Angels Broadcaster, Pitcher, Rejects Pitch Timer as Cause of Injuries
The debate surrounding the cause of pitching injuries has been between the pitch clock and velocity. For Los Angeles Angels television analyst, Mark Gubicza, his argument sides with velocity.
“People are blaming the pitch timer, and I absolutely 100 percent do not agree with that,” Gubicza said in a story published by the Orange County Register. “We threw the ball within eight to 12 seconds every time.”
Gubicza pitched in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals and Angels from 1984 to 1997. He noted that in his day pitchers would hold back, allowing them to work deeper into games while the philosophy nowadays is to throw max effort on every pitch.
“When you’re throwing full max every single pitch, from bullpen sessions to game action, it’s taxing on our arm,” Gubicza said. “I don’t blame (the pitchers) at all. They’re being told ‘Just go as hard as you can for as long as you can.’”
Major League Baseball has only had a consistent pitch-tracking system since 2008. The average fastball then was clocked at 91.1 mph. It was slower in the 1990s and 80s.
In 2023, it was 93.3 mph.
Angels pitcher Patrick Sandoval said he's been raised to throw every pitch at 100 percent. This confirms Gubicza's theory but reliever Carlos Estévez also thinks it's a combination of that and the pitch clock.
“If you’re trying to throw harder and you’re gonna try to use more your body, of course you’re gonna get even more tired when you have less time (between pitches),” Estévez said. “It’s gotta be both.”
