
Originally Posted by
Thorne
Actually, bitter experience has shown that changing the pitchers mechanics, even a little bit, can cause serious problems and even permanent injuries if done to quickly, and there would be no guarantee that he'd be as effective once he did change. At the prices the club is paying for pitchers (exorbitant, I agree) they're better off waiting for him to heal.
Baseball players will play hurt, too, whenever possible. And yes, changing positions can be tough, depending on the player. Ripken, I don't believe, had any problems changing, simply because he was an intelligent, versatile player. Some players can play just about any position on the field. Others can't seem to make the adjustments needed. And it's more than just fielding the ball. There's a lot of little things that go into it, like the angle that the ball comes at you, what you do with the ball once you get it, what you do when the ball isn't hit to you, but there are runners on base. The biggest problem, though, is if, when you make the change, you can play the position at the same level of proficiency as any average player. In Major League ball that's a high standard.
And still, I agree that they are paid way to much, as are all major sports stars. And yes, sometimes they seem to be coddled too much, too. One of my pet peeves involved the recent history of Barry Bonds. He injured his leg (a bad injury, totally legitimate), I believe two years ago, and was out for the season. Many ball players, even when they can't play, will stay with the team, using their talents to teach younger players and providing some moral support. Bonds just disappeared into his home and barely even contacted the manager or owner to keep them up to date on his condition. And all the time he was, I believe, getting paid way more than he's worth!