We are way more in agreement than disagreement and I liked your reply to me. The focus on spin rate is idiotic, the human arm isn't made to do some of those things.

I mentioned Ryan in particular because the OP mentioned him specifically and for the last week I've seen 37 Facebook memes a day about that 235-pitch complete game he threw one time.

So I will revise to say for every old-school, rubber-armed pitcher from back then who survived the expectation of that workload ... my favorite in that group was Mickey Lolich ... there were four others who didn't survive, pitchers with incredible potential. Read up on Wayne Simpson, what the Reds did to him in 1969-70 was criminal as far as workload and his arm finally just popped and he was shot at 21 years old when he had Hall of Fame chops.

And I will say that the reason I said I don't romanticize it is what happened to Koufax, my favorite pitcher who ever lived. After he got good, the Dodgers pitched that man's arse off to the point of abuse, and yes I know he was great and he agreed to it and did it willingly, and he went out on his shield 10 years sooner than he should have. There was a game in 1962 against the Mets, the worst team there ever was, where Koufax was a little off, struggled a little, and Walter Alston left him in for nine and he threw like 215 pitches in a 13-8 win, again over the damn 1962 Mets, and I think that was stupid then or now. And it's not like those Dodger teams didn't have great bullpens.

There's also the fact that kids are being pushed so early by mamas and daddies who hate their jobs and are counting on Junior to hit the jackpot so they can retire that you have people coming to MLB who've done had Tommy John surgery in middle school.

And they absolutely aren't being properly schooled in fundamentals.

OP just said it was wild that it's been 14 years since somebody pitched 250 innings, and I offered my .02 on why that is and why I think that's the way it's going to continue to be. Nothing more or less. Didn't say I was in love with it. The pendulum is out of whack, mic drop.

This post was edited on 5/18/24 at 8:59 am