More Tommy John Surgeries

I think they lowered it 6 inches.Its 12 now right?The reason for such a drastic removel was all the 1-0  2-1 games or so MLB thought.It was just the first in a long line of making things so more offense in the game.Thus shifting the balance to the hitter.Alot of whats been brought up(Except the TJ) are the same things more or less that we all talked about on the pitcher getting skulled early in the week.I just caught a update on the 9/11 line that said chapman will be put on the 15 day.Did not say if its retro.

The mound is now 10 inches (Top of mound above home plate).  Back in the 60s and before that mounds were anywhere from 13 inches above the plate, on up.  Not sure there was even a rule back then.  There are stories that some mounds were very high. If you watch some old Sandy Koufax video, it looks like he is throwing off of a small mountain.

My problem is that we buy the premise, that arm injuries are on the rise, without a logical analysis of the situation. Are injuries actually on the rise, or are REPORTS of injury on the rise? Watching MLB Network this morning, Harold Reynolds claimed arm injuries are on the rise in youth ball. His reference was an increase in TJ surgeries. We see the same thing in many other studies where their basis for this claim is that surgeons are reporting more youth  patients.

Thiongs are far different now than they were 20 - 30 years ago.  Then, if you had an arm injury as a kid, you were more likely to simply pitch through it or give up pitching. How many parents would even consider taking their kid to a surgeon due to some arm pain. We called it Little League elbow and either rested or played through it. The majors were different, as well.  How many surgeons even offered TJ surgery and how many would have performed it on a regular basis with youths? Now, there may be an increase in injuries, but I'm not convinced that we can really know if we simply base it on REPORTS. Today, at the first sign of pain,parents are taking their youth pitchers to specialists (and rightly so), but that hasn't been the case. In fact, I credit the travel/showcase movement with an increased awareness on arm health.

I think those are some good points roothog.

Is this mound big enough?

Here's an article I saw posted elsewhere... Pretty simple answer to the OP question I think:

http://articles.philly.com/198...gun-astros-cardinals

I've been holding off on this one - but the Nats have released the news, so I can talk about it now.

Our son had TJ surgery earlier today.  By the doctor's account, it went "great."  I want to thank the many kind notes I've received over the past 2 months.  Most especially I want to thank TPM, jerseydad and infielddad - they've been a wonderful support system as we've navigated to this event.

So "does anyone know exactly how even on of those pitcher injured himself?"

I should be able to answer that - one would think.  But honestly, neither our son nor I can.  We just don't know.  I am willing to describe the circumstances though - so here goes...

Our son never, ever had an arm problem.  Never.  He never missed a start nor a relief appearance due to arm issues.  He has pitched since he was 9 years old (he's 27 now).  Tired arm ever?  Yes, absolutely.  But never even a tweak on any one pitch or after an outing.  He doesn't throw many curve balls - never has really.  Nor sliders - only played with them.  Over pitched ever?  Yes I guess, maybe?  He threw 4 CGs on consecutive weekends in college.  But never an arm problem that he/we knew of.  Never

Until...

Last year he made his MLB debut.  As a reliever, his velocity had climbed over the past 2 seasons to average 93.6 mph in the major leagues last year.  I've seen him 'touch' 97, almost never below 90 for the past 2 years.  He was an 88-91 guy as a starter in prior years.

Anyways, he told me in January and early February that he never felt better and never felt stronger.  His throwing regimen began to kick in in January.  I watched him play catch in the yard with his younger brother.  Smooth, easy...pop, pop, pop. (Both of them).  Bullpens soon began.  I'd ask him how he felt.  "GREAT!" was commonly his response.  How's your arm feel?  "Feels fantastic!"

Then...1 week before leaving for Spring Training in early February, he threw a changeup in a sesson and "OUCH!"  Felt something he'd never felt before.  No pop, no bang...just ouch.  So he threw another pitch - "OUCH!"  Same feeling.  Thought the velo was good and he had command too. 

But it wasn't good and we got to today after a lot of investigation, doctors' appointments, MRIs, tests and an attempt to rehab it.  Didn't work.

Now he's on the road to recovery.  We spent this past weekend with him in LA where he got to see his younger brother pitch in college for the first time.  He has a great attitude - he's dealt with worse.

But how did it happen?  Neither he nor I honestly know.  It just did.