So we've established that you, an 60ish fat guy with a prior arm injury can still throw mid-60s at a guess your speed booth, apparently without warming up.

But it's somehow ridiculous that I could do the same thing, except throw a little harder, despite the fact that I'm younger and in better shape.

Riiiiiiiight.

To answer your questions, I have no idea why someone would risk injury at those booths. I've done it because it's fun. Sounds like you did too. I'd guess they'd give the same answer.

Most people, still playing, wouldn't. It's stupid. And it's unbelievable that someone who throws once a week for 6 months a year can actually roll out of bed and throw 75.

I haven't thrown at a booth without warming up since 1996. I'm 53, I play 100ish games a year and I throw at least three times a week 45 weeks, more or less, per year. While we could argue my level of fatness, no one refers to me as "that fat guy in the outfield". Admittedly, I will not be entering bodybuilding competitions. I'm assuming you aren't either. So I'm not really sure how you know you're in better shape.

"Most people, still playing, wouldn't. It's stupid. And it's unbelievable that someone who throws once a week for 6 months a year can actually roll out of bed and throw 75."

And yet they still do it. I've done it. I've seen other people do it. I'm assuming everyone throwing at those booths wasn't out in the parking lot playing long toss before.

You're claiming that you warmed up last time you did it. Fine. I'm not going to be you and insist that something isn't true minus any evidence.

You're 53. I'm 34. I was a college athlete and I stay in shape now...mostly through my crossfit knockoff gym, but also by playing baseball. So yeah, I'm willing to assume I'm in better shape than you, but it's within the realm of possibility that I'm wrong about that. It really doesn't matter though. No matter what I say, you'll argue.

Posted by tmantom3285 on 9/13/2016 5:48:00 PM (view original):
Dude your the best..... you actually said "I didn't hit 75 cold..... but...... I did hit 74"

LOL, that's good stuff.

So much there, not enough time to address.

Last time I threw in a booth, I'd played a tourney. We were eliminated around 5 PM so myself/3 teammates decided to catch a 7 PM game. We'd played 4 games and, counting warm-up throws, I'd probably thrown 200 times. I asked the booth guy if I could have a few untimed throws. Gave him my "hurt my elbow" sob story. Nobody was waiting so he let me throw a few. I didn't max out simply because I was scared of hurting my elbow again.

Age isn't relevant to "in shape" unless both are using the same program and are genetically similar. I'm a selfish ***** and spend more time in the gym than I should.

Baseball/softball are not "athlete" sports. Truth is, I run more in softball than I ever did in baseball. And in half the time. That's not to say I could play baseball at any competitive level. While my physical level isn't much different than 25 years ago, my eyesight is not. Neither are my reflexes. But reflexes and eyesight are not "in shape" relevant.

In short, I wouldn't "assume" so much.

Well, age is relevant to physical conditioning. As you age your metabolism slows down and your testosterone production decreases. You simply can't do a lot of the things at 53 that you could do at 34.

Well, guess who's the superhuman now?

Or maybe I'm just in better shape now than I was at 34. Nonetheless, I can't think of anything I could do at 34 that I can't do now. Or at least anything that's not alcohol-related. I can't stay out all night, get up at 6 and have a "normal" day.

Either way, your 34 and my 53 might be identical. Training program and genetics.

Or throw as hard/run as fast.

Oh, ok. Sure.

Former college baseball player in his 30s can throw in the 70s. Ridiculous.

53 year old is in just as good physical shape as he was when he was 34. Not ridiculous.

get a room already!

Posted by bad_luck on 9/14/2016 9:02:00 PM (view original):
Oh, ok. Sure.

Former college baseball player in his 30s can throw in the 70s. Ridiculous.

53 year old is in just as good physical shape as he was when he was 34. Not ridiculous.

You seem to forget that the former college baseball player in his 30s throws mid-70s after rolling out of his bed. Not sure if he puts on slippers before cranking out those 74 MPH fastballs.

You seem to be unable to grasp the effects of workouts. Without details, an injured elbow and a divorce really got into my workouts.

Truth is, if you said you threw a couple of times a week and could hit 75 after warm-up, I wouldn't doubt you. But you throw 26 times a year and don't need to warm up to hit 75 as soon as you find a ball. Smells like bullshit.

In fact, given a full year, I think I could be in the best shape of my life. Unemployed for 4 1/2 months at 28, I went to the gym twice a day, cooked nothing but good food, took college classes, looked for a job. Best shape of my life. My body wouldn't respond like it did then but, with a full year of nothing on my plate but getting in the best shape possible, I think 54 y/o me would be better than 28 y/o me. Assuming, of course, my body didn't break during the process.

So, yeah, I think it's entirely possible a 53 y/o can be in better shape than when he was 34. Probably happens more often than you think.

Go to college, do a couple of sets of curls/extensions every couple of days, eat what you want, party it up, still in good shape.
Graduate, get married, work on career, maintain college eating/workout habits, get a little flabby over the next 15 years.
Suddenly realize "****, I'm not 22. My metabolism changed. I gotta eat better and get a few legit workouts in."

I wouldn't be surprised if mid-30s was the time in life when you're in your worst shape. Unless, of course, you said "**** it" and never worked out again. Plenty of fatties in the US who took that route.

Unless, of course, you said "**** it" and never worked out again. Plenty of fatties in the US who took that route.

Hey, "fatties" is offensive to the metabolically challenged. All overweight people should take a knee during the national anthem to protest this type of persecution.

and the object of the "Guess your Speed" booth is to.... guess your speed. You shouldn't be humping up and trying to blow the back off the booth. I used to win those things all the time throwing a nice comfortable speed (62-66), and then guessing the exact same speed. Two reasons; it was a comfortable repeatable throw (especially not warmed up), and those numbers don't always roll over and it will frequently show the same speed for multiple throws in a row.

You win lots of stuffed animals in baseball gear that way.

I think it's funny that 66 is a nice comfortable speed to throw without warning up but 73 or 74 is ridiculous and impossible.

Posted by The Taint on 9/14/2016 8:36:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tmantom3285 on 9/13/2016 5:48:00 PM (view original):
Dude your the best..... you actually said "I didn't hit 75 cold..... but...... I did hit 74"

LOL, that's good stuff.

But still, this......

To recap, your argument is that you can throw 74 totally cold because people who go to baseball games throw harder than people who don't and also, that your not fat?