Pure Heat: Ultimate MLB Flamethrowers DVD: Review By chupnick

It's a look at the best and hardest pitchers in Major League Baseball. We're in the era of the power pitcher. Current and past players analyze the legends of the game - from starters like Nolan Ryan, John Smoltz, and Pedro Martinez to relievers and closers like Mariano Rivera and Eric Gagne.

Throughout the DVD, different players talk about the pitchers from the past. Washington Senators pitcher, Walter Johnson, is featured. They used to call him The Big Train because of his over-6-foot stature and speed of his pitch. Even Bob Feller, Robin Roberts, and one of my favorite players of all time Sandy Kofax give their own analysis of their pitches and power.

One feature in the bunch focuses on 1968; that year, Bob Gibson changed the game of baseball and the world of pitching. The 1968 season was known as 'The Season of the Pitcher' because of St. Louis Cardinal's performance. In the World Series, Gibson struck out 17 batters in one game - a record that still stands today! After that season, MLB made the pitchers mound shorter and the strike zone smaller, mostly due to the dominance of Bob Gibson.

But it was Nolan Ryan who really changed the game of baseball. The tall Texan played in four decades of the game - from the late 1960's to early 1990's, 27 seasons. Ryan started with the New York Mets, went to the California Angels, the Houston Astros, and finally with the Texas Rangers. He's got over 5000 strikeouts and seven no hitters, his last coming in 1991 at the age of 44.

From Ryan, they study Roger Clemens (another Longhorn). Roger talks about how he idolized Nolan Ryan and wanted to emulate him in every way possible from on the mound to his work out regiment. Clemens has won 7 Cy Young awards and over 4000 strikeouts and he should win another Cy Young this year. As they say in the section on Ryan and Clemens - 'They're the only two pitchers on the All-Century Team to come into the league as power pitchers and will leave the game as power pitchers.'

What I really enjoyed about this DVD is they even focus on the short lived power pitchers like Dwight Gooden, who has other problems now-a-days. He started his career with the Mets in 1984 and got the nickname Dr. K! He helped them win the 1986 World Series.

Mark Fidrych was a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. It wasn't his control on the mound, but his on the field antics that made him one of the most popular players in baseball. Fidrych used to act like a clown on the mound, and would manacure the mound before each inning.

This DVD shows the great art of starting and relief pitching from the beginnings of baseball to the present.

There are a few good extra features. One shows the 9th Inning of Randy Johnson's perfect game as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Atlanta Braves (Johnson was 40 years old in that game). Two extras come from All-Star games; Pedro Martinez's first four strikeouts of Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGuire in his home stadium of Fenway Park in 1999. The other is Roger Clemens pitching the 1st and 2nd inning of the 1986. Next is the 9th inning of Kerry Wood's record tying 20-strikeouts in one game (that is, tying Clemens). Finally, they go back to the most dominant pitcher in baseball history - Nolan Ryan; the DVD shows the final outs from Ryan's 5th, 6th, and 7th no hitter.

The DVD looks pretty good; they switch between actual game footage and interviews. Some game footage is shot in film quality and there's a good mix of what looks like hi-def footage and the film footage. There are some really neat graphics moving from section to section and throughout the different stories.

The DVD has stereo sound; it's very crisp and clean. During the game highlights, actual radio and television broadcasters are used. It kind of makes you think you're watching the games.

What other color would the DVD be but red! The cover has the names and action shots of some of the most dominant pitchers in the game - Randy Johnson, Nolan ryan, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez. When you see those names and when you see them pitch, you know you're getting some 'Pure Heat.'

With the MLB Playoffs kicking off, there's no better gift for any baseball fan than this series of DVD's including this one! If you love pitching, if you love baseball, if you know someone who loves baseball, then this is the DVD for you (or that special person in your life)! I think if you're a parent and you want to teach your kids about the history of pitchers and some of the legends of the game, get this for them and watch it with them. That way, kids today and their kids, and their kids will know who Bob Feller is or Sandy Kofax. And not only that, but they'll be able to tell their friends about it!

I do recommend this DVD for every and any baseball fan out there!