Injuries - Lat's, Forearms -

[Outlaw]

Seems this year the Oblique is now the Lat strain, and the Elbow is now the Biceps/Forearm strain/pull... bottom line is, injuries are way up over any year in recent memory. I was looking at some old stats and it seems starting around 2007/08 seasons the amount of missed games by players has increased. They all seem to need more and more "rest" days now. They are all seemingly incapable of playing 162 games anymore. The numbers bear it out too. There used to be 15 or more players a year that could play 160 games, now maybe 2-3 a year. What is significant about 07/08 is that is when MLB went after the PEDS, Steroids and greenies in a big way... Previous to that, all the way back to the 50's players could play through injuries. Was it the greenies until the late 80's when roids kicked in? Who knows, but these players today are getting injured at an increasing rate and they all seem to need rest once a week now. It’s becoming a disaster trying to figure who will play each day, especially in Daily games/leagues. The Daily injury reports and who’s sitting out each and every day numbers 20-30 players every single day. That’s 200 players a week with boo boos and needing a day off. Even the “superstars” take the time off now.
162 game players are a thing of the past. Now 140-150 seems to be the new norm, if that.

[JimyMarlboroBallgame]

Can't agree more! I think it's awesome too how managers ride it out with the .130 hitters all season long that don't do much with the glove either. Unless, they are hitting 40 HR's out, then under .200 is not worth starting them daily for the team. Well, he just needs to find his swing is all. Yeah? Well, it's freaking July and he hasn't yet so send him down darnit.

Ahhhh.my team sucks anyway. Is it just me.....or can you figure out really fast in fantasy whether your team is going to suck or be good?

[PGromek]

playing fantasy baseball these days should qualify you to be an M.D.

forget going to medical school, I know every bone and muscle head to toe just from reading daily blurbs on Kevin Youkilis

[Money]

I'm not sure I agree with the argument here. I'm sure somebody will give us the stats that tell us games played and missed. I'll use my very unscientific method and simply refer to the Tigers two sluggers. They're the first two I thought about. Starting with 2012 and working backwards here are the number of games played.

Miguel Cabrera 161,161,150,160,160,157,158,158,160

Prince Fielder 162,162,161,162,159,158,157

Mr. doughy relates it to their weight. I'm not sure what it is, I'm just glad they're in Detroit. Good thing I don't believe in jinxes.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Body weight does play a part. A guy built like Fielder or even Cabrera will not take chances. Occasionally, Cabrera will roll around a bit in the field, but never extend himself. Their bodies are not conducive to be flying around the field. Fast guys get hurt more because they're more active. Ichiro is the perfect example for those that want to play a lot of games during a year. He knows that stretching is more important than weight lifting or other ways to tighten muscles. He also plays within himself. He won't dive for balls, preferring to make sliding catches.
In fantasy, diving catches are for show, sliding catches for dough. 'Sliders' save injury but are less 'highlight reelish'.


Staying baseball healthy has been confused with staying healthy.
Fielder is baseball healthy. A registered dietician wouldn't think the same.
Our daughter is a registered dietician and I tell her to go to Hell all the time.
We have a ticket to an Angels game bet on the line.
She is a big Mike Trout fan. She thinks that Trout's training regimen during the season was optimal for Trout.
I don't know whether it was or not.
All I know is that while Trout's body is a dream for a registered dietician, he is more prone to injury than fellas who have made staying healthy a skill.
So, I made the bet that neither Cabrera or Fielder would go on the disabled list before Trout.
I am banking on the skill of Cabrera and Fielder's baseball health over Trout's youth and fitness, and the fact that Trout still has the 21 year old mentality that he is SuperMan and cannot be hurt.
Hopefully, nobody wins the bet and they all stay healthy.

Some players just can't/ won't play through an injury. King of this is Kevin Youkilis.
He's proven it time and time again.
Carlos Quentin and Delmon Young and Troy Tulowitzki are 'chronics'. Even when healthy, they are seemingly waiting for the other shoe to drop and 'need' days off.

Like with pitchers and pitch counts and three or four days between starts, we also can't compare hitters and games played to the older players. The older players played with the same fellas year after year. There was a duty to be in the starting lineup. Nobody wants to let their friends down. And they'd get irate if their names were not in the lineup. And yell and scream to be put back in the lineup by the Manager.
Today's mindset is different. Players now know that salary is the driving force, not team or teammates.
And most decisions are made with that in mind.
A day off now is perfectly acceptable for the Manager, the player, and teammates.