Broken Nail?

[cadence]

http://www.sportsprocentral.com/2008/03/07/aj-burnett-broken-nail-poor-baby/

Are baseball players really becoming the most ridiculous athletes in the history of professional sports?

The only way I could understand why a pitcher couldn't pitch, was if his arm had fallen off.

What will be next? Emotional trauma from hecklers in the stands?

[mkemse]

http://www.sportsprocentral.com/2008/03/07/aj-burnett-broken-nail-poor-baby/

Are baseball players really becoming the most ridiculous athletes in the history of professional sports?

The only way I could understand why a pitcher couldn't pitch, was if his arm had fallen off.

What will be next? Emotional trauma from hecklers in the stands?

yes and what other job does a person earn $15 million a year for just 8 month work,nobody plays baseball anymore for the love of the game it is now only for the love of the money

[Alex Bragi]

Interesting, cadence, in fact quite amazing really. I'll be interested to see what Bragi says about this one since I know he's a huge fan of the game.

[Warbaby1943]

I'm a huge fan of baseball too but still I can't believe we are stupid enough to pay these players the money they make. Then to think of the wimps we end up with like the above article points out.

[mkemse]

I'm a huge fan of baseball too but still I can't believe we are stupid enough to pay these players the money they make. Then to think of the wimps we end up with like the above article points out.

I agree, what baseball owner need to do in such a way they do not get chrged with Complicity, if simpyl set a limit as to how much tye wil pay anyone
If i am a player and i ask fir say 28 millloin a year and my boss says sure, ok why not, players and their agents need to be put in their place i know baseball has no salary cap but the owers can place one in there themselves and simply not ofer player more then a cettain amoount, overtime players will realize they accept what they are offered or do not play

Lance Briggs of the Bears jjust went throughthis, he wanted more money then the Chicago Bears would give him, he went free agent and got calls from various teams saying they were interested in signing him, but NOT at his salary deman, 2 days later he reishned a 4 years deal with the Bears

[Thorne]

Have you ever broken a fingernail to the point where the nailbed is exposed? It's quite tender, and very painful when you bang it or rub it, isn't it?

Now imagine trying to press your nails into a baseball, pushing HARD onto the ends of your fingers, right onto that exposed nail bed. Sounds painful enough, but not too bad, you'd think.

NOW imagine the friction of that ball leaving your hand, rubbing against that exposed nail bed, and THEN think about doing it over and over and over again, for up to 120 pitches, and that doesn't include warm-ups. THAT gets painful!

If that doesn't convince you, have someone stick a needle under your fingernail, 120 times, over a 3 hour period. You'll understand what he's going through.

It's real easy to discount someone else's pain and discomfort when you haven't endured the same thing. And remember, too: if he's pitching in pain he's NOT going to be at his best, which affects not only him but the rest of the team, too.

All that being said, they STILL pay these guys WAY too much money. But as long as people are willing to shell out the bucks to go to games, and are going to let the sports and entertainment celebrities dictate what to wear, what to eat, what to drink and whatever else it is they do, the money will be there for them. At least now it's going to the players and not just to the owners.

[cadence]

Yes I can fully understand how painful it could be to have a split fingernail, and in the way a pitcher must hold the ball, would be painful to do so.

Are we supposed to feel sorry for them? Either he can alter his pitch for the time being, or he can suck up the pain. I don't think that there would be any permanent damage to alter his pitch. And yes I know it's just like golfing, it may be hard to change a swing. But hey if you make enough money, then suck it up.
Take him out if he can't pitch properly, but don't make me feel sorry for him.

In football, players who are hurt, either play hurt, or are taken out of the game, and little johnny is right there behind him playing his position, just as well.
I find that baseball players seem to be glorified a bit too much. Like when there was a comment once about Cal Ripken having to go from shortstop to third base, and how difficult it would be for him to make that transition.
Honestly I don't follow baseball much, but is it really that hard to play another position?

[Thorne]

Yes I can fully understand how painful it could be to have a split fingernail, and in the way a pitcher must hold the ball, would be painful to do so.

Are we supposed to feel sorry for them? Either he can alter his pitch for the time being, or he can suck up the pain. I don't think that there would be any permanent damage to alter his pitch. And yes I know it's just like golfing, it may be hard to change a swing. But hey if you make enough money, then suck it up.
Actually, bitter experience has shown that changing the pitchers mechanics, even a little bit, can cause serious problems and even permanent injuries if done to quickly, and there would be no guarantee that he'd be as effective once he did change. At the prices the club is paying for pitchers (exorbitant, I agree) they're better off waiting for him to heal.


In football, players who are hurt, either play hurt, or are taken out of the game, and little johnny is right there behind him playing his position, just as well.
I find that baseball players seem to be glorified a bit too much. Like when there was a comment once about Cal Ripken having to go from shortstop to third base, and how difficult it would be for him to make that transition.
Honestly I don't follow baseball much, but is it really that hard to play another position?
Baseball players will play hurt, too, whenever possible. And yes, changing positions can be tough, depending on the player. Ripken, I don't believe, had any problems changing, simply because he was an intelligent, versatile player. Some players can play just about any position on the field. Others can't seem to make the adjustments needed. And it's more than just fielding the ball. There's a lot of little things that go into it, like the angle that the ball comes at you, what you do with the ball once you get it, what you do when the ball isn't hit to you, but there are runners on base. The biggest problem, though, is if, when you make the change, you can play the position at the same level of proficiency as any average player. In Major League ball that's a high standard.

And still, I agree that they are paid way to much, as are all major sports stars. And yes, sometimes they seem to be coddled too much, too. One of my pet peeves involved the recent history of Barry Bonds. He injured his leg (a bad injury, totally legitimate), I believe two years ago, and was out for the season. Many ball players, even when they can't play, will stay with the team, using their talents to teach younger players and providing some moral support. Bonds just disappeared into his home and barely even contacted the manager or owner to keep them up to date on his condition. And all the time he was, I believe, getting paid way more than he's worth!

[mkemse]

Actually, bitter experience has shown that changing the pitchers mechanics, even a little bit, can cause serious problems and even permanent injuries if done to quickly, and there would be no guarantee that he'd be as effective once he did change. At the prices the club is paying for pitchers (exorbitant, I agree) they're better off waiting for him to heal.


Baseball players will play hurt, too, whenever possible. And yes, changing positions can be tough, depending on the player. Ripken, I don't believe, had any problems changing, simply because he was an intelligent, versatile player. Some players can play just about any position on the field. Others can't seem to make the adjustments needed. And it's more than just fielding the ball. There's a lot of little things that go into it, like the angle that the ball comes at you, what you do with the ball once you get it, what you do when the ball isn't hit to you, but there are runners on base. The biggest problem, though, is if, when you make the change, you can play the position at the same level of proficiency as any average player. In Major League ball that's a high standard.

And still, I agree that they are paid way to much, as are all major sports stars. And yes, sometimes they seem to be coddled too much, too. One of my pet peeves involved the recent history of Barry Bonds. He injured his leg (a bad injury, totally legitimate), I believe two years ago, and was out for the season. Many ball players, even when they can't play, will stay with the team, using their talents to teach younger players and providing some moral support. Bonds just disappeared into his home and barely even contacted the manager or owner to keep them up to date on his condition. And all the time he was, I believe, getting paid way more than he's worth!


Good point, i live in Chicago and folow the Bears and Defensive Lineman Brian Urlacher played the enitre 2007 system with a bad neck and back problems and even has surgery after his seaon enended to correct the problem, the interesting thing is he never told anyone not the coaches the team anyone he was njured and played al year, it only became public towards the end of the seasn when it was obviousy by his play something was wrong andeven then he denied it for 2 weeks

[MMI]

His career depends on his fitness. His club has medics and physio's galore. Was his brain injured too?

[mkemse]

His career depends on his fitness. His club has medics and physio's galore. Was his brain injured too?

no he said he did not want his injury to be a team distraction and that playing injured was part of the game and his job
He also said the only reason he went public is because it was so obvious something was wrong he had no choice, but he denied any injuries til the last few weeks of the season, when it was apprent watching him play he was and everyone was taling about it and he simply had no choice but to go public

[Thorne]

Yeah, I've heard of several players, in many sports, who will play with injuries if at all possible. Sometimes the time it will take for healing is too long and might hurt the team, sometimes they're just stubborn, and sometimes they are concerned about losing their job. Admittedly, baseball players seem to take time off for seemingly minor annoyances, but remember, too: they play 162 games in a season! That's a lot of baseball, and even minor injuries can become major one's quickly.

For the record, I'm not that big of a baseball fan, I just enjoy following the Braves. But I've learned over the years not to take injuries lightly, even small ones.

Personally, I like hockey. It seems that there are few injuries which can keep a hockey player down. Getting your throat slashed is one of them! But I've heard stories of a player back in the '50's who had an ear sliced nearly off in the second period of a game, had it stitched back on in the locker room, and came back in the third period with his head wrapped in bandages (this was before helmets) and played the whole period. That's dedication!

[mkemse]

Yeah, I've heard of several players, in many sports, who will play with injuries if at all possible. Sometimes the time it will take for healing is too long and might hurt the team, sometimes they're just stubborn, and sometimes they are concerned about losing their job. Admittedly, baseball players seem to take time off for seemingly minor annoyances, but remember, too: they play 162 games in a season! That's a lot of baseball, and even minor injuries can become major one's quickly.

For the record, I'm not that big of a baseball fan, I just enjoy following the Braves. But I've learned over the years not to take injuries lightly, even small ones.

Personally, I like hockey. It seems that there are few injuries which can keep a hockey player down. Getting your throat slashed is one of them! But I've heard stories of a player back in the '50's who had an ear sliced nearly off in the second period of a game, had it stitched back on in the locker room, and came back in the third period with his head wrapped in bandages (this was before helmets) and played the whole period. That's dedication!

yes that is an he was not making anywhere near what they do today, that is love of the game and not money