"The most common injuries to softball pitchers don't come directly from the mechanics, but from a breakdown in mechanics once fatigue sets in. Coaches need to spend time observing their players' pitches so they can spot when their mechanics begin to break down. Three steps to determine a pitch count 1. Have the pitcher perform her normal warm-up routine. Start counting once she begins full motion at full speed. 2. Count the number of pitches, paying attention to balls and strikes. Once you notice the pitcher beginning to get wild and losing her normal control, have her take a short break. 3. After the break, continue as before, paying attention to balls and strikes and counting pitches. Once she loses control for a second time, the practice session is over. Pitch count limits Pitch counts of 80 to 100 are ideal for an average pitcher looking to complete seven innings. If the pitcher is under 80 pitches and you need her to be a starter, use a sprinting program to increase her lower body stamina. The limit for maximum-effort pitches during a week should be around 400. Do not include any drills that mimic the pitching motion but are not maximum effort." http://www.stack.com/2014/03/20/fastpitch-softball-pitch-count/
I'm in agreement, and well aware, it's not normal. It's been a few years since I've looked it up and as I recall the top five hitting that number (of batters faced) were spaced out over about a five to seven year period. I'll look again later on today (if time permits) just to verify but I'm thinking that list included all the divisions of collegiate softball. The point of bringing that number up was a comparison. 2000 pitches in a week would mean a girl is seeing 40+ batters in three games. Assuming the team doesn't have rest day, and assuming the pitcher doesn't as well, that's still 800 or so practice pitches over a four day period (or around 200 per day.) The numbers don't work.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...on-pitcher-danielle-lawrie-ready-to-go-again/ This woman threw 395 pitches in 1 day. And her quote. "It's a natural motion" says Lawrie Christopher Wahl assistant professor of orthopedic and sports medicine at UW is the team physician for sports at the university,says "the arm by the way we walk and carry things is accustomed to being in the underhand position" I mean I can keep finding evidence and Yall can keep denying it, or you can just admit it happens and we can be done with it.
She did it.....ONE time. And regardless of her opinion or whatever article you can find, I can find others who will disagree. Is it more natural than baseball? Yes. Is it less likely to result in injury? Yes and no. Clearly, the ladies throw more often than the guys but as it has been pointed out, there is not long term career for 95% of them so we just don't know. If you consider all of what Danielle said there, you shouldn't overlook this comment, "Yet even with physical forces working in her favor, Lawrie (35-7, 0.86 earned-run average, fourth-best in the nation) leaned more on mental toughness to prevail " Exactly what lsutiga said. Sometimes they ride emotion rather than their arm. On a rare occasion the ugly poor guy at the bar gets lucky. Does that mean that all ugly guys can hit it on the regular? Hell no. Exceptions are not the rule. And your "evidence" included some out-of-their-ass study from Tulane claiming that softballers pitch 2000 in a week!
Gravity, you may have heard of it. But I guess I'll have to find more evidence of it happening so you will admit it does in fact happen.
Here's some more evidence that it does in fact happen. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20...1_corrie-boggess-mark-montimurro-mark-boretti I can keep going
Taryne Mowatt throws over 1000 in one weekend http://m.newsok.com/wildcats-mowatt-won-the-arms-race/article/3063544 Shall I keep going?
I just hope she doesn't suffer some kind of long term disability because of it. No coach should allow any of his or her players to throw that many pitches in that short a period of time. If there were any professional softball on the level with MLB its likely that her future career would have been ruined.
Maybe, maybe not, I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, and I didn't stay at a holiday inn express last night.
Talking to a friend of mine who pitched in HS and college and says counting practice, she threw more than 2000 a week. She is breaking out the old data.
