Yips or the yips is the loss of fine motor skills in athletes. The condition occurs suddenly and without apparent explanation usually in mature athletes with years of experience.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester has this very affliction, and has major problems throwing the ball to bases. This could be a big problem for a pitcher, but in Lester’s case, he can throw the ball to home plate like few others can.
Now he’s trying some new ways to get the ball to first base. He has been working on a new method with third-base coach Brian Butterfield.
“We’re working on the Jordan-to-Pippen bounce pass,” Lester said.
Via Chicago Tribune:
“In his words, just eliminate all tension and bounce it over there,” Lester said. “We’ve been working on it early in the morning. Obviously it was not a good throw, but my sights were a little off on what we’ve been working on.
“The ball kind of checked up. We’ve been working on it in mornings, so it’s been a little wet. The sight line has been a little different.”
“I don’t really care what it looks like,” he said. “I don’t care if it bounces 72 times over there. An out’s an out. It goes down as a 1-3 or a 1-6 or a 1-4.
“It’s like when you jam a guy and he hits a ball down right field. It goes down as a line drive (in the box score). We’ll continue to work on it.”
Lester is one of the few who can handle this issue, mostly because he’s an ace. He’ll get the ball to first any way he can. Watch below, you’ll see what I mean.
