March 27, 2015: Arm Troubles

posted in: Cubs, White Sox | 1

The baseball season hasn’t even started, yet the arm troubles have already began.  Starting with the new ace of the Cubs Jon Lester with “dead arm” to the new closer for the Sox David Robertson with forearm soreness, we have already been put on warning.

What the heck does “dead arm” mean anyways?  Whatever you’re feeling in your arm, and however you want to report that, especially if it’s minor, please, please don’t use the term “dead arm”.  That just sounds horrifying.  That’s about the last thing I want to hear about our new kazillion dollar pitcher.  The pitcher that is slated to be our ace.  The pitcher, who has yet to throw one pitch for the Cubs.  The pitcher, whose jersey I just bought my son.  Do not ever refer to your pitching arm as dead!

What the heck could you be thinking when you say that?  If it is minor… if it is truly minor, then why the heck say that?  Do you have any idea what we are like?  Ok, maybe you should know, coming from Boston… but we haven’t won yet.  We haven’t won anything in anybody’s lifetime.  I really hope it’s nothing.  I really hope it’s just resting your arm.  Why couldn’t you just say that?

The Sox had their own problems reported with forearm stiffness for their brand new big buck closer.  I’m sure that’s about the last thing Sox fans want to hear.  Just when they thought they shored up their bullpen… just when they thought they locked up their 9th inning guy, you hear something like this.  Again, hopefully it’s only something minor, but why do we need to start hearing these things before the season even starts.  It’s like a bad omen.

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Maybe it starts at a very young age.  When I pitched in Little League, I only threw fastballs.  Not until I got older, and my arm got stronger, did I start messing with breaking stuff.  That messes these young kids’ arms up.  Even throw a changeup to complement your fastball, and you’ll be OK.  Once you start twisting that arm, it’s trouble.  The competition level in these little league games throws this theory out the door.  It’s all about the right now; winning now.  Forget about these kids futures; most of them probably won’t even sniff the pros anyways.  The odds are stacked, yet, if they do make it… the arm troubles begin.

Maybe it starts there.  Any other ideas?  We’ve just seen Tommy John surgery after Tommy John surgery.  We see all these big arms go down.  All these pitchers are getting hurt.  There was never this many injuries.  This is why it’s so hard to invest big money in a pitcher.  Yet, that’s what’s done over and over again.  That’s what was done by the Cubs and the Sox this year.

So don’t tell me about any arm troubles yet.  Don’t even start.  Dead arm, forearm stiffness, whatever… keep it.  Stay fricking healthy.  Don’t start off the season this way.  Hope is springing eternal; we don’t need it doused… at least not yet.

  1. tommy john

    Spot on little leaguer….it’s nice to have something named after you, but not so nice is that it’s a bad thing to be remembered for!! But you are correct, these things happen because of how they were taught and used in their youth. All the years of coaching when my kids were young, then umping for a few years, I always implored kids and their coaches to NOT teach or throw curve balls. But, as you stated, it was all about the ‘right now’. I mean, how many of those coaches even know where those kids are now, let alone trying to make it in the bigs?! Pitchers of years ago never had to go thru the plethora of arm ailments that are commonplace now. These hard throwing pitchers coming out now will end their careers as a junk-baller trying to hang on one more year, or on the operating table. And it’s all because of their coaches from their youth. Little League and Babe Ruth, and RBI, and whatever youth associations should put a ban on the young pitchers throwing curveballs until their widdle arms develop and can take the stress better it causes. But nobody cares about tomorrow, ’cause they won’t be around by then!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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