Dr. James Andrews tells MLB Network Radio (via MetsBlog) that a number of factors have contributed to an increase in Tommy John surgeries throughout baseball. One issue is that high school pitchers are throwing too hard, and their ligaments aren’t maturing quickly enough to keep up with their velocity. Year-round baseball is another issue, as is throwing breaking balls at a young age. High school pitchers who throw harder than 80-85 MPH also run the risk of having arm issues. Here are a few notes from around the American League.
- The Indians’ trade of Shin-Soo Choo was one of GM Chris Antonetti’s best deals, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer writes. The Indians gave up Choo, a player they could not have afforded to keep, and the other players they dealt (Tony Sipp, Lars Anderson and Jason Donald) haven’t proven consequential. The Indians received Trevor Bauer, who had a great first start of the season on Wednesday, and a good bullpen arm in Bryan Shaw. They also got Matt Albers, who pitched reasonably well last season before heading to the Astros as a free agent, and Drew Stubbs, who went to the Rockies for Josh Outman. Outman now joins Shaw in the Indians’ bullpen.
- Sam Fuld isn’t surprised that the Athletics designated him for assignment, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. “I guess the one good thing is that I have been bracing myself for it,” says Fuld. Coco Crisp is now healthy, and Craig Gentry is back from the disabled list, which left little room for Fuld.
- The Red Sox’ most recent $70MM extension offer to Jon Lester might seem low, but Lester himself is trying to keep it in context, John Tomase of the Boston Herald tweets. “They’re trying to set up their business for the future. They’re weighing risk,” Lester says. “I can’t just stand up and say, ’Pay me pay me pay me.'”
Correct me if I am wrong here..
Didn’t HS pitchers always try to throw as hard as they could and furthermore..
When i went to HS, threw LH and was even a TERRIBLE LH pitcher, we didn’t have HS coaches to tell us that throwing a curveball was BAD for us and everyone that COULD throw one anywhere near HP did.
I just don’t get it, other than ball players ran the fences before practice, after practice and whenever they messed up and didn’t spend half the day lifting weights. Now this was pre Jimmy Carter days of course..
Also along the lines of year round baseball is that those areas are also the fastest growing areas of the US. Florida is growing way faster than New York, so even if the kids are experiencing the same chance of injury, there is now a higher proportion of kids that are coming from these warm weather states.
Also I think that part of it is also that TJ is becoming much better. Before it could often end your career, so players tried to avoid, now many players much more willing.
Well.. That injury thing is different also Lazer..
let me ask you if i may..
Did you pitch any in HS? When I did for instance, when we came out of a game, we almost always sat on the bench, or ran if we were terrible afterwards (no kidding). As for using ice? It was just the opposite, the coach would have us rub this ben gay like stuff on our shoulder and arm if it hurt any, only it burned like fire. Forget the name of it. Was supposed to keep your arm “loose” they would say.
Point is, even the treatments were backwards then as they are now.
I don’t think you’re wrong. For as long as I can remember, high school pitchers have always tried to show off their velocity and movement. Sometimes, relief pitchers would jog in from their positions in the field, whip 10 warmup pitches as hard as they could, and start pitching.
I played ball for 4 years for one of my local H.S., and a friend of mine was a lefty starting pitcher. There were times he would throw 10 sidearm sliders in a row, and his delivery was very herky-jerky. He basically touched the ball to his ear before slinging it to home plate to put extra snap on it. Not too different from early Francisco Liriano.
Needless to say, he experienced numerous undiagnosed arm injuries and stopped playing baseball. Tingling fingers, grip weakness, inflammation, redness, stiffness, etc. In hindsight, I can’t believe the coaches allowed him to beat himself up like that. This was only about 10 years ago.
From the Indians trade writeup, I find it sometimes a little silly/irrational when the transitive property is used on trades (a=b and b=c, so a=c). In this case, Drew Stubbs equals Josh Outman, who’s plugged into Stubbs’ place in the Choo trade, making it seem more valuable. Just because Outman was a good get for Stubbs, I don’t know if we can use that to praise Antonetti MORE for the Choo trade (and acquisition of Stubbs) that was made months prior to that.
Yes, unless you knew you could flip that player for the new player. Honestly I want to see more than one good start from Bauer before I call it a great trade. I hated it for Arizona, and liked it for Cincy. It’s not like Bauer was a steal for Choo, it was kind of fair value. Bauer was terrible last year, terrible in ST, and now has 1 good start and it was the best trade?
Just because the Indians couldn’t afford to keep Choo doesn’t mean getting fringe value for him automatically makes it a good trade.
The Mets got Zack Wheeler for a half of season of Carlos Beltran. Now THAT is a good trade. Now, maybe if Bauer keeps it together…
You can’t be suspended for having tar on your hand you are just asked to remove it.Why would there be a suspension?
Bucholz didn’t have this much problems with his gel like forearm.