WARNING!! Annual Off-Topic Baseball Thread. Esteemed Members BEWARE!!

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Now if Liriano played for the Cubs his career would be over!

Sure, kick a guy when he's down.

(Just because I'd do the same to you is irrelevent.)

How many young pitchers have been having these types of problems recently? I just don't remember all these issues "back in the good 'ol days". Maybe there's something to be said for pitch counts, and pitchers that don't have all the innings under their belt, might be more suceptable to injury because arms aren't strong enough.

Or, perhaps, maybe they're too strong, and the internal tendons, etc. just haven't caught up to the outside muscles.

Or, maybe kids today are just wimps.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

How many young pitchers have been having these types of problems recently? I just don't remember all these issues "back in the good 'ol days".

Oh, off the top off my head.......
Kerry Woods, Mark Prior....

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Oh, off the top off my head.......
Kerry Woods, Mark Prior....

That's my point - I consider them part of the crop of young pitchers.

When I'm talking about back in the day, I'm talking about Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Fergie Jenkins, and then even farther back. They didn't have pitch counts, but they also didn't seem to blow out their arms every year. Someone like Fidrych comes along, and it's news when his arm goes out. Now it seems to be news when a pitcher goes through a season without any arm problems.

[Nevadaref]

I really believe that it has to do with the proper teaching of pitching mechanics. Back in the day those guys got solid coaching in the fundamentals. This is why Roger Clemens has never had arm trouble. Look at his mechanics. They are perfect.

Compare that to some of the young pitchers of today: Wood, D. Willis, and now Liriano. They were talking about it on ESPN last night. The arm angle is way out wide and it causes a major strain on the elbow ligaments.

I am too young to have seen or recall "the Bird", but I would guess that he had a funky, long, sweeping delivery.

I would even use Randy Johnson as an example. As big as he is and as hard as he throws, he really has to watch his mechanics.