"It comes from the top," said McKeon. "When a guy hurts his arm, it (too many pitches) is the reason why the guy gets hurt. It's inactivity and bad mechanics, not the number of pitches. (Former major league pitcher) Johnny Sain was my pitching coach (one of the best ever) in Richmond in 1977. He said it best: There is a greater chance of getting hurt with less activity than with more activity. He wanted 40 starts. He wanted two, three days rest."
The last three sentences are mind-boggling. McKeon can't possibly believe Johnny Sain was right, can he? If he genuinely thinks that injury risk and pitch count are inversely related, I challenge him to throw Dontrelle, A.J., and Josh in a three-man rotation. Think about what's best for the pitchers, Jack! They need to be throwing every other day to keep themselves healthy.
By the way, this quote appears in a Tim Kurkjian article that also includes the following throwaway line about why managers these days limit the workloads of young pitchers:
It is wise philosophy, in a way; there are all sorts of studies about how overworking a young pitcher can significantly shorten his career.
But those studies don't bother Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley:
"We count them (pitches), but we try not to be too concerned with the number," said Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley. "I go more on my gut, from what I know from watching pitchers my whole life. You have to have the right guys, and we do."
They've got the right guys. Case closed.
Labels: jack mckeon
