The pitcher's top annual award is the Cy Young award, named after a guy who was a model of consistency, stamina, and longevity.I wonder what Cy would think about today's one inning "specialists"? I suspect that he would admire those in the modern era cut from the same cloth as himself, (Gaylord Perry, Don Sutton, and Roger Clemens come to mind)but would shake his head in bewilderment at the pampered pitch count underacheivers that seem to permeate modern-day major league rosters. Despite all of the 21st-century advantages in technology,physical conditioning, financial rewards, nutrition,and medicine that the current player has available, today's pitchers appear underworked , overpaid, and injury -prone..Could it be that the old fellows like Young were just tougher?
Niekro, Ryan, Perry, Sutton, Carlton, Blyleven, Seaver, John and Clemens, of the last 30 years, have all pitched at least 4700 innings, and longevity notwithstanding, they were all above average pitchers. A trio got a lot of innings out of throwin' junk and doctored shit for years, (Niekro, Perry, Sutton), there were some that were pretty much power pitchers their whole career, (Ryan, Seaver, Clemens), and three different styles in the lefty's, (Carlton, Blyleven, and John) so who can tell? Maybe toughness, genetics, and a little luck is what allowed them to throw as many ininngs as they did...
What about Greg Maddux? 4500+ innings pitched; 17 consecutive seasons w/15 wins; 19 straight w/10; 328 wins; 3100+ K's. He definitely deserves mention alongside Niekro, Ryan, etc. A big part of the problem with today's pitchers is the majority of them are strengthening their arms far too much. They are losing a lot of flexibility. There are far too many Tommy John Surgery candidates these days. Their arm muscles are too tight. Pitchers of previous eras did not weight train like they do today. Also, pitching has also become way TOO specialized. Too many managers play the 'match-up' game. This is also an attribute to pitchers not lasting. Full pitching staffs cannot throw as many complete games as say, Ferguson Jenkins, or Jim Palmer threw in 1 season. Both of these guys pitched long careers and were way above average.
Could it be that the old fellows like Young were just tougher? That would fly in the face of human sports history. Every generation of athlete is bigger, stronger, faster, and have higher levels of endurance than the generation before. That's why all of the notable human achievement records keep getting broken, and why they will keep getting broken. Sure, the leaps and bounds might get smaller, but it will keep happening. That's why it seems like folly to assume that one specific athlete (starting pitchers) would be the exact opposite of that trend. Everyone remembers the Cy Young's, but nobody remembers the Ned Garvin's. He throws 298IP in 1903 at age 29. At age 30, he only manages to throw 193IP (of ERA+ 158 quality), and is out of major league baseball by age 31. Was it arm damage or fatigue that finished him off? I don't know (since there isn't much biographical information about him, and they didn't keep detailed records of why pitchers stopped pitching), but it wasn't because he was an ineffective pitcher.
I miss Fidrych if for no other reason then he was one of the great characters of the game. Longevity, no, but his was one bright star while it lasted.
Look at the 1800s when it was normal to have 400 IP a season. Some of those seasons they were pitching underhanded. I don't want to say that data isn't a perfect match for today's conditions, but it seems a bit different.
In football, old linemen gripe about the kids these days that only play one way. Games change, things get specialized.
I always attributed it to throwing harder, or overtraining - but I think the reality is that each generation has their workhorses - the guys "born" to pitch (possessing of all the genetic make-up and natural stamina necessary for a long career) and then you have the rest- the guys that can't hack it forever, blow their arm out and spend a lot of time injured. I also think that the newer pitches (like the splitter, slider and variants) put more pressure and torque on the joints and potentially can lead to more injuries (keeping in mind that our modern workhorse pitchers also throw them). That's what I think. I have heard that pitching a baseball can put as much as 11 G's of force on the elbow. It's infinitely more debilitating than many other activities.
I have heard that pitching a baseball can put as much as 11 G's of force on the elbow. It's infinitely more debilitating than many other activities. That, and chronic masturbation, are the main reasons for Tommy John surgery. That's why I always tell rookies, "Use the wrist, not the elbow." I'm just tryin' to help out the kids.
That's why I try to practice the left-handed under the leg reverse at least once every two weeks. You gotta strengthen the tendons, people, the tendons.
sounds like chicken-chokin hawgwash to me :)
t money, Maddux is certainly worthy of inclusion on my list, attribute it to my laziness that he was not.
That's why I try to practice the left-handed under the leg reverse at least once every two weeks "OK," he said, while switching hands and gaining a stroke, "what about this:" 1. Today's pitchers throw a lot more breaking balls, splitters, etc., that put more stress on the arm than a plain-jane fast ball. That could be one reason for early breakdowns. 2. Being old enough to remember back to the late 40s, and being the father of a 17-year-old, I see a big difference in work habits of young athletes. The kids of 50 years ago tended to play several sports, and did not specialize in one sport as today's kids do. When we were not out playing sports, most of us were cutting lawns, shoveling snow, helping out on a milk truck, working on a construction crew, etc., etc. All of these activities tend to build the entire body in a manner that increases flexibility as well as strength. My son (5' 11", 274, defensive line all the way) has been in the high school weight room all year. There is usually nobody in there with him and his buddies to teach them proper training techniques for their particular sport. The coaches and trainers at his school try, but when no trainer is there, the kids seem to move toward body building instead of strength and flexibility. There are a few comments above that seem to lean in the direction I'm thinking. That is, there is no one big reason for pitchers breaking down, and that there are so many differences between the several eras of baseball, that comparisons should be made only with great caution.
