quote:Originally posted by thepainguy:quote:Originally posted by PGStaff:
Are there any accurate statistics available of M's vs W's = shoulder and elbow injuries?
Not yet.
Everything I have is anecdotal so far.
This is one of the things I am working on for the team I am working with. They think there may be something to the "M" versus "W" distinction, but my contact isn't yet completely convinced.
However, it is interesting to look at guys who are in the HOF. You see far more W's than M's, and the guys who make the M (e.g. Drysdale) tended to have shoulder problems.
To say that Drysdale tended to have shoulder problems is nonsense.He never had any arm problems until his last year. He pitched 12 consecutive years without missing a start, which is an all time record. He pitched well over 3000 innings during that time. He had 167 complete games. His career ended because the doctors back then did not know how to repair the injury that he sustained. Clemens had shoulder surgery in the late 80's, Randy johnson has had elbow and back surgery. Greg Maddux has taken about a dozen cortizone shots. Nolan Ryan had elbow surgery. Marichal retired due to back and shoulder problems. Koufax had to call it quits due to elbow problems that would have been fixed in about a month today. Clemens, Ryan and Johnson came back due to the advances in medicine.
On your site you mention that Jeff Weaver has a delivery that should hold up.....well, he is on the DL with shoulder problems.
Tekulve, Vandermeer,Quisenberry, Myers and many other side armers never had back problems.
Heck, Smoltz has been pitching pro ball since he was drafted in 1985......you should pray that the kids you hang out with should have such a great delivery, great stuff and last as long. he is 40 years old and still throwing gas and winning.