Posted on 04/24/2024 3:06:03 PM PDT by sopo
The rate of pitcher injuries in baseball has been a topic of conversation across the sport in recent years, but debate reached a boiling point when aces Shane Bieber and Spencer Strider and budding star Eury Perez all suffered season-ending elbow injuries just weeks into the 2024 MLB season. The wave of injuries led to dueling statements from the MLBPA and MLB about the potential root cause of the injuries.
We asked our MLB experts to talk to a handful of pitchers about what they believe is behind the rise -- and what steps they would take to solve the growing problem.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Just 4 complete games in all of MLB as of yesterday.
What about kids from the time of Little League just about pitching their arms out by the time they get out of college?
I think Max Fried pitched his third complete game of the season yesterday (and needed fewer than 100 pitches).
Spencer Strider suffered a debilitating mustache injury. 12 months off should be enough time for him to reassess that calamitous decision.
Him aside, the amount of torque these cats are generating is well beyond what the human body is meant to create.
Ranger Suarez pitched a complete game two starts ago. There had been roughly 200 games played at that point, and it was only the SECOND complete game thus far.
When I was a youngster, a starter as part of a four-man rotation, 20 % of games would be CGs.
I can’t think of anything else that changed - and contracts? Why wouldn’t you want to get everything you can out of your investment if you know that pitches thrown doesn’t cause injuries?
4th career CG. First this year, one last year.
Wonder if Fried will get heckled for being Jewish this season.
Spencer Strider suffered a debilitating mustache injury.
Huh?
And double headers every Sunday, probably twi-night double header several times a year.
Interesting thought!
My guess is the dirty, patchouli stinking, hippie, Jew-haters, don't really know what baseball is, and judging only by my Philadelphia Fandom experience, would be pummeled half to death, so probably not.
Huh?
You may want to do a google image search, and if, God Forbid, you're sporting one like that, probably time to take precautions.
On a separate note, I am listening to the Red Sox - Indians game. Red Sox First Baseman Bobby Dalbec is batting .029 on the season. He is only in the lineup because the Sox have lost two other first basemen to injury. They have three other players who are below the Mendoza line.
BTW, Bobby D just made a great play at first base.
Where did you cross paths with Richie AShburn, or was “Mendoza line “ not unique to him? Meanwhile, Schwarber has just settled into his confort zone at .196, he’d been over .200 ‘til now.
Jock humor.
The moustachioed pitcher had an elbow injury.
Re: 7 - good point.
Some thoughts:
1) The pitch clock is here to stay. I don’t like it so much, as I think it takes away from the unique tempo each game has, but fans are not going to go to games that last 3.5-4 hours.
2) If we assume that strength and conditioning are at the peak of their current scientific limits, I think you need to look at natural ability and mechanics.
Natural ability accepts that not everyone has a body style to throw for velocity. Gibson did, Ryan did, etc. But guys like Glavin and Maddox - not so much. A slider is very hard on the arm, but lots of guys like to throw it. Why do so many younger pitchers like to throw sliders? Good breaking ball pitchers get it done at much less velocity and the arm mechanics are l as stressful.
A left handed hard throwing pitcher can punch his ticket in MLB. But you mess with the bull (high velocity), you’re going to get the horns - count on it.
If they threw at 3/4 speed with some craftier pitches, they would last complete games and have 20-year careers.
A shame is watching Shohei Ohtani wreck his arm. He’s already had Tommy John surgery AND surgery to repair UCL damage in his elbow. Very sad. A classic example of a velocity pitcher who has wrecked his arm for the long haul.
Re: 34 - agree 100%
Here’s the other thing - MLB hitters figure out high velocity pitchers. They always do. There’s so much video and frame-by-frame analysis that hitters will get the timing down and then will tee away on such pitchers.
But he may stay in the books for the biggest contract for a while, despite those. The Dodgers may be paying him until my grandchildren retire.
Nolan Ryan lasted as long as he did because he started out in the bullpen with the Mets and didn’t overuse his arm in his early 20s.
He retired? I had heard that. Checking MLBTradeRumors now.
“Look lady, I’m not an Athlete, I’m a Ballplayer.”
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