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In light of the recent post on baseball hotbeds and the benefits of year-round play, I saw this article a couple of months back. I don't think it has been posted here.  Wonder if any colleges might take this into account when looking at the injury risk for some recruits?

 

A new study published in The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine compiled the locations of the high schools for all of the pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery between 1974 (when legendary hurler Tommy John had the surgery) to June 1, 2014. The researchers found biographical information and classified the players as those growing up in either warm-weather states or cold-weather states. If a state was located south of the 33rd parallel, it was considered a warm-weather state. This latitude was chosen because areas below it had average temperatures above freezing in January.

 

• Among all players in MLB history, 64.5% grew up in cold-weather locations.
• Among all MLB pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery, a significantly higher percentage (56.3%) were from warm-weather areas, compared to 43.7% from cold-weather areas.
• Also, pitchers from warmer areas had surgery at a younger average age and earlier in their MLB careers than pitchers from cold-weather locations.

 

The study is here:  http://ojs.sagepub.com/content...325967114553916.full

 

 

 

Last edited by Twoson
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Originally Posted by Twoson:

In light of the recent post on baseball hotbeds and the benefits of year-round play, I saw this article a couple of months back. I don't think it has been posted here.  Wonder if any colleges might take this into account when looking at the injury risk for some recruits?

 

A new study published in The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine compiled the locations of the high schools for all of the pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery between 1974 (when legendary hurler Tommy John had the surgery) to June 1, 2014. The researchers found biographical information and classified the players as those growing up in either warm-weather states or cold-weather states. If a state was located south of the 33rd parallel, it was considered a warm-weather state. This latitude was chosen because areas below it had average temperatures above freezing in January.

 

• Among all players in MLB history, 64.5% grew up in cold-weather locations.
• Among all MLB pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery, a significantly higher percentage (56.3%) were from warm-weather areas, compared to 43.7% from cold-weather areas.
• Also, pitchers from warmer areas had surgery at a younger average age and earlier in their MLB careers than pitchers from cold-weather locations.

 

The study is here:  http://ojs.sagepub.com/content...325967114553916.full

 

 

 

This sounds like a major flaw in the logic of the study: "In MLB history, 64.5% of all players (11,538) were from cold weather areas, while 35.5% (6359) of all players were from warm weather areas." Tommy John surgery has only been common in the last few decades. The percentage of major league players from warm weather states over the last two decades far exceeds the percentage in all of MLB history (population shift to SunBelt over the last 50 years, for one reason). What percentage of major-league pitchers, today (or, say, over the last 20 years), not all-time, are from warm-weather states? I would bet it is close to the percentage (56.3%) of TJ surgeries from warm-weather states.

Originally Posted by 2019Dad:
 

This sounds like a major flaw in the logic of the study: "In MLB history, 64.5% of all players (11,538) were from cold weather areas, while 35.5% (6359) of all players were from warm weather areas." Tommy John surgery has only been common in the last few decades. The percentage of major league players from warm weather states over the last two decades far exceeds the percentage in all of MLB history (population shift to SunBelt over the last 50 years, for one reason). What percentage of major-league pitchers, today (or, say, over the last 20 years), not all-time, are from warm-weather states? I would bet it is close to the percentage (56.3%) of TJ surgeries from warm-weather states.

I think that the damage done to the ligament is not new, these pitchers left the game because their elbow or shoulder just hurt too much to pitch, or they drank heavily or took drugs. One of my sons pitching is a former ML, Dennis Martinez, I am sure that you know who he is.  He is a recovering alcoholic.  

He also came from a warm weather place. TJS is pretty common for latin pitchers  as well as warm weather US pitchers.  It is also common in those that throw well into the 90's.

Also keep in mind, that all boys/men develop differently, and many of these young players with TJs arent developed to their fullest but they are throwing bullets and often over used, they go from the mound to the infield or catch in one game because they are so good. Thats where mom and dad need to step in. But many of those same mom and dads want their son in every game because well, he is just that good the team cant live without him!

 

My neighbors brother is a pretty famous guy who never played professional MLB ball but played proball in PR with many guys you have heard of.

Pretty interesting stuff, and I am sure it is the truth.

 

Thats why you dont play year round bb until you have to, but as PG states for some the risk is often worth the reward!

This is a short clip from a MLB network special that I highly recommend: http://m.mlb.com/video/v326927...the-pitching-dilemma

As it relates to TJ surgery they do mention warm vs cold weather players (not included in the clip) in the context of year around play or excessive innings pitched - the more the estimated mileage on an arm, the lower the draft status. Scouts and GM's call it the "pre TJ discount".

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