Burroughs to replace Goff - TNS

[techman05]

Wow, it is crazy how many young guys end up needing Tommy John surgery in today's baseball. ... Off topic, some of the old timers on here will remember that when Tech regularly had a Top 25 baseball program in the 70's and 80s, Coach Patterson was getting a lot of recommendations on players from Tony John, a scout for Dodgers. (Edit: I always had heard Tony John was Tommy's brother, but when I looked that up just now I did not find any reference to it, so I do not think it is true).

Too many kids throwing breaking balls at 12. They need to be taught 4 seam, 2 seam, and change up. If you teach it correctly, a cut fastball can break just like a slider depending on arm angle. Also, too many kids playing year round ball from age 7 til 18. That's a lot of miles on an immature body and arm.

[RhythmDawg]

Too many kids throwing breaking balls at 12. They need to be taught 4 seam, 2 seam, and change up. If you teach it correctly, a cut fastball can break just like a slider depending on arm angle. Also, too many kids playing year round ball from age 7 til 18. That's a lot of miles on an immature body and arm.

At 12 I threw a split finger fastball that the bottom would fall out of. I'll never forget the game when I finally got it to move. It came in at the waist and my catcher flipped his glove and caught the pitch with his glove on the ground. I threw it three times in a row and struck the batter out swinging at all three pitches. My dad (the coach) yelled out from the dugout, "What the heck was that?!?" The batter couldn't figure it out either.

Good times.