The Dodgers organization is being very careful with the very talented left arm of Clayton Kershaw. They want to cap his innings, by moving him around and shifting the rotation.
I'm not sure I agree.
First of all, I'm like Nolan Ryan. I think that pitchers are much too babied and I think they should throw. If Kershaw stays healthy for 200 innings, then let him throw 200 innings.
He threw 169 total innings last year, and they want to keep him at the 180 mark, hence skipping his turn on Monday against the Diamondbacks.
He will pitch Thursday instead against the Phillies.
I really feel like this was the wrong move. First of all, he's only averaging 5 2/3 innings per start, meaning if he made 33 starts (which would happen if he weren't shifted at all) it would mean he would throw 185 innings. You could always skip him in September when the Dodgers have the division wrapped up.
If it happens to be the case, that would be the time to start thinking about it. The Dodgers will probably be playing in October, so I understand the concern to a degree, but like I said, back him off a day or two later in the year, or skip his turn once, or something.
The problem with doing it at the beginning of June is disrupting his rhythm and he was starting to get into a good one. How is he supposed to find consistency if he has seven days between starts instead of four? He walks a ton of guys as it is, and this is the last thing he needs. He needs to pitch, not be pampered.
His last three starts saw him go 18 innings and give up five runs, good for an ERA of 2.50 and I felt like he was starting to turn a corner. He's been throwing more first-pitch strikes, and I think moving him around stunts his development.
I think the kid is going to be a superstar, and I don't want him to get hurt by overuse, but I don't think 200 innings is overuse for a big strong kid, with a strong arm.
I'm also a supporter of a four-man rotation, so you can see why I don't like pitchers being treated like they should be wrapped in bubble wrap and kept out of harm's way.
The problem is that this 'babying' starts in the minors...these guys are babied and limited and restricted so as not to 'hurt' themselves, so when they get to the majors it's hard to make em pitch much further.
Teams must make organizational changes, stop babying the guys, stretch em out, leave em in when they're scuffling even if it gets em to (oh no) 120 pitches...but if they aren't 'stretched' in the minors - I don't agree that the time to start stretching them is when they've arrived to the show, it's something that needs to start when they enter the minors.
Couldn't agree more. It starts in the Minors and I am not a big fan of it. Great point.
These guys, Major League pitchers, were stud pitchers in high school or as teenagers, wherever they played. They are used to throwing a lot of pitches. They can handle it. I don't think injury comes from a standard workload. It comes from overuse and bad mechanics. The babying that starts when they are drafted is pretty ridiculous.
Let the kid throw. Nothing like messing with him just as he starts to look like a big leaguer.
Except that they 'stop' being used to it once they get to the minors.
ANd no offense to most high school or college players, but about 95% of them (or more) will never make it to the majors...
remember that back when pitchers threw 120-150 pitches a game the average fastball was around 86 mph, and they didnt throw many sliders...The game has changed since then and the pitchers throw harder, with filthier junk that takes a toll on their arms. The Atlanta Braves changed that in the 90's with pitch counts and counting innings, which allowed them to have the best pitching staff in baseball (MadDog, Smoltz, Glavine, and others)for at least a decade.
That being said in the minors starting pitchers seem to throw only five innings reguardless, and the Dodgers in spring training only let the starters get to five innings before the season starts. I agree that baseball needs to reevaluate the pitching process, and how they go about things, but baseball teams are a bunch of followers and will try and duplicate what is working for other teams. Nolan Ryan could change that with the Rangers by showing that their pitchers can maintain arm strength and be stretched out, but he has to do it first with his team before others follow.
My problem, and it seems league wide (i'm not a dodger fan, but i live in santa barbara) is that there seems to be no 'flexibility' - all pitchers seem to be handled the same way by a given club. It seems to me that it's ridiculous to think that way...each pitcher is a different person and thus a different pitcher, so don't say 'all pitchers do this' - look at a guy and develop him as is best for him and use him as is best for him - don't say '100 pitches'
Tough to argue with a guy in SB!! I agree each pitcher should be handled differently and I give credit to the Blue Jays for how they handle Doc, he finishes what he starts cause he wants to!
You gotta be careful with the 'he wants to' thing...guys might push too hard to look tough or manly...you watch the guy - see how he is pitching in a game in situation and determine when he's too tired to pitch any more and then pull him - you never let the pitcher himself make the decision - that's just silly
Not any pitcher gets that treatment, and Doc is different, he isnt a max effort pitcher like Peavy of Burnett. However, if you tell your pitcher from the start that his max is 100 pitches and you start that from the minors up, how do you tell if he can go further than that unless he tells you he can?
If your a max effort pitcher, you should be monitored more closely and I agree with a pitch count. If your a pitcher who works both sides of the plate and depend more on throwing strikes than throwing hard, then they should be able to go deeper into games and have a higher count.
Kershaw right now is a max effort guy who should be watched close, Bills has taken great strides in how he throws and is more concerned with strikes than throwing the ball past anyone, Kuroda has been hurt both years and should be watched closely, and I could care less if Milton's arm breaks again...Wolf I trust to tell me what he can and cant do, and it looks like his arm is back to where it was before Tommy John.
I agree that a pitcher should be monitored, but there's no magic pitch count number - it sems that tv is obsessed with numbers so they made 100 'magic' like it's some sort of threshold - i think as a guys pitch count in a game increases you pay more attention to him but i don't think 'max effort' should matter so much - watch the guy pitch and see how his control, speed, durability is keeping up be it 7 innings, be it 100 pitches, whatever...there's no magic formula