work. Every 8000# truck pushes, versa-climber, tire sprints, ropes, functional field work went into his 123 pitch, 9 inning complete game shutout.

Strength, Power and Endurance. Tonight he had it all.

The strength & conditioning that the fans don't see in the offseason they saw tonight! Congrats Anibal!


Out Train The Game!

Adam

Youth Camp

This past Sunday, 2/6/11, Cincinnati Reds C, Ramon Hernandez organized a free clinic to some young ball players. He recruited help from San Francisco GIants SS, Miguel Tejada, and Florida Marlins SP, Anibal Sanchez. In addition Ramon asked me if I would come out to implement the pre-camp warm up and some SAQ drills. I was honored. What alot of fun. Here's a couple of pics.










This past week, I have had the opportunity to work with some ballplayers on various ball fields...and after all these years, I still feel the most alive when Im in between the white lines.

go hard in the yard.

Adam