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I think we can all agree throwing 100+ from a young age is gonna cause injuries.
The fact that we've known about spinrate for the last 8 years or so and they're also trying to maximize that every pitch is something I don't expect anyone to dispute either.
Watching both Smoltz and Verlander on this I think Smoltz was at least closer to the solution. We will always draft and want the hardest throwing and nasty guys, they're effective.
I think the way we use it has changed. Look at Verlander himself, he strangely didn't mention it. He had the best fastball in the league for years and would start out at 92-94 most games at least the first time through the lineup, in a big jam or the second time he would ramp up occasionally.
Then by the 3rd time through the order in the 6th or later you would suddenly face him in his Nolan Ryan mode. That approach made him unpredictable early because you know he has 100 in his backpocket when he needs it. And its like you face a different pitcher late in the game. The arm stress benefits are obvious.
Also you would hear pitchers talk a lot about having 2sliders for example. One that breaks less to throw for a strike and another one at max effort to strike guys out. Nowadays all these kids are throwing everything at max RPM, ripping at those seams like mad men.
I hope guys will start to understand that approach will make you better (go deeper) and keep you healthy. Plus it teaches you how to pitch instead of throw so you can stay in the league when the stuff is fading a bit.
Nolan Ryan is the only one I can think off that maybe pulled max effort off to an extent but there are many many clips of him throwing 94-95 which was probably comfortable for him. And those curves thrown for strikes early, I really doubt he was trying to get max RPM on those either. So not even the man with the arm of god did what these guys are trying to do now.
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Young pitchers are being taught to throw hard and that’s all that matters. We’ve forgotten to teach the art of pitching. Warren Spahn said, “Hitting is timing and pitching is upsetting timing.” You don’t need to light up a radar gun to upset a hitter’s timing. You just need to be able to throw a few different pitches with accuracy and control and have pitches that move slightly differently to each other.
Very true! But that doesn't necessarily mean we shouldn't be seeking out elite arms.
We need to teach them to pitch so they can use it effectively while staying healthy for longer.
Especially the spinrate thing almost makes me mad. You see guys spinning the ball at max effort and picking up pitches that aren't natural for their arm slot and how much they pronate. That puts ridiculous stress on a whole new set of ligaments which aren't used to that.
In some ways our lack of knowledge was a gift 20 years ago. Now everyone can replicate a late breaking slider like Degrom at 91mph or a demon sinker in the lab. But if it doesn't fit your mechanics and the way you move it will wreck you.
We used to talk about people throwing bowling balls because they felt so heavy to hit. Kevin Brown basically had the only true sinker at 95mph in the league for years with Brandon Webb being the other sinkerballer. Nobody could explain hitters saying Nolan's fastball had rise to it. Now every talented kid can learn those things, but if you use it all the time you're screwed. And if it doesn't fit with how your body and mechanics work you're also screwed.
Lots of ways to get messed up these days. And like you said, the art of pitching is a big one. Back in the days we used to call these kids throwers and hope they would transform into pitchers through development in their late 20s
I agree. The advanced metrics like spin rate are giving young arms incentives to try for that all the time. Not every pitch thrown has to be elite speed, movement, etc. Being able to tap into that elite stuff can be helpful, but knowing when to reach back for that something extra and when it’s ok to throw a normal pitch is what will make the difference between an elite pitcher and an average one. If the hitter knows that all of your sliders break 18 inches, they’re not going to swing unless it starts at them. If they don’t know whether the slider is going to break 6, 12, or 18 inches, they’re much more likely to chase the 12 or 18 inch break.
Leo Mazzone was the pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves during their remarkable run in the 90’s. He taught his pitchers to ease back a bit,maybe throw at 90% of their maximum velocity to increase control. His approach produced 3 Hall of Famers in that rotation: Maddux,Glavine,and Schmoltz. Nolan Ryan stayed healthy for 27 seasons because of a work ethic and off season conditioning that allowed him to go deeper into ballgames,on a 4 man rotation.