1 of 1- artie_fufkin
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I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
Two of the guys in this photo are now on the DL:
Last edited by artie_fufkin (5/23/2013 10:02 am)
- JV
- Ray Lankford
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
artie_fufkin wrote:
Two of the guys in this photo are now on the DL:
"In 1968, Sports Illustrated released an iconic cover commemorating the world champion St. Louis Cardinals."
That issue didn't come out just before WS Game 5, did it? Either way, I recall someone (Lolich?) talking about how the Cardinals were seen as maybe just a little full of themselves that year, and I'm sure the SI cover treatment didn't help. Along those lines, I assume McLain got his mug on at least one that year too, which of course explains his eventual dissolution.
- artie_fufkin
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
McLain was here a couple of months ago as part of his redemption tour. He spoke to some middle school kids about the pitfalls of carrying a suitcase full of cocaine, getting involved with organized crime and wandering into the arms of the RCMP without a passport.
The only other person in the office who had heard of him was the sports editor.
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Thread Starter- Max
- Colby Rasmus
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
It was me, I did it. I jinxed them. But on the flipside, I lit a fire under Bo Descalso.
- tkihshbt
- Scott Rolen
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
McClain threw 1,500 innings before his 26th birthday. I only mention this because Tim McCarver was on the radio yesterday saying that pitchers today just don't know how to pitch through pain and aren't as tough.
McCarver should go ask the litany of guys who were regularly throwing 250-300 innings 40 years ago why many never pitched again after 30.
- Max
- Colby Rasmus
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
Not that I know much, but I also wonder if guys are throwing harder these days. It seems like if someone were to calculate something like, average fastball speed in MLB, that it would be going up. I suppose it might also be the case that guys are throwing more pitches that are bad for the arm. I am not too surprised to learn that Garcia may be done, is it looked like his shoulder and elbow went through particularly dangerous twists and stresses.
- artie_fufkin
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"Tim McCarver was on the radio yesterday saying that pitchers today just don't know how to pitch through pain and aren't as tough."
When did Tim McCarver become Bob Feller?
Bob Gibson made $1.3 million during his entire career. Chris Carpenter is being paid 10 times that much to not pitch this year. There's so much more of an investment in these guys today that the clubs have to baby them. I'm not saying it's better. I enjoy watching a pitcher nut up and throw a 125-pitch complete game as much as anyone. It's just a different era.
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Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"It seems like if someone were to calculate something like, average fastball speed in MLB, that it would be going up."
It even seems like velocity has increased in the last five years. Used to be you we're lucky if you had one guy in the bullpen who threw in the mid-90s, now it seems like everyone has at least 2-3 of those guys and another guy that throws 98-99.
One of the more interesting yet useless debates I once had was with a bunch of guys from my old fart baseball team about Walter Johnson. His HofF plaque reads something like he was "the hardest thrower ever," but without the technology we have today, who really knows? Did everyone else throw 65 and Johnson threw 75 and everything was relative?
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Thread Starter- Max
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"without the technology we have today, who really knows? Did everyone else throw 65 and Johnson threw 75 and everything was relative?
Like watching old footage of basetball before the 60's. A decent high school team today could take the NBA chapms in 4 games straight. Maybe zero difference in raw potential at birth, but something about beginning your training while standing on the shoulders of giants.
Or baseball when batters used that very aggresive forward step . . . I suspect a decent college pitcher could find the holes in those swings.
Physically, are they throwing harder now? The basketball players are definitely jumping higher.
- forsberg_us
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
The level of training that kids are exposed to at an early age is staggering Max. My son is 12 and his favorite sport is football. During the off-season he trains twice a week--one session is football skills and the other is now weight training. Now that school is over, he wants to lift 2x/week at home. Plus, if he wants it, the place he trains will provide a nutritionist.
I didn't play or lift weights until high school and no one ever thought about good nutrition. I got by being bigger than most kids I played against. But with all the training and strength work these kids do, I wouldn't have a chance against an average high school kid. It's getting to the point where I'm not sure I can block my own son any more. Well, at least not within the rules.
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- artie_fufkin
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"without the technology we have today, who really knows? Did everyone else throw 65 and Johnson threw 75 and everything was relative?
Like watching old footage of basetball before the 60's. A decent high school team today could take the NBA chapms in 4 games straight. Maybe zero difference in raw potential at birth, but something about beginning your training while standing on the shoulders of giants.
Or baseball when batters used that very aggresive forward step . . . I suspect a decent college pitcher could find the holes in those swings.
Physically, are they throwing harder now? The basketball players are definitely jumping higher.
I suspect you're right and the tide is a lot higher than it used to be. Professional leagues are worldwide now. We're not just taking American athletes, much less a subset of American athletes like we did before Jsckie Robinson.
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Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"It's getting to the point where I'm not sure I can block my own son any more. Well, at least not within the rules."
Experience and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
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Thread Starter- forsberg_us
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Re: I don't believe in jinxes, but ...
"It's getting to the point where I'm not sure I can block my own son any more. Well, at least not within the rules."
Experience and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
I always used "youth and exuberance," but skill works too.