What would be the foul ball limit? As for today's game, the result was predictable, with a big Phillies win. Where is Chico Fernandez now that we (don't) need him?
I cant agree with the foul ball idea. It is the only way good hitters can win battles with pitchers. And it would change the very nature of the game too much. Why not just give batters only two strikes or pitchers only three balls. Unfortunately, given the way the game has developed, none of these suggestions will prevent arm injuries to pitchers who as you note are doing extremely unnatural and unsafe things with their arm at the major league level. It would be better if baseball returned to a time when pitchers relied on crafty assortments of pitches and off speed stuff rather than just trying to overpower hitters in every case. But I don't know how to make that happen.
Pitchers get hurt and throw fewer innings today. I grew up watching the greats like Gibson and Seaver and Ryan and Palmer and Perry and marichal etc throw 300 innings a year without pitch counts. Today pitchers throw 150 innings with strict pitch counts. Relief pitchers on the 70s threw more innings than starters today. Mike Marshall. Something is wrong and 6 man rotation’s or more pitchers won’t solve the problem. Nolan Ryan says todays pitchers throw too few innings I think he is right
In the 1970s and 1980s, teams transitioned from four man rotations to five man rotations. Nolan Ryan's starts decreased from about 40 per year to more like 32. His innings dropped from 300+ to around 210. Without this change, it's unlikely that Ryan would have pitched effectively well past the age of 40.
Reaching back further in time, I'll note that the Boston Red Sox made Lefty Grove into a Sunday pitcher late in his career. In his prime, he pitched around 275 innings per year. In his last years, the number was down to around 160. He was effective until age 40, which was uncommon in those days.
It's plausible to think that transitioning to a six man rotation might yield a similar benefit for guys like Cole and deGrom and keep younger pitchers from breaking down early. Then again, it might not. But that's why teams are thinking about making the transition.
What would be the foul ball limit? As for today's game, the result was predictable, with a big Phillies win. Where is Chico Fernandez now that we (don't) need him?
I cant agree with the foul ball idea. It is the only way good hitters can win battles with pitchers. And it would change the very nature of the game too much. Why not just give batters only two strikes or pitchers only three balls. Unfortunately, given the way the game has developed, none of these suggestions will prevent arm injuries to pitchers who as you note are doing extremely unnatural and unsafe things with their arm at the major league level. It would be better if baseball returned to a time when pitchers relied on crafty assortments of pitches and off speed stuff rather than just trying to overpower hitters in every case. But I don't know how to make that happen.
Pitchers get hurt and throw fewer innings today. I grew up watching the greats like Gibson and Seaver and Ryan and Palmer and Perry and marichal etc throw 300 innings a year without pitch counts. Today pitchers throw 150 innings with strict pitch counts. Relief pitchers on the 70s threw more innings than starters today. Mike Marshall. Something is wrong and 6 man rotation’s or more pitchers won’t solve the problem. Nolan Ryan says todays pitchers throw too few innings I think he is right
Thanks for the comment.
In the 1970s and 1980s, teams transitioned from four man rotations to five man rotations. Nolan Ryan's starts decreased from about 40 per year to more like 32. His innings dropped from 300+ to around 210. Without this change, it's unlikely that Ryan would have pitched effectively well past the age of 40.
Reaching back further in time, I'll note that the Boston Red Sox made Lefty Grove into a Sunday pitcher late in his career. In his prime, he pitched around 275 innings per year. In his last years, the number was down to around 160. He was effective until age 40, which was uncommon in those days.
It's plausible to think that transitioning to a six man rotation might yield a similar benefit for guys like Cole and deGrom and keep younger pitchers from breaking down early. Then again, it might not. But that's why teams are thinking about making the transition.