Following LaPorta, Jackson, Bryson, Hammond, Ford -- Latest: Bryson on Brewers' MRI Reluctance

[wvpowerblkwel]

First off Rob didn't live with us here, we just helped him set up his apartment, and second, Rob doesn't harbor ANY ill feelings towards the Brewers that I am aware of. Even after listening to the interview I still feel that way. Sometimes you guys jump way to hard on things. I can however say that sometimes I think the Brewers handling of some of these guys medical needs has been somewhat odd, but that is based strictly on heresay from things I've heard the players discuss. I always thought that the Brewers were somewhat reluctant about taking arm health issues very seriously with the low A guys here. I always just figured they were reluctant to take these guys arm claims very serious since this is many players first full season and sore arms are I guess expected.

[TheCrew07]

I guess I can see where people would be surprised by this, but I've criticized the Brewer's training staff on numerous occasions. I do understand that it is much more difficult to diagnose kids today, they just aren't as tough as they were even 10 years ago, most of the boys I coach in football don't know the difference between an owie and and an injury... it's the unfortunate byproduct of kids getting together to play games on video consoles instead of play the games for real in the play ground or in the yard. Every bruise is a big deal instead of part of the game, we've had 2 female trainers and most recently a male trainer and it's pretty consistent that in 2/3 of our "injury" cases there is nothing really wrong with the young man, just a sore muscle or a bruise.

 

That being said, I don't hold the Brewer's medical staff in much esteem, which is why I'm already worried we'll be writing off a guy like Braddock who seems to be on a similar path to Rogers. I don't mean to suggest the staff is negligent, because it doesn't make sense to intentionally devalue your assets, but I don't think they are particularly good either. Pitching doesn't lend itself to playing injured because it's too easy to compensate and create more issues elsewhere (the same reason I didn't want Yo to pitch last year). It just seems to me, and maybe because I care way too much about the system, that they take way too long to accurately diagnose the issues, and the recoveries rarely seem to go well. There usually seem to be complications and additional surgery required for anyone with a serious injury. For example I see no good reason to push a kid so that shoulder surgery leads to Tommy John surgery... while some of that is on the athlete, shouldn't someone within the organization notice a change in delivery mechanics? I also wonder if the team physician does the majority of the surgeries or does the team send the player to the person who's considered the best? I also wonder who is in charge of the rehabilitation program, the head trainer, someone in the front office?

 

I view the medical staff like I do defensive improvement in the system... if a kid is hurt, that's all he's ever going to be... just like if he's a bad defender, he'll likely reach the majors with poor defensive skills. I don't expect them to work miracles, but there's a stunning list of top pitching prospects in this organization that have flamed due to injury rather than performance. The smallest market in baseball needs to have an edge on the farm and the system really isn't able to absorb the loss of prospects like Jones and Rogers and still get enough quality pitching to the MLB team. I don't necessarily agree with the "drafting philosphy" angle on the pitching injuries either, I'm basing my comments on the last 15 years, this goes back much longer than Jack Z, so I'm not willing to pin this solely on drafting HS pitchers in the 1st round.

[molitor fan]

We are going to have to just disagree on the perception wk, because the harboring of some ill-feelings towards the Brewers is obvious in the commentary to me...spelled-out, even.

[clancyphile]

I don't mean to suggest the staff is negligent, because it doesn't make sense to intentionally devalue your assets, but I don't think they are particularly good either.

 

I view the medical staff like I do defensive improvement in the system... if a kid is hurt, that's all he's ever going to be... just like if he's a bad defender, he'll likely reach the majors with poor defensive skills. I don't expect them to work miracles, but there's a stunning list of top pitching prospects in this organization that have flamed due to injury rather than performance. The smallest market in baseball needs to have an edge on the farm and the system really isn't able to absorb the loss of prospects like Jones and Rogers and still get enough quality pitching to the MLB team.

The thing is, why the training staff is not handling injuries well is irrelevant. The fact is that they have not been doing so, and as such, the Brewers are not likely to see much from Jones or Rogers. They do not handle high school power arms well at all. So, unless changes can be made, the Brewers are better off NOT getting high school arms, and going in a different direction draft-wise to pitchers who are not injury-prone.

[TheCrew07]

Off the top of my head Peterson was a college pitcher... the why is important, because the best college arms go very early in the draft, a position the Brewers will hopefully not find themselves drafting in any time soon. They'll have to target arms like Yo, Scarpetta, Ordorizzi, Lintz, and so on to get guys with top of rotation talent later in the draft.