Article concerning young pitchers and their arms

[GGC]

I found this article in my local fishwrap and thought that it may interest some here. It's about the pitching staff of my alma mater and the reigning Division III champs Eastern Connecticut State University. I wonder what others would have to say about Coach Holowaty's comments.

http://www.ctnow.com/sports/college/baseball/hc-eastern0415.artapr15,0,4906249.story?coll=hc%2Dhea dlines%2Dsports

[WiredTiger]

I would agree that mechanics play a big part in whether or not a pitcher stays healthy. I am surprised he mentioned Koufax as someone who had bad mechanics. I was always under the impression that Koufax was one of those guys that had an almost near flawless delivery.

I wonder what he means by not pitching enough. If he means that a pitcher should go out and pitch nine innings all the time regardless of pitch count then I would disagree.

[Rajah]

I was always under the understanding that arm problems did him in early. His delivery may or may not have been smooth, but something must have ruined his arm.

My question is, why didn't East Connecticut's coach, who apparently recognized the mechanical problems, didn't do anything to try to get his pitchers to alter their deliveries?!?

[GGC]

WT, those were the two statements I was wondering about.

a.) I'm not familiar with Koufax's mechanics

b.) I don't think that they expanded on what Holowaty meant by "not pitching enough." I thought perhaps he meant fewer pitches per session, but more sessions. But I didn't see anything to that effect in the article.

[WiredTiger]

Originally posted by GGC
WT, those were the two statements I was wondering about.

a.) I'm not familiar with Koufax's mechanics

b.) I don't think that they expanded on what Holowaty meant by "not pitching enough." I thought perhaps he meant fewer pitches per session, but more sessions. But I didn't see anything to that effect in the article.

a.) I am going by hearsay but throughout Jane Leavy biography everyone kept saying how good his delivery and mechanics were.

b.) that definitely was a statement that could have used a follow up question.

[gyb13]

Koufax was definitely a student of mechanics, but this doesn't mean he was necessarily a good student... i haven't read the biography, so i can't vouch for what Jane Leavy said others said about Koufax's delivery....but if she made any claims about it, with all due respect, her qualifications are in writing, not in sports medicine

[WiredTiger]

I don't think that Leavy made any claims about it herself. But almost everyone she talked to raved about his mechanics. That could just mean that he looked good pitching though. I always though he had a strange delivery.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by WiredTiger
That could just mean that he looked good pitching though. i think so... the problem is that aesthetically pleasing doesn't always equal mechanically sound....especially at the cellular level....many baseball movements aren't natural to the body and increase injury risk

[Skip]

Originally posted by gyb13
many baseball movements aren't natural to the body and increase injury risk That explains both the hotfoot and the rally cap.