Padres Pitcher's Training Includes Wii Fit

San Diego Padres' pitcher Heath Bell's off-season fitness regime includes liberal doses of Wii Fit. Bell originally bought the game to appease his 11-year-old daughter. But when console measured his weight and body mass index it proclaimed his avatar obese. Bell weighed 275 and says: "I wanted to make my character smaller...I didn't do it to lose weight." Geez, man, it's pretty easy to fake out the balance board. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Bell lost 25 pounds in five month through a combination of The Wii, his regular exercise program of an hour a day cardio+weights and a proper diet. The Wii was the only change from previous off-season training plans.

Mr. Bell says his on-field performance has also improved since he started playing with his Wii. "My balance is so much better than it used to be," he says. "It shows on the mound."

This is a nice story and all, but I gotta ask: What the hell is wrong with the Padres' trainer? Pitchers should spend the off season locked in high tech space gyms, throwing 90 mile-per-hour curve-balls 27 hours a day while avoiding specially trained attack dogs and eating scoops of Human Growth Hormone, not playing the Wii. Where is the grueling, torturous training regimen? Where is the steroid abuse? If I were a Padre's fan, I'd be pissed! How can you compete in today's MLB without proper fitness training?

Do you know anyone who has used Wii Fit to stay in shape? Seems to me it's like every other exercise program: People start out fired up, and then quickly lose interest.

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