Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. It follows that as kids play on multiple teams throughout the year, the chance of hitting that 600 pitch number gets much more likely. The masters of the screwball are all but gone now, but their legacy lives on. John himself, meanwhile, kept on pitching until age 46, and while his elbow stayed sturdy, his defense did slip a bit: It’s hard to overstate the impact John and Jobe have had on the game. But parents need to talk with both the school coach and travel team coach to make sure everyone is on the same page with regards to how often the child will be pitching. The rate of revision Tommy John surgery is substantially higher than previously reported. The second trend is young players (and their parents) believing that Tommy John surgery -- in which tendons are grafted from another part of the body onto the elbow -- will add arm strength and lengthen careers, as demonstrated by Tommy John himself, who pitched 13 more seasons after his famed surgery in 1974. Even in cold weather climates, I see children who are playing on a fall team then going to indoor baseball academies in the winter. Tommy John Surgery, more formally known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, is used to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament inside the elbow. When, because of repeated stress, the UCL tears, the player can no longer throw the baseball effectively. Jack Hazen from Blitzburgh area on August 30, 2012: And now you have another Dodger who has had Tommy John surgery -- Carl Crawford. A UCL is a ligament on the inner side of your elbow that helps secure your elbow joint. Being a major league catcher is really hard. ​5. John R Wilsdon from Superior, Arizona USA on November 18, 2014: Glad I read this. This article provides a list of the 16 worst players for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the age of free agency. In recent years it's often been asked why Major League Baseball pitchers are breaking down so early and often, given that so many of them need ulnar collateral ligament surgery -- commonly known as Tommy John surgery, a major procedure that puts pitchers out for a year or more. The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), located inside the elbow, connects the humerus (the upper arm) to the ulna (the lower arm).

Playing year-round is compounded by the fact that the good players often play on multiple teams, go to showcases, etc. One is overuse and/or poor mechanics.

If the ligament is torn, and they have failed conservative treatment and want to continue to play baseball, then it is necessary. However, far and away, the most likely reason is that kids are just flat out throwing too much. Athletes from various sports have undergone UCL reconstruction, but most are pitchers in Major League Baseball. This was a decrease from a total of 27 in 2015. Who’s to say? Minor League Baseball players and college players have also had the operation.

Kelley Marks (author) from Sacramento, California on November 18, 2014: Thanks for the comment, GoldenRod LM. There are two trends driving Tommy John surgery among high school pitchers. Rehabilitation After Tommy John Surgery. Young kids are focusing on one sport instead of playing multiple sports. Traveling teams are great in the sense that the level of play is often higher than school teams. Another important factor is that the recovery after surgery is about nine months to a year. This increasing trend of UCL injuries in younger athletes poses some interesting questions for parents, coaches and those in sports medicine. If, and only if, they fail the conservative treatment, should surgery be considered. In order to restore stability to the UCL, a tendon is taken from another part of the body. Not only will it likely make kids better all-around athletes, but it also gives their arms a rest. Of those who returned to MLB competition, the average length of recovery was 20.76 months. That includes bullpen sessions. Read on to learn about the top 10 most-unique MLB stadiums. Kelley Marks (author) from Sacramento, California on October 18, 2012: Thanks for the comment, andyglean. Kuo last pitched in the majors in 2011. It is time for baseball to add some new teams to the mix.

Major League relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo has the dubious distinction of being the MLB player with the most Tommy John surgeries – four! Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Keep in mind; there’s never a certainty that the operation will be successful. Yeah, me neither.