quote:If someone can't see the relationship between increased elbow surgery and the growth of travel leagues, showcases, - - - it's because they don't want to see it.
agree, but there are alot of factors working here -
"a few soldiers ARE gonna die" - many more kids are playing more games - - these days, anyone can find a "select travel team" somewhere that will take them
in Feller's day there was "natural selection", where the "herd" thinned itself either thru injury or being left behind skills wise by hs - and only the srongest-healthiest-talented players survived
(Feller said he started thowing the cb at about 8 yrs old)
today the "herd" never gets thinned and in some cases grows each year with more rec, travel and showcase opportunities - private instruction starting at 5 yr old
players are tutored, patched, healed, and repaired who would have been long gone from the game years ago - - among them are some who got the right instruction, had the proper throwing program, followed pitch counts, did not throw cb's etc - and ther arms gave out anyway
my 2 cents