2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions

[651akathepaul]

Tommy John on surgeries: 'Unreal'

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Former major league pitcher Tommy John says it's "unreal" that so many pitchers need elbow surgery 40 years after he was the first to undergo the procedure that now bears his name.

"It's unreal," John told the Watertown Daily Times. "And it's crazy that they would pick 2014 to be an epidemic year, it seems like guys are going down right and left."

Bobby Parnell (Mets), Brandon Beachy (Braves), Kris Medlen (Braves), Patrick Corbin (Diamondbacks), Jarrod Parker (Athletics), Luke Hochevar (Royals) and Josh Johnson (Padres) are among the pitchers this season to have been sidelined with elbow-ligament injuries that require Tommy John surgery.

"Throwing pitches in the big leagues will not hurt your arm," John told the Daily Times. "It's what you did down the road when you were younger. ... In essence, the injury itself is a buildup of overuse. And not overuse as an adult, but overuse as a kid.

"What I would like to see these guys do, these surgeons and all, is ask all the guys who have had the surgery -- 'How much did you pitch as a kid and how often, and did you pitch year-round?' And nowadays, probably 70 to 80 percent of the pitchers today have been pitching 12 months a year since they were seven, eight or nine years old. And your arm is not made for that."

John, a left-hander who won 288 games playing for six teams over 26 seasons, moved to Watertown in northern New York this past December.

He attended the April 7 memorial service held at Dodger Stadium for Dr. Frank Jobe, who died in March. In 1974, Jobe operated on John's pitching arm, becoming the first to perform the elbow procedure that became known as Tommy John surgery. John pitched 15 more seasons.

Not buying it. Over use, my ***. Pitchers these days are pampered. It's because they're not throwing enough when they're coming up.

How's this dude seriously think that kids these days would throw more than older generations when a ball was most all those kids knew? Not to mention pitch counts being higher back then, shorter rest between starts, etc...I think he's giving this generation a cop out.

 

[hometownhero]

10 games for pine tar is way too many. **** is almost as common as chewing tobacco. 

 

[lb510]

You cant see him playing in 2 to 3 years?

10 games for pine tar is way too many. **** is almost as common as chewing tobacco. 

10 games = Two starts. As you said If pine tar is as common as we hear he really is stupid for getting caught.

 

[ooiron manoo]

Not buying it. Over use, my ***. Pitchers these days are pampered. It's because they're not throwing enough when they're coming up.

How's this dude seriously think that kids these days would throw more than older generations when a ball was most all those kids knew? Not to mention pitch counts being higher back then, shorter rest between starts, etc...I think he's giving this generation a cop out.

I can see his argument though, kids are pitching year round now and in more competitive leagues, year round. As far as the major league level, yeah, the use of pitchers has changed drastically.

 

[CP1708]

"Throwing pitches in the big leagues will not hurt your arm," John told the Daily Times. "It's what you did down the road when you were younger. ... In essence, the injury itself is a buildup of overuse. And not overuse as an adult, but overuse as a kid.

And nowadays, probably 70 to 80 percent of the pitchers today have been pitching 12 months a year since they were seven, eight or nine years old. And your arm is not made for that."

I believe he is dead on.

Old timers didn't pitch year round back then, they do now.

It's the same for high school and college basketball players that been playin since age 6, that develop knee issues, because the pounding they take and not doing other things on other surfaces that build up and deteriorate.

Pitchers can't be "growing their arms" at 7-8-9 years old, need to let that stuff fully develop, then throw all you want as an adult and you should be fine, or at the very least, your percentage of risk should decrease big time.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Not buying it. Over use, my ***. Pitchers these days are pampered. It's because they're not throwing enough when they're coming up.

How's this dude seriously think that kids these days would throw more than older generations when a ball was most all those kids knew?

Well thats been proven to be incorrect.

They did a 10 year study following pitchers from little, high school to college/pro


the number 1 factor for future injury was overuse as young player. players back in the day in played less, they played different sports in the winter, spring and summer and didn't pitch all the time didn't practice as much.


Dude to competition and specialization, young pitchers start pitching younger and pitch year round. Thats what leads to injury, the players who pitched a lot when they were young got hurt the most.

Not to mention pitch counts being higher back then, shorter rest between starts, etc...I think he's giving this generation a cop out.

a factor your missing, due to modern reliever usage. a guy coming out of the bull pen throwing max effort every fast ball is better then a tired starting pitcher. Could justin verlander pitch as many innings as Old Hoss Radbourn? Yeah he could, but in inning 8, 9, at pitch 200 he's not going to be better than Kyle Farnsworth coming out throwing 97.

back in the day, pitchers weren't expected to go max effort all the time, while they could get it up to 93, 94, 95, it wasn't need on a consistent basis like it is now.

hitters became too good.


avg fastball velocity in 2002 was 89.9

today?

(92.4)


some of it is more efficient mechanics, bigger athletes, but a lot of it is requiring pitchers to dial it up to near max effort on every fastball.

Competition in a market often leads specialization.



so no they aren't being "babied"

 

[osh kosh bosh]

also just think about who gets hurt the most?


Relievers.

They go max effort fastball 100% of the time, a starter goes max maybe 80% of the time (made up uip number i know but go with me),

Starters have a deeper variety of pitches, that don't necessarily need max effort for them to throw. vs, a reliver who is going fastball/breaking ball maxing out every pitch.




we have reached a ceiling on pitching performance where for it to get any better, you have accept that pitchers are going to get hurt more.

I mean think about it now, when I first started getting into baseball, it feel like a select group of guys gave you that 95+ with easy delivery.


now soo many guys regardless of size can give you 95.


If you want to watch Tim Linccecum with the 98 mph heater you have to except that he will get hurt more than Nolan Ryan who threw 98 like he was playing catch.

 

[651akathepaul]

I agree with the point about developing and overpitching as a youth, but starting pitchers in the MLB are coddled. Tommy John himself believes this to be true.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

I agree with the point about developing and overpitching as a youth, but starting pitchers in the MLB are coddled. Tommy John himself believes this to be true.

maybe but like I said is Verlander at pitch 150 better than your closer or set up guy at pitch 1?


I think pitch couts should be pitcher and bullpen dependent, I would roll with a guy like Sabathia, Verlander, Bhurle way past 100 pitches, guys who big strong, have a history of being durable, I would go until their mechanics starts breaking down but the pitch count wouldn't be as important.


but a young pitcher?

I think the way they handle young pitchers is probably optimal.

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

 

[dland24]

Tracy McGrady makes Sugar Land Skeeters as pitcher
By Mike Singer | Cbssports.com

Former NBA star-turned-pitcher Tracy McGrady made the Sugar Land Skeeters' roster, manager Gary Gaetti told Fox 26 in Houston on Wednesday.

“He's just done what needed to be done since the idea came about,” Gaetti said. "He showed enough progress. He showed enough ability, and we're going to see where this goes."

The 6-foot-8, seven-time NBA All-Star seemed thrilled, even if the last time McGrady played organized baseball was when he a Florida high schooler.

“To be part of the team means everything to me, and it's a dream come true. I look forward to coming to the ballpark, not only to play the game but to be in the clubhouse building camaraderie with these guys.”

In his first exhibition game, McGrady gave up one run and three hits in one inning of work against Alvin Community College.

"There's so many unique things about it,” Gaetti said. “It doesn't matter how hard you throw. You got deception. You got velocity. You got location. You got stuff."

The Skeeters' brass has de-emphasized the importance of how hard McGrady throws (not wanting him to injure himself or concern himself with MPH) but evidently, the 34-year-old former NBA star has enough gas left even after a decorated 16-year NBA career.

"I had to ride it out,” Gaetti said of the decision to add McGrady to the squad. “There was no reason to make that decision until I absolutely had to."

He did concede that the appeal of McGrady (and the potential for increased interest in the team) might have played a minor role.

"We kind of all knew that there was a pretty good possibility that he was going to make the team."

The Skeeters' Opening Day will be April 24th against the Lancaster Barnstormers, who could (approximately, of course) be described as the Los Angeles Lakers of the Atlantic League.

 

[mr jordan04]

Did he make it cuz he's good enough or to sell seats?

 

[j rain]

I really love the way the Nats are never able to ride the momentum of a big win. 0/17 with risp. Anyone else see Harper still dogging it out of the box? He's done it twice since Matty benched him. Both times he turned it on after he saw the play was botched. Also just stood there and made no attempt to get back to 2nd on the game ending dp.

 

[jewbacca]

A-Rod was on campus at A&M today, but I don't know why lol

 

[green rhino123]

A-Rod was on campus at A&M today, but I don't know why lol

may be coppin some roids from them big ol texas boyz

 

[T0INE]

T-Mac.

 

[Hahahaha]

A-Rod was on campus at A&M today, but I don't know why lol

may be coppin some roids from them big ol texas boyz

If he was smart, he would cop from David Ortiz's connect

 

[jewbacca]

Brian Wilson is getting stroked again. The one out he's gotten so far was a laser to CF too lol

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

But Wilson was lights out "last year"

 

[dland24]

But Wilson was lights out "last year"

So I guess we should use 3 weeks as a measuring stick rather than an entire career.  Solid logic.

I guess you would agree that Chris Colabello is the best hitter in baseball, and that Aaron Harang is the best pitcher in the game too.

 

[green rhino123]

If he was smart, he would cop from David Ortiz's connect

but he is not

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

But Wilson was lights out "last year"

So I guess we should use 3 weeks as a measuring stick rather than an entire career.  Solid logic.

I guess you would agree that Chris Colabello is the best hitter in baseball, and that Aaron Harang is the best pitcher in the game too.

LOLWUT?


None of those players mentioned had 2 tommy john's and I think is elbow is bothering him again

 

[dland24]

Point is, its been less than a month.

 

[mr marcus]

 

[jjs07]

Manny Machado going a full 9 innings in this weekend's rehab assignment in Frederick, MD. Team wants him back 1st week in May. He SHOULD be on target

Manny at 3rd

JJ at Short

Schoop over to 2nd