Originally Posted by
chazoe60
I wonder if technology and training methods have helped people figure out how to maximize velocity but at the cost of arm injuries and longevity. Nolan Ryan had some games where he threw 200 pitches. Now-a-days it's extremely rare to see a guy throw 100 pitches. Part of it is the monetary investment in these guys makes clubs extremely careful with how they use them. I also wonder how much of it is that seemingly every starting pitcher throws 95+ now.
Plus, scouts are more focused on pure velocity. Did you watch Tom Glavine pitch? Or going back furth, Mike Cuellar? Those guys couldn't break a pane of glass, but they would make batters look like Special Olympians with location, movement, and off speed stuff. Most fun pitcher I remember watching was Charlie Hough, a knuckleballer who would get guys tied up in knots...or get clubbed like a baby seal if the knuckler wasn't working that day. These guys could pitch a ton of innings without getting tired, and go on for decades - see also, the Niekro brothers.
I wonder if a lot of potentially effective pitchers never get the shot because their fastball barely breaks 90
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