PGStaff posted:Ardolis Chapman needs to be studied closely. Why and how has he avoided TJ surgery? If 90 mph is dangerous, how does someone that throws above 100 stay healthy? The guy has been throwing with record breaking velocity for 10 years. He throws power sliders, often over 90 mph.
Seriously, how does he do what he does without getting injured? Every pitch he throws is far beyond any boundaries the medical profession has established.
Nolan Ryan was a power pitcher well into his 40s. And he threw more pitches than anyone ever. Basing that on the fact he holds the record for career strike outs and also the all time record for Walks. How did he do that without TJ surgery along the way?
It's easy to just say they, and others, are just exceptions or freaks of nature. At the same time it would be interesting to know what all the pitchers that stay away from injury, did differently than those that suffered injury.
I won't begin to say I understand how they both remained healthy or how Dizzy Dean could throw both ends of a double header without being carried off the field but I have a theory.
I tend to be curious about the very early (less than 10 years) experience of these players. I wonder if youth that begin physical labor at an earlier age (carrying feed, lifting, stooping to pick beans in the garden, running from place to place etc.) begin to build the tendon, ligament and connection point strength that children today simply do not often acquire. As they grow and begin to engage in sports the substructure to prevent injury is already in place and they are building the sports specific muscles the physical structure.
Of course theories are like opinions...everybody has them 