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 ...
no, but he deferred almost all of the $700 m. until he does retire. It makes you wonder where his interpreter friend stole the $4.5 m to gamble
Sorry again , i mixed up my comments about Ohtani and Strasburg.
This is a huge part of it. Programs and scouts pretty much discount soft tossers, they never get a chance to develop their craft. Supposedly it makes sense financially, why wait around for a crafty lefty to develop when you have 20 guys that throw 95+ and two might make the majors. It’s one of the major reasons we probably won’t see regular knuckleball starting pitching again.
FReegrads
A shame - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome did him in. A tough injury for baseball
players, especially pitchers.
Ohtani likely makes $40 mil or more per year in endorsement deals.
oh yeah, that would make up the difference. Who knows how much more in the currencies of east Asia?
Casey Mize is the best friend of my best friend’s son-in-law, so that we follow all his starts closely, although none of us are Tigers fans.
I was at the game in which he set the record.
As a Royals fan, I was pleased they were in 2nd place for this long. It will change, unfortunately.
Are they having more injuries now or were there more injuries 25 years ago? Start with what has changed,
Pitch speed. Used to be it was mostly closers that threw that, but some starters, like Strider, throws 100mph regularly. I personally think that’s just not sustainable over 5+ innings without risking injury. I prefer the pitchers with finesse over power. Just my .02
Back in the 80’s, anyone who threw 90 was a fireballer. Now 90 is a soft tosser.
I think that the velocity that is achieved today is part of it, but also the amount of spin is crazy. Wonder what the injury rate was before they cracked down on grip enhancers - the spider tack added spin, now they have to torque to add spin. I suspect that Tyler Glasnow had it right.
Whatever happened to the Knuckleball?
Don’t sweat it, it’s all good!
I hear ya. I remember reading articles about what he went through trying to come back, but it just wasn’t in the cards. I think there may have been one or two players who did, but the vast majority do not. I hope and pray the best for him. Maybe he could get a coaching job somewhere?
Matt Waldron of the Padres is the only knuckleballer active now (I think). Orioles had one last year (Mickey Jannis) but he didn't fare well in MLB - not sure if he's still pitching. I think it's very hard to throw the knuckler consistently - too many variables involved. Most pitchers don't have the patience to develop it, unless they are desperate to keep pitching after an arm injury or something. I think it should be a fallback for pitchers that are failing in the minors - what have they got to lose? I usetacould make a ball knuckle maybe 1 out of 4 tries (now I couldn't throw it hard enough to break). In the bigs, even in the minors, a hanger gets planted in the upper deck. So the learning curve must be very painful.
Part of it is the computer stat stuff.. Apparently batters do decently better the second, and especially third times they face a pitcher, so a lot of teams are pulling the pitcher early before they’re even tired.
Just saying.
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