Phenom or Failure: Too Soon to Play?
In 2008, I had the chance to see a young pitcher dominate on the field for San Diego State University. His velocity was tremendous and intimidating as he struck out batter after batter. I said to myself, “I wonder how many innings this guy will have in the major leagues before he is injured?” In 2010, the Washington Nationals drafted Stephen Strasburg with the top pick in the professional baseball draft. Yes. Strasburg was number one on everyone board, except mine.
You see, Strasburg reminded me to much of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and numerous other injured or soon to be injured pitchers in professional and amateur baseball. In 2010, I watch along with everyone else as he made his minor league rotation and ascended to the majors. But in a televised game I saw of one of his starts, I noticed a change in the mechanics, I had seen in 2008. Stephen Strasburg’s delivery had gotten worse indicating an injury was on the way. I tweeted it on twitter and told friends, who believed based upon my experience, that Stephen Strasburg’s season would be cut short.
Over the past 10 years, I have conducted 3D biomechanics assessments on over 2,000 collegiate and professional baseball players and prospects. To read the rest of the story, please log onto http://zigsports.wordpress.com/
