A 100-mph guessing game
100 mph at least once, while Chapman threw 538 of his 972 pitches for the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs— a jaw-dropping, swinging-and-missing 55.35 percent — at 100 mph or more, according to Major League Baseball’s Advanced Media Statcast system. And he regularly ligament replacements in 2012, according to Baseball Heat Maps.
“Although the number of Tommy John surgeries in the majors was down from previous high of over 30 in 2012 and 2014,” said Stan Conte, former Giants and Dodgers head athletic trainer turned consultant, “there was an increase in the minor leagues. There is a direct relationship with velocity and stress on the UCL ligament.”
The scouts see it everywhere, at every level.
“I think the summer showcase circuit and these kids trying to throw as hard as they can early has definitely impacted injuries,” said Elliott Strankman, West Coast scouting supervisor for the Minnesota Twins.
Oakland closer Sean Doolittle and others in the bullpen often are awestruck that hitters even put the ball in play given the pitches they face.
“There are sometimes when we’re sitting in the bullpen and we look up at the radar gun and we’re like, ‘How did he hit that?’ ” Doolittle said.
It’s equally amazing for managers, who know what a daunting task their hitters face.
“You have to cheat as a hitter to hit 95-plus,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I believe this is one of the reasons for spiked home runs and spiked strikeouts. Guess right, it goes a long way. Guess wrong, take a walk back to the dugout.”