20 or so Tommy John surgeries just this year

[Wiretowire]

So there is a lot of talk about this as to why so many this year. This is the reason that I call these guys Tulips and sissies. Throughout their pro career they are held to certain pitch counts or innings. They are not in the physical shape necessary to handle the stress. What stress? How about they are on pitch counts like 100 which for some reason is the magic number today in MLB. Then they do a great job and have a no hitter, 1 hitter, or just a big lead and the coach leaves them in for the extra inning or 20 pitches or whatever. Really tears them up when they have a good game going and they are really pressing to continue it but they are beyond their normal thresholds.

Funny, in the old days, yes there were pitchers that had to quit because of arm problems but a helluva lot fewer, they really were war horses compared to todays pitchers. They didn't have pitch counts. But today they are going fewer and fewer innings. In 10 years they will probably have to change the criteria for a pitcher to be named a winner. Now it's complete 5 innings with the lead but the average a pitcher seems to throw is now only around 6 innings. Keep specializing and refining and it wouldn't be out of the question to see in future years a guy starts and goes 4 innings then another guy goes 3 then another 1 and the last 1 inning. Kind of have that now with the starter at 6 and the setup at 2 with the closer the last. There wasn't a setup guy way back when. There was a starter and closer. The only time you sent another guy in before the 9th was to take over for a starter that got bombed. The skipper would hand the guy the ball and say "Go throw strikes and give me 4 or whatever innings to finish the game." Didn't matter how many pitches he had to throw he just had to finish so they didn't waste relievers. Everyone on the team knew the guys role was just to eat innings and it didn't matter how many runs scored against him. The team and the coaches all gave him a hero welcome when the game was over. The closers and other relievers would buy him dinner and beer.

No, I don't think this is the only reason but it has to be a contributing factor. But that's just my opinion. Thoughts? GL

 

[nbafan88]

I think the theory of kids starting to solely play baseball from a very young age all year round is the major contributing factor

 

[Dollaz]

Probably NBA. Plus guys throw a lot harder nowadays and with a lot more effort than pitchers in the past. Which, they have to with the advanced in hitters (getting a long stronger)

Pitchers are in a no win situation.

 

[blackjack34]

Watched a roundtable on mlb network about this. They were saying guys don't throw enough. Pitching is one thing and need to recover from the stress of it. But throwng off flat ground is another. And the doctors and others on the show were saying guys need to throw more....also kids pitch too much when they are young without proper recovery time before pitching again...I have some personal experience with this. When I was young I threw very hard for my age and no one could hit me so I pitched a lot all the way up through college. I played a position when I wasn't pitching. I was allway throwing. I'm 37 now, still pitch in an adult mens league and have never had arm problems. And can still throw 85 mph.when i say threw a lot. I mean pitch 7 innings one game next day play shortstop . Pitch a few days later 7 innings next day play 3rd base and in between take infield practice at shortstop. In college ncaa division 2...start @ 3rd base for 3 games in two doubleheaders and pitch the 4th game as many innings as I could go. I have thrown so many innings in my life thrown so many baseballs....and can still do it at 37....I never threw 90 mph. But was close when I was 15. And still can throw without pain. Also never iced my arm. Truth about things in life, at least I believe, is no one really knows for sure about anything. Same with sports betting...some will believe on way to handicapp and others believe another way. And very few people can admit they maybe don't know everything they think they do. Or can admit they are wrong because they are so consumed with themselves. That's had been my life experience after 37 years.

 

[tipyerbartender1]

And then there's this kid ...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ter-high-school-throws-194-pitches-14-innings

 

[Dollaz]

Shit, my teammate in the state playoffs threw 170 pitches in a game.

 

[Wiretowire]

Good points.

Tip, did you see the shit that coach took for letting the kid do it? When I was playing they didn't even know what a pitch count was. No one ever thought to count pitches. What was the point? When a guys arm got tired he was supposed to tell the coach. Of course he never did but the harder they hit them (even outs) the quicker he came out. But that was 40 years ago as well. But I wonder if sometimes technology or new ideas don't always work even though people swear by them. What genius came up with the pitch count I wonder. GL

 

[tipyerbartender1]

Yeah, people want to put that coach in jail over this. (194 does seem a tad high.)

Wire, Danny Salazar must be ahead of his time, he seems quite fond of your newfangled four-and-fly movement.

 

[orangemonk]

W2W, pitchers are also throwing 5 mph faster than your "horses of yesteryear". Increased torque on the elbow doesn't help. I don't think any of these guys are being tulips or sissies because their UCL snapped.

 

[detroit187]

The slightest sign of possible tommy john these guys are having surgeries so there isnt one in the future, to protect their future. If any of that makes sense.