MLB pitching injury concern is at least a decade too late, experts say
The pitch clock has become a subject of criticism from the Players' Union recently. However, experts believe the rise in pitching injuries has nothing to do with the pitch clock.
By Curt Bishop
Pitching injuries have been on the rise over the past several years, and many believe the main culprit is the pitch clock.
The pitch clock was added last year to help speed up the game. It gives pitchers 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with men on base.
However, experts are saying that the pitch clock is not the main culprit and that this epidemic has been a culmination of many things over the past decade. Jon Heyman of the New York Post highlighted six possible reasons why the pitch clock is not to blame for what has happened.
MLB experts claim pitch clock isn't the problem
One reason in particular that should grab people's attention is high-pressure games taking place when players are just 10 years old and are forced to throw with max effort.
In a sense, their careers might even be ruined before they begin because of this. If youth players end up suffering an arm injury, it could be catastrophic for their development as they continue to play baseball, and it might lead to fewer pitchers being developed in the future. 10 years old is obviously way too early for pitchers to be throwing with maximum effort in high-pressure ballgames.
Of course, there are other reasons as well. These days, velocity is considered a be all, end all tool that is overemphasized, especially when things such as command and control matter more. High velocity can also be a product of violent deliveries, with pitchers trying to throw extra hard in order to throw strikes.
Certain pitchers throughout the game's history have evolved from being high-octane pitchers to command-and-control pitchers. A perfect example of this is Adam Wainwright, who was nearly forced into retirement in 2018 due to elbow injuries but remade himself into a finesse pitcher, and thus added five more years to his career.
This year, pitchers such as Shane Bieber, Spencer Strider, Framber Valdez, and Jonathan Loaisiga have already fallen victim to elbow injuries this season. More may come as long as certain issues remain unaddressed.
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