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One former Hall of Very Good pitcher said, in todays game, you have to work harder to get the 7,8, and 9th guys out. Prior to the 1990's, the SS, 2B, and C positions historically offered a lot of weak hitting that didnt require much effoert to get them out. I swear in the 80's every shortstop seemed liked they were hitting 220 with 5 hrs
Yes, they have to throw more pitches per inning now.
I don't think there is one answer to the question.
Pitchers throw harder than before. I know there are exceptions.
Pitchers are not started off in a 4 man rotation so they never had to through that many innings. I am sure some could but we will never know.
I don't seem to remember the many variations in the strike zone as some umpires have today. If there were I don't remember it. A strict stike zone would cut the pitch count.
Modern day pitchers are stronger than ever. Modern day little league all-stars throw harder than pro ballplayers from 100 years ago.
On what expertise do you make this statement.
I've been involved in college and amateur ball and managed youth baseball through amateur adult leagues my whole life. When it comes to just velocity, I would even lean towards pitchers years ago being able on average to throw harder than today. You're going to have an very occasional 12 year old throwing in the upper 80's, but that has more to do with the kid maturing early. Don't discount the early beard and deepening voice.
The best little league player I coached was an unhittable superstar who pitched like a catcher throwing from behind his ear (despite my best efforts) and quit baseball by the time he was 14. He couldn't bear the facts that all his teammates were caught up to him. He also had an ego the size of Texas from all his early success which got trashed by the time he hit high school in all sports.
Modern day pitchers ARE better than years ago due to coaching and year around practice. It ain't all about velocity. It's about technique.
I don't think there is one answer to the question.
Pitchers throw harder than before. I know there are exceptions.
Pitchers are not started off in a 4 man rotation so they never had to through that many innings. I am sure some could but we will never know.
I don't seem to remember the many variations in the strike zone as some umpires have today. If there were I don't remember it. A strict stike zone would cut the pitch count.
The DH.
Better relief pitchers.
Over the years, the strike zone keeps getting reinvented. I actually wish they would call it as it's defined. In recent years I've noticed that major league umps have gotten into the habit of calling it where it hits the glove instead of where the pitch is when it crosses the plate. This isn't so much on high calls, but happens all the time on calls on the outside corner.
Johnson flirted with 90mph and was considered a freak of nature within the game. The other 99% of pitchers were throwing in the 60-70mph range. Unlimited pitch counts, little rest between starts, and 50 appearances per season does not equal hard thrower. There's only one way a pitcher could consistently work 100 more innings per season than modern day HOF pitchers. Only a fool would say it's because they were stronger back then. Clearly those feats were accomplished by throwing a fraction as hard.
Johnson flirted with 90mph and was considered a freak of nature within the game. The other 99% of pitchers were throwing in the 60-70mph range. Unlimited pitch counts, little rest between starts, and 50 appearances per season does not equal hard thrower. There's only one way a pitcher could consistently work 100 more innings per season than modern day HOF pitchers. Only a fool would say it's because they were stronger back then. Clearly those feats were accomplished by throwing a fraction as hard.
Walter Johnson was back in the stone age of baseball when everything you did was self taught. What I'm comparing with is what I know. This being baseball from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and into the 21st century.
You can call me what you want. I doubt very much that you've experienced baseball in depth through this period as much as i have. Incidentally, during all my playing years, I was a catcher.
As far as the pitchers in the early 20th century, I'll guarantee you they threw faster than 60 to 70 mph. My god, I never caught junker who couldn't throw their fastball at least that hard. Do you really think these raw-boned tough as nails guys from back in those days couldn't throw harder than that?
Johnson flirted with 90mph and was considered a freak of nature within the game. The other 99% of pitchers were throwing in the 60-70mph range. Unlimited pitch counts, little rest between starts, and 50 appearances per season does not equal hard thrower. There's only one way a pitcher could consistently work 100 more innings per season than modern day HOF pitchers. Only a fool would say it's because they were stronger back then. Clearly those feats were accomplished by throwing a fraction as hard.
You make good points, but where do you get 90mph from? Both Johnson and Wood are thought to be one of the top 10-20 hardest throwing pitchers of all time - not just of their era. Even today, you've got guys like Ben Sheets that have topped 100 on the gun. This isn't some sort of unique, special trait.
I don't even play baseball and I'm not that active and I threw 78mph on the gun without warming up last week when I was in Memphis, TN (and I'm a pretty smallish guy). I think people generally overestimate the strength needed to throw a fastball with any sort of velocity. With any sort of practice and strength building, it'd be absolutely possible for people like you and me to get somewhere in the vicinity of 75-85mph and special, more athletically-inclined folks to get over 90mph without having to be professional baseball players.
I just think the reason modern day pitchers dont throw as many innings or complete games is the way the game is managed.
This has become a game of speciiization and micromanaging. Generally most teams use the 100-110 pitch mark as the limit for a pitcher. Also its developed now that every team has it assigned bullpen roles---set up men and closers. Watching a game unfold, you know who is getting ready in the seventh, eight, and ninth innings.
I liked the era of complete games and greatly admired the stamina of Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Warren Spahn, and Bob Gibson. Times and eras change and with our reliance on stats and assigned roles the day of the complete games is vanishing.
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