2015 MLB Thread - Hot Stove Edition

[Thekyle1591]

Honestly, I think Stras' is more mental than anything. He may not throw as hard, but it's still plenty fast.

Fernandez is just filthy. I truly hope he recovers. Baseball needs guys like that.

Yeah, the thing with Stras is he gives up runs in bunches in the first, I think his ERA is 7.3 in the first inning, and then has a .98 ERA the rest of the game.

As for Jose, he has looked unhittable and nobody has gotten close to figuring him out yet. Just sucks.

[Bubble Screen]

Man, the Braves offense sucks.

[Popeman38]

And a very bad one.

What's funny is, just a week ago you, called the Marlins "terrible". Yet here they are, AHEAD of your team in the standings lol.

Yeah, you don't troll....

[MattFancy]

Yeah, that sucks. Too much of this happening.

 

It really does seem like it this year. Alot of arm injuries to guys already.

[The Evil Genius]

Man, the Braves offense sucks.

 

To be fair, getting owned by the Giants isn't that terrible.

 

They do have the best record in the NL right now (and the first to 25 wins in MLB this year). With the added power and the killer bullpen (to go along with the average to above average starting pitching) it looks like the GMen are back.

 

Timmmmmmayyyy found his groove last night.

 

...and boy did a lot of MLB forget about Mike Morse this past off season.

[codeorama]

The Nationals are cursed now.  After shutting down Stras the way they did, they just screwed themselves.

 

First, they screwed up either way. If they knew going in that they were going to limit his innings, then they are idiots. The smart thing to do would have been have him start the season late, rather than shut him down early.  Second, assuming that they will be "back" was arrogant and just brought on lots of bad karma from the baseball gods. 

[Slateman]

The Nationals are cursed now.  After shutting down Stras the way they did, they just screwed themselves.

 

First, they screwed up either way. If they knew going in that they were going to limit his innings, then they are idiots. The smart thing to do would have been have him start the season late, rather than shut him down early.  Second, assuming that they will be "back" was arrogant and just brought on lots of bad karma from the baseball gods. 

Exactly what the Braves did with Medlen.

 

...and boy did a lot of MLB forget about Mike Morse this past off season.

MLB always forgets about Mike Morse, because he's always injured. When he's healthy, he mashes.

[Bubble Screen]

To be fair, getting owned by the Giants isn't that terrible.

They do have the best record in the NL right now (and the first to 25 wins in MLB this year). With the added power and the killer bullpen (to go along with the average to above average starting pitching) it looks like the GMen are back.

Timmmmmmayyyy found his groove last night.

...and boy did a lot of MLB forget about Mike Morse this past off season.

No man, it's not just this series. It's been a problem all season. We're last in runs scored. AWFUL batting with RISP. I'm amazed we are in first, as bad as our offense is.

[Warhead36]

The Nats offense is worse.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Yankees pitching is worse and deader

[Thekyle1591]

Man, Hunter Pence is good.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

anyone get crippled with fear every time their team's ace pitcher throws a pitch? With all the elbow injuries happening, I pray to God every time Tanaka winds up....

 

Hopefully Nova is our only sacrifice to the baseball gods this season

[Slateman]

Martin Perez will need TJS. Matt Harrison cracked a vertebra or something and he's done for the season too.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

It's all quite simple IMO.

As someone that has played youth/HS baseball in the time that AAU teams, travel teams, showcases have taken over in the last 10 years, it's not surprising to see these guys' arms blow up

I was never really a pitcher growing up but the kids that pitched were doing so like 2-3 times a week. No joke. Throwing curve balls and everything in between from 8th grade on. So by the the time they make the show, it's only a matter of time

[CRobi21]

anyone get crippled with fear every time their team's ace pitcher throws a pitch? With all the elbow injuries happening, I pray to God every time Tanaka winds up....

 

Hopefully Nova is our only sacrifice to the baseball gods this season

 

Those Japanese pitchers have such a fluid windup/throwing motion. Mainly their use of their legs in their delivery, which most pitchers don't use as much. I don't know the numbers, but it seems like they're never the ones getting TJS. They have perfect pitching mechanics. 

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

And the parents don't help either. A lot of them are clueless

Those Japanese pitchers have such a fluid windup/throwing motion. Mainly their use of their legs in their delivery, which most pitchers don't use as much. I don't know the numbers, but it seems like they're never the ones getting TJS. They have perfect pitching mechanics. 

 

very true. Hope he holds up

[Slateman]

Those Japanese pitchers have such a fluid windup/throwing motion. Mainly their use of their legs in their delivery, which most pitchers don't use as much. I don't know the numbers, but it seems like they're never the ones getting TJS. They have perfect pitching mechanics. 

 

Matsuzaka had an extensive injury history, including TJS. But that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

 

[codeorama]

Regarding pitchers and blown arms:

 

Qualifying statement:  I played in college, have coached HS baseball for 15 years, my brother was drafted out of HS, played professionally and has been coaching HS for 4 years.  I've coached 3 players that were drafted out of high school, add 4 more that were drafted after college.  I'm currently an associate scout for the Nats.

 

The problem with baseball and pitching is really pretty simple.

 

It starts with the pussificiaton of pitchers.  Back in the day, pitchers threw more. Then, they rested more.  For example, a pitcher might throw 150 pitches in a game, but he then had 4 full days rest before he was asked to pitch again.  The bullpen changed that. Specialization.  Starting pitchers are only expected to go 5 or 6 innings rather than 9.  Stats will show that as the times have changed.

 

Next, pitch counts were designed to predict when pitchers generally ran out of gas over a period of time, but have changed into "protection" for pitchers.  So pitchers throw less.  They never build up arm strength.  Breaking down the arm and letting it recover is what builds strength.

 

Next, Little League and Travel baseball have destroyed children's arms, causing problems later in life.  Pitch counts are implemented but are counter productive.  Here's a great example:  In LL, if you throw less than 21 pitches, you can pitch again the next day.  In theory, you could pitch every day 21 pitches or less.  Here's the problem.  They don't take under consideration the warm up pitches in the bullpen, and there is no recovery time.  Coaches use their best pitchers daily rather than just using them up for 1 game and then letting them rest.  

 

High school baseball has done the same thing and it sucks.  It doesn't help.

 

What I do is use the kid in a game and pull him when he needs to be pulled, not based on a pitch count, but based on his mechanics and effectiveness.  Then, no matter what, he gets rest.

 

The curve ball gets a lot of blame, but, if thrown correctly, its thrown with the fingers and hand to the side of the ball (a true 12-6 curve) and it has no more damaging effect on the arm than a fast ball or change up.  The slider is what is dangerous because of the elbow pressure.  MOST kids throw sliders even though they think they are throwing fast balls...  Most LL and travel coaches are no more than dads watching youtube videos.

 

Nolan Ryan has given a lot of interviews on the subject and I agree with him 100%.  

[Slateman]

So, major league pitchers aren't pitching enough but younger pitchers are pitching too much? That really doesn't make sense.

[codeorama]

So, major league pitchers aren't pitching enough but younger pitchers are pitching too much? That really doesn't make sense.

Young pitchers pitch too frequently. They don't get enough rest. Travel baseball is 99% over a Friday to Sunday period and kids are expected to pitch 2 times. I've seen some pitch all 3 days. Pure craziness.

Pro pitchers are on a schedule, but limited to pitches. They should pitch until their arms are broken down, then given more recovery time. Some teams are doing this and are having fewer issues. Nolan Ryan pioneered this.

Most of us lift weights on a rotation. Chest one day, then legs etc. we don't hit chest again until 3-4 days depending how hard we pushed. Imagine bench pressing fri, sat and Sunday. How would that feel? Imagine that over time.

[Slateman]

Young pitchers pitch too frequently. They don't get enough rest. Travel baseball is 99% over a Friday to Sunday period and kids are expected to pitch 2 times. I've seen some pitch all 3 days. Pure craziness.

Pro pitchers are on a schedule, but limited to pitches. They should pitch until their arms are broken down, then given more recovery time. Some teams are doing this and are having fewer issues. Nolan Ryan pioneered this.

Most of us lift weights on a rotation. Chest one day, then legs etc. we don't hit chest again until 3-4 days depending how hard we pushed. Imagine bench pressing fri, sat and Sunday. How would that feel? Imagine that over time.

 

I would stop using Nolan Ryan as a reference. He was a freak of nature. And lucky as well.

 

Starting pitchers get plenty of rest. So, by your logic, they shouldn't be getting any injuries.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Exactly I posted earlier.

Kids today play for like 3-4 teams a year and can pitch 3-4 times a week

It's nuts

[PeterMP]

So, major league pitchers aren't pitching enough but younger pitchers are pitching too much? That really doesn't make sense.

 

My understanding is that young pitchers are pitching too much, but it is more of an issue of all the playing they do.  It isn't uncommon for people to be playing in multiple leagues in the fall and in the spring.

 

You might be playing HS baseball and be playing in a separate league, and there is no connected way to determine how much you've pitched.

 

In terms of starters, which is at least where the media attention from the injuries is going on, I think every team in baseball is now in a 5 man rotation, but if you go back far enough 4 man rotations were much more common so even less rest in between.

 

The average inning changes for starting pitchers hasn't been as significantly as many people think.

 

It is less than an inning a game since 1972, which was the high point in the expansion era.

 

http://metsblog.com/metsblog/ready-to-post-infographic-starting-pitchers-average-innings-continue-to-decline-in-mlb/

 

(And, yes I know the site is talking about how it is declining, but really that isn't that much, and I wouldn't be shocked if the trend wasn't even significant)

 

The idea that average pitchers used to pitch whole games is just not true.

 

And the number of pitches per a game is actually up

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/7533

 

so I wouldn't at all be surprised if starters where throwing few innings, but not throwing any fewer pitches.

 

And they are almost certainly get more rest than somebody like Ryan did for much of his career, where he pitched in a four man rotation.

[codeorama]

I would stop using Nolan Ryan as a reference. He was a freak of nature. And lucky as well.

Starting pitchers get plenty of rest. So, by your logic, they shouldn't be getting any injuries.

I'm talking about Nolan Ryan as a GM, not as a pitcher.

Starting pitchers get plenty of rest, but they don't build up their arms by throwing more pitches per outing.

Here's the bottom line:

It's better to throw 160 pitches in a game with good mechanics and then get 3-4 days rest than to throw 100 pitches with the same rest or less.

Also, many of you probably didn't realize, modern pitchers ( the last 15 years or so) throw bullpens in between starts. Previous era pitchers did not.

I can tell you, my brother pitched with 2 different organizations, Dodgers and White Sox and how they managed their pitchers was like night and day. His velocity increased from 91-92 to 94-96 with WS and the only change was more pitches, more rest.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

On my HS team from a couple of years ago, I swear this one kid pitched nearly every game. He also played on 2 other teams and had a dad that made him start throwing as soon as he woke up daily.

And he wasn't the only one. Parents and coaches are just as guilty as nature