Stephen Strasburg May be getting Tommy John Surgery. Will this be used by the defenders of the Pitch Count->?

Scooter, they actually had a pitch count 40 years ago. Tom Seaver was on a pitch count with the Mets (135) in 1970, and Nolan Ryan was at about 150. I heard Seaver tell this on an interview last spring.

The problem is today they limit pitchers to 100-110 pitches, let them do 135.

Defenders of the pitch count will never change their mind. They are the people that constantly say moneyball is the way to build a team and Billy Beane was/is the greatest GM (as shown by all his rings). These people now are just too strong, their bodies can't hold up regardless of pitch count. These dudes in the old days used to throw both sides of a double header, something like 300 pitches. Their arms weren't getting the same abuse because they couldn't throw as hard and they didn't throw the slider which destroys your arm.

You can look at some of these Cuban pitchers that have come to the majors. El Duque had no pitch count, he could throw 150 if he wanted, same goes for his brother Livan Hernandez--who I think did throw like 140 before.

Of course. A pitch count prevents the likeliness of getting hurt regardless whether or not the pitcher cruises through without an injury. But as we all know, Strasburg was on a limited pitch count right ever since he made his first start. The Nats followed his pitch count but the workload every five days was the reason for the injuries.

I never could understand how this "pitch count" thing ever got started. When I was a kid I played baseball from dawn till dusk and never had any arm trouble. Of course I never played in MLB but that's beside the point. Strasburg developed this problem because he thought he had to thrown 100MPH on every pitch. His pitching coach is to blame for this. Those aholes make a lot of money so you would think they would give this kid some good advice. I guess not!

The passivises can defend the pitch count all they want but I think it's foolish.

Probably, but I think the pitch count has cause this to happen to a great number of young pitchers. It seems like, in the old days at least, that pitch counts were not even an issue. Tom Seaver threw 150 pitches a game many times and he never had arm problems. Pitch counts are for the hypochondriacs of the world.

im not sure. because if you think about it Strasburg WAS on a pitch count...and a very strict one at that and this still happened to him. I don't agree much with the pitch count. Obviously they shouldnt make like 200 pitches, but you dont have to freak out the second the guy hits 100. pitch count did nothing in his case.

innings cap is different. i understand a young pitcher needing to be careful about total innings. but pitch count? eh..

He has always been on a pitch count. He even has an innings limit written into his contract. If anything, the injury to Strasburg is evidence that injuries can happen to young pitchers no matter how careful you are with them.

Well, it's hard to say and my thoughts are for a great rehabilitation and continuation of this kid's promise. For the young guns, it may be. But Stephen was coddled in the minors and the Nats thought he was ready...and by every means they were correct. This is unfortunate, and it may be.

I am not a proponent of Pitch Count. But, the MLB is...so it's likely that the kids coming up will be taken care of.

Pitch count has nothing to do with it. Its all about pitching mechanics. If a pitcher doesn't have solid, smooth mechanics, they will break down. Don't give me the pitch count bull****. Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and Nolan Ryan never had any arm problems, and they pitched well past their 40s.

This is not little league. Pitch count had nothing to do with this at all.

Strasburg had minor arm problems at San Diego St. just never this bad.

The guy simply throws too hard and puts way too much torque and stress on his arm.

He reminds me of what Sandy Koufax did to his arm early on from over throwing.