Why can't pitchers today go the distance.?

Question

It seems to be getting harder and harder for starting pitchers to go the distance. If you look at the progression in just the last 30 years, there's been a steady decline in complete games and innings pitched by starting pitchers. What's the reason for this?

Answer 1

Every team believes a dominant closer is necessary, so that's a huge strategy shift that dramatically cut down complete games.

With the monstrous salaries, teams are more risk-averse about serious injuries, which pressures the manager to keep pitch counts down.

During the Steroid Era, the average starting pitcher would get killed if he paced himself for nine innings, so he would go full-bore until he ran out of gas. Managers think that's still a winning strategy.

Answer 2

The high strike is no longer called.

Calling the high strike, normally fastballs, are the best pitches to strengthen the pitcher's arm. When the pitcher's have to work so hard to keep the ball down in the smaller strike zone, breaking pitches are often the best to do that. All breaking pitches are harder on the pitchers arms than the fastball.

Some people will claim that the lower pitcher's mound is the cause; I disagree. The mound was lowered for the 1969 season; there were hundreds of complete games pitched throughout the 1970's. It was not until the strike zone shrunk that the complete game totals in all of MLB took a nose-dive.

Good question.

Answer 3

With the outrageous salaries that players are getting these days, the managers have to be very careful not to injure them. Pitchers arms are very fragile because the pitching motion is unnatural and puts a lot of stress on the elbow and shoulder, especially the rotator cuff. It's especially hard on their arm if they don't have the right mechanics. We hear constantly about pitchers going on the DL and since they only pitch about 34 games a year each start is very valuable to the team.

Answer 4

Baseball's too much of a money game now.
Back then a lot of people played for the sport, and they didn't mind to have some soreness the day after they pitched, but nowadays, people aren't as tolerant of soreness and pain, and are too concerned about not doing anything that'd make their "money-arms" and less spectacular and making them lose their "career".
In my personal opinion. I think that the baseball players should not be allowed to go to the pros w/o completing at least a few years in college, that way they'd have something to fall back on. But we're getting a bit off topic.
Basically. To the point.
They want money. They earn money when the pitch. If they pitch longer, and hurt their arm, they won't pitch as much. Less pitching=less money. Less money=unhappy pitchers. Unhappy pitchers=craptastical pitching staff.
It's all about the benjamins...lol

Answer 5

I don't know if the hittings gotten better or pitchings gotten worse you don't see too many pitchers I would consider great nowadays Santana is one of the few, also the price of there contracts is something to consider not many owners or managers would want to risk losing a pitcher that makes 8 mil a year to a bad shoulder injury cause they pitched the whole 9 inn

Answer 6

hi if Nolan Ryan speaks, I pay attention. Starters could desire to and could desire to flow better than 7 innings until of direction they are getting blown out. undergo in ideas Mike Marshall? He had or maybe nevertheless has a application the place he circumstances pitchers via having them throw a shot placed ball to bolster the arm. i'm previous college and that i think in it. I hate it whilst a reliever is provided in and throws to basically one batter. Its boring and slows the sport down.

Answer 7

Athletes today are an investment / franchise / asset.

Risking losing that investment, damaging it, etc... isn't worth a couple extra innings each night.

Not only from the owners / managers perspective but also from the players perspective.

If they wear themselves out or injure themselves: good bye $$$

Answer 8

I think hitters are just too good these days. That and the risk of injury has alot to do with it.

Answer 9

dont' know
i think managers just get too worried when they give up a few runs so they yank them, or they yank them because the manager is worried he will give up some runs

Answer 10

Theyre all a bunch of Marys!

If you want to blame someone, lets all blame Curt Schilling!!!