Major League Pitchers are Wimps

[FtWorthCat]

Kelsey Nunley threw something like 400 pitches this weekend against UCLA, and major league pitchers can barely make it through 100 pitches in a game. What's up with that? Maybe more major league pitchers should learn to throw sidearm or underhanded.

 

[TeoJ]

Not anywhere near the strain on the arm as overhanded.

 

[FtWorthCat]

Obviously, the strain is much greater on the shoulder and elbow throwing overhand. I wonder how the health of the MLB guys over the years who were submarine pitchers, compares to the traditional overhand motion? There have been some pretty good sidearm and maybe even lower pitchers in MLB over the years (Kent Tekulve and Dan Quisenberry come to mind).

Quiz

 

[JonathanW]

Pitching under-handed is against the rules in baseball.

Sidearm and submarine pitchers (I think) have had relatively good health. It is much closer to the more natural underhanded motion. It is just a more difficult pitch to master (control-wise), and I think also limits your number of types of pitches a bit more. When I was 10-12 I would go submarine 2-3 pitches an inning, with success. Regrettably I had a coach (from 12-15) that told me not to throw that pitch. I never developed any off-speed pitches (other than a decent slider at about 14) to go with my fastball, which made my fastball more hittable. Having that as an option would have helped. Obviously a sidearm/submarine motion isn't going to fool any hitter, but it does take an adjustment (like a knuckleball).

I do think teams "baby" pitchers too much now. And what has it gotten them? More elbow problems than ever before!!! Granted I am an N of 1, and was never MLB quality, but I could throw pretty hard (60's when I was 12, around 80 by 15). When I was that age, I would throw 50+ pitches at home an hour or two before I was to pitch a game each week, would then go out and pitch a complete game, throwing probably over 100 pitches each time. Then at practice I was usually the one throwing the most batting practice (except I didn't let up much). When I was 15 I pitched on the HS varsity team, and then when HS season ended I played in the 13-15 yr old league where I also pitched. I tracked my stats that season and in every one of those starts (one each week) I threw 110-135 pitches. I felt the more I threw the better.

 

[TeoJ]

I hated sub style pitchers in high school,I bailed out...........but hey that was a long,long,long time ago.

 

[JonathanW]

Originally posted by TeoJ:
I hated sub style pitchers in high school,I bailed out...........but hey that was a long,long,long time ago.

I think that is common. But probably much because you didn't see them often. If there were more of them, batters would get more used to them. I think, like a knuckleball, that a sub-style pitch is worth trying to master. Can't have too many tools in the toolbox.

 

[vhcat70]

BB pitchers throwing harder than ever: average speed up, K's up. Can't be good for arms durability. May need to move rubber back a few inches.

 

[brookslouky]

This is a dumb thread.

 

[texaslegendcat]

No way the two throwing motions can be compared. I pitched fastpitch softball for a couple of years and it's way easier on the arm. I've seen lots of guys pitch doubleheaders. No way one could do this in baseball. The throwing motion in softball is more of a natural arm movement and causes less stress. The problem is learning control.

 

[TeoJ]

Originally posted by brookslouky:
This is a dumb thread.

I guess not dumb enough for you not to comment.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

Originally posted by brookslouky:
This is a dumb thread.

Thanks for your insight. I am sure we all feel smarter now.

 

[KA4Prez]

A lot more $$$ on the line if you have a major league caliber arm. For a softball pitcher, the NCAA is the best it gets. Lets be real. Many MLB pitchers would never come out of a game until it was over. It's the teams who are protecting big investments and big future assets.

 

[MirageSmack]

It is a dumb thread to compare the two though, everyone knows you can't. At the high school softball tournament coming up, you will have 15 year olds pitching 8-9 games in a 2.5 day period. That should tell you something right there about the softball motion.

But on the point, today's pitchers are wussies, as are athletes in general. Hell, one of the hardest throwers in history, Nolan Ryan, pitched 16 innings one game, after pitching on four days rest, then coming back to pitch on four days rest again. My dad played minor league ball wayyy back in the day, and he would roll over in his grave if he knew how soft his sport had become.