After Verlander throwing 131 tonight and people crying that his arm will fall off, I'm inspired to make this post.
They say that for 12 year olds in little league, if you throw 85 pitches, you need 5 days rest. And somehow, major leaguers, need 5 days rest after 100?
The difference between a 12 year and Verlander is just 15 pitches more per start? From a frail little kid to a major leaguer in his prime is just 15 more pitches per start? There's no way.
And we can look at history, where pitchers would throw until the game was over. Even into the 80's, pitchers would finish what they started. And in this age, of advanced medicine/more emphasis on mechanics with the use of technology, and somehow pitchers arms are weaker and can't throw past 100?
I believe that the more you throw, the stronger your arm is. It's common sense that's been proven throughout history. Pitchers tire at 100 pitches beceause they are never able to go past that, that's where there arm is maxed out. If you gradually increase pitch count from start to start, you'll strengthen your arm.
Verlander averages 121 pitches per start. Most in baseball. He's thrown the most pitches in the past two years. He has the hardest average fastball. He's never in his professional career missed a single start. He can reach 100 even after 130 pitches. Why? Because Leyland over the years has stretched him out to the point that he can throw 125 per start.
Sure, Verlander is a little lucky on the genetics side to have a rubber arm (mechanics are great though) but if you stretch out your pitchers, they can all do the same thing. The Rangers have shown this.
Nolan Ryan threw 262 pitches in a game once and still pitched another 23 years after that. Nothing has changed since then to make pitchers more fragile.
If you have good mechanics, and build up your arm, you can throw a lot more is what I'm trying to say. It's one of the most strangest things in sports that as technology got better, athletes got bigger, that they suddently can pitch half as long as players just 20 years ago. Where's the logic?
Athletes in all sports are just bigger, stronger, than they used to be. NBA players went from finesse guys, with fundamentals, and within 20 years you have guys dunking over each other and dunking on 12 foot rims. Football has guys doing cartwheels over defenders to the endzone. And 6'5 recievers who are the fastest players on the field and can cover like a a full garage with their wingspan, or whatever Sports Science said about Calvin Johnson. And somehow in baseball, everything went backwards.
I threw 130 pitches in a game last season, and I don't work out my arm nearly half as much as a typical high school pitcher. I don't even play for my school. But 2 days later I could pitch again and I kept throwing for 2 months after that without any problems. I would pitch to my friend and throw 100. I just make sure to build up gradually each time. I'm half as strong as the typical 18 year old pitcher! When I put every ounce of my body into a pitch I can hit like 76. These other kids my age hit 85 when they aren't even trying, But yet the coach yanks when they get around 75 pitches in games. It's crazy to me.
Sorry to rant but I want to hear peoples opinions on this.
They say that for 12 year olds in little league, if you throw 85 pitches, you need 5 days rest. And somehow, major leaguers, need 5 days rest after 100?
The difference between a 12 year and Verlander is just 15 pitches more per start? From a frail little kid to a major leaguer in his prime is just 15 more pitches per start? There's no way.
And we can look at history, where pitchers would throw until the game was over. Even into the 80's, pitchers would finish what they started. And in this age, of advanced medicine/more emphasis on mechanics with the use of technology, and somehow pitchers arms are weaker and can't throw past 100?
I believe that the more you throw, the stronger your arm is. It's common sense that's been proven throughout history. Pitchers tire at 100 pitches beceause they are never able to go past that, that's where there arm is maxed out. If you gradually increase pitch count from start to start, you'll strengthen your arm.
Verlander averages 121 pitches per start. Most in baseball. He's thrown the most pitches in the past two years. He has the hardest average fastball. He's never in his professional career missed a single start. He can reach 100 even after 130 pitches. Why? Because Leyland over the years has stretched him out to the point that he can throw 125 per start.
Sure, Verlander is a little lucky on the genetics side to have a rubber arm (mechanics are great though) but if you stretch out your pitchers, they can all do the same thing. The Rangers have shown this.
Nolan Ryan threw 262 pitches in a game once and still pitched another 23 years after that. Nothing has changed since then to make pitchers more fragile.
If you have good mechanics, and build up your arm, you can throw a lot more is what I'm trying to say. It's one of the most strangest things in sports that as technology got better, athletes got bigger, that they suddently can pitch half as long as players just 20 years ago. Where's the logic?
Athletes in all sports are just bigger, stronger, than they used to be. NBA players went from finesse guys, with fundamentals, and within 20 years you have guys dunking over each other and dunking on 12 foot rims. Football has guys doing cartwheels over defenders to the endzone. And 6'5 recievers who are the fastest players on the field and can cover like a a full garage with their wingspan, or whatever Sports Science said about Calvin Johnson. And somehow in baseball, everything went backwards.
I threw 130 pitches in a game last season, and I don't work out my arm nearly half as much as a typical high school pitcher. I don't even play for my school. But 2 days later I could pitch again and I kept throwing for 2 months after that without any problems. I would pitch to my friend and throw 100. I just make sure to build up gradually each time. I'm half as strong as the typical 18 year old pitcher! When I put every ounce of my body into a pitch I can hit like 76. These other kids my age hit 85 when they aren't even trying, But yet the coach yanks when they get around 75 pitches in games. It's crazy to me.
Sorry to rant but I want to hear peoples opinions on this.
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