MLB Off-Topic

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Probably just that they play year round.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

When talking about the youth pitching, what exactly were they talking about the usage of these kids? Meaning pitching in 4 games and going for around 150 pitches over a 2 day weekend. Or something different. I know Little League has rules in place where a kid can't throw more than 6 innings a week and around 80 pitches per game. But they need to account for these kids that are playing AAU ball. Because I know for a fact that some leagues don't care if they are playing for these AAU teams and pitching 2-3 times every other weekend.

Playing Little League isn't the problem at all. It's the travel/showcase/AAU schedule. These are not regulated by any governing body and there are so many different tournaments and showcases put on by various organizations that are selling the idea that kids need to play in their tournaments to be seen by the right coaches.

If you're really interested in this, check out the book The Arm by Jeff Passan. It's a pretty good look into a lot of this.

[redsox4evur]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Playing Little League isn't the problem at all. It's the travel/showcase/AAU schedule. These are not regulated by any governing body and there are so many different tournaments and showcases put on by various organizations that are selling the idea that kids need to play in their tournaments to be seen by the right coaches.



If you're really interested in this, check out the book The Arm by Jeff Passan. It's a pretty good look into a lot of this.

Little League is a part of the issue as well. Like I said some of these coaches don't care if your kid just threw 6 innings the day before he will use him/her if he needs to in a pivotal game. I have seen and overheard about it happening before.

But I do agree that these travel programs are a majority of the problem. Because these kids are practicing a couple times a week and playing up to 4 games in a single weekend not including if they are on a Little League team. Also these kids are probably some sort of baseball/wiffleball with their friends during the week either in gym class or after school ends.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Decided to watch Game 7 of the World Series and man, the intro was FANTASTIC.

<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bpvGOkfwE_s?ecver=2" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;le ft:0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Promos are so important to sports. Really set the mood. Seems like they don't get done nearly as well as they used to which is weird because of the technology available to us now. Might be a budget thing.

This one was excellent. When I watched this I was like "Holy **** this is ****ing GAME 7 OF THE CUBS AND INDIANS." I don't remember if it was thrown to the Fox theme after that though. A lot of them are just some garbage music with nothing to pump the viewer up or set the magnitude of what you're about to watch. Sometimes they just cut to a shot of the announcers or pregame desk. It's horrible.

It should be a unique promo that throws straight into the channel's theme song and a panning crowd shot of towels waving or tomahawks chopping or whatever.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Yes, that one went straight from the package to the Fox theme over an aerial of Cleveland.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Playing Little League isn't the problem at all. It's the travel/showcase/AAU schedule. These are not regulated by any governing body and there are so many different tournaments and showcases put on by various organizations that are selling the idea that kids need to play in their tournaments to be seen by the right coaches.

If you're really interested in this, check out the book The Arm by Jeff Passan. It's a pretty good look into a lot of this.

I think one of the bigger issues that no one mentions is poor coaching and bad mechanics.

Personally I ripped up my elbow when I was 13, tore a tendon trying to throw a curveball (another problem) and didn't pitch again until my junior year of high school when I moved from New Mexico to PA because the baseball talent here was severely lacking.

Got recruited to college primarily as an outfielder but ended up being a full time pitcher. I think my time off from pitching went a long way though for my longevity.

Little League is a part of the issue as well.

Little league is anything but the problem, even you brought up the fact that it's governed. People are just over sensitive about it now.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I think one of the bigger issues that no one mentions is poor coaching and bad mechanics.

Personally I ripped up my elbow when I was 13, tore a tendon trying to throw a curveball (another problem) and didn't pitch again until my junior year of high school when I moved from New Mexico to PA because the baseball talent here was severely lacking.

Got recruited to college primarily as an outfielder but ended up being a full time pitcher. I think my time off from pitching went a long way though for my longevity.

Absolutely. Poor coaching is a major component of this. I'm amazed at the throwing motions that I see in 12-15 year old kids sometimes.

There's been quite a bit of research shown that throwing a curveball doesn't put any more strain on the elbow than a fastball. What does tend to happen is if a kid has a good curveball, he tends to throw more pitches looking for strikeouts, and then often pitching more frequently because he's probably going to be effective.

[Money99]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Our local Ontario Baseball rep, who's in charge of certifying coaches, and who is also responsible for enforcing strict pitch-count rules got suspended last year because he over-pitched a kid in a Michigan tourney.
He tried to argue that since it was in MI he wasn't held to OBA rules.
No-ah-ah they said.
As long as you are managing an OBA sanctioned team with OBA certs you adhere to their rules.

His own coaches and parents ratted on him.
He was having kids throw 80+ pitches in back to back to back games.

Hey, gotta win that meaningless tournament no matter if it kills a kids arm.

Sent from my LG-K210 using Tapatalk

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The major talking points last night was about how pitching has been abandoned for throwing at top speed all the time and the fact that pitchers today don't give a damn about working on the craft of pitching but rather throwing max effort all the time. At least that's the crux of the conversation as it pertains to pitcher injuries. Smoltz is really worried that we're getting to a point where teams are burning out pitchers and getting the most value for like 5 years and if the pitcher's done then "oh well we got this young kid who's gonna take your place". etc etc.

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I agree with Smoltz...pitchers coming up aren't learning how to throw without it being max effort. It doesn't take 100 mph to beat a hitter...simply have to keep the hitter off balance and unsure what's coming - that requires changing speeds, eye level, etc.

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Our local Ontario Baseball rep, who's in charge of certifying coaches, and who is also responsible for enforcing strict pitch-count rules got suspended last year because he over-pitched a kid in a Michigan tourney.
He tried to argue that since it was in MI he wasn't held to OBA rules.
No-ah-ah they said.
As long as you are managing an OBA sanctioned team with OBA certs you adhere to their rules.

His own coaches and parents ratted on him.
He was having kids throw 80+ pitches in back to back to back games.

Hey, gotta win that meaningless tournament no matter if it kills a kids arm.

Sent from my LG-K210 using Tapatalk

If parents were watching it, why didn't they put a stop to it at the game? Did they wait to see if they won?

If I'm the type of parent that travels to Michigan with my kid for a tourney, no coach is blowing my kid's arm out. I'm marching on the field and pulling my kid out.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Probably people that don't know the science like that, they hand the kid to the coach assuming he knows what he's doing and just keep supporting as long as the kid is happy or appears so.

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I agree with Smoltz...pitchers coming up aren't learning how to throw without it being max effort. It doesn't take 100 mph to beat a hitter...simply have to keep the hitter off balance and unsure what's coming - that requires changing speeds, eye level, etc.

Wasn't that the Atlanta strategy with their legendary pitching coach. Sorry the name escapes me but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.

It was always 80% effort or something like that.

It's the same thing Pittsburgh has started teaching their young guys.

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Wasn't that the Atlanta strategy with their legendary pitching coach. Sorry the name escapes me but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.

It was always 80% effort or something like that.

It's the same thing Pittsburgh has started teaching their young guys.

Leo Mazzone

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Mark Buehrle should be a pitching coach. One of those guys in baseball not known for fast pitches but still was effective, pitched quick games, and almost never missed a start. I'm sure he could share his secret with others.