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Reposted by JJ Cooper

Baseball America @baseballamerica.com · 53m

Daniel Espino made his AFL debut last night.

It was quite fun.

Here's every pitch from the Guardians RHP. He headlines today's Prospect Report 🔽

buff.ly/zNDpG2a

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 11h

Thank you, and sorry but we do not do gift links.

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Reposted by JJ Cooper

Casey Drottar @caseydrottar.bsky.social · 12h

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. goes Superman right across your screen

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 12h

For the evening readers.

JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Conventional wisdom says if you throw extremely hard as an MLB SP you at significant risk to blow out and fade away.

In reality, the hardest throwing MLB SPs are the most long-lasting/durable. I studied 236 MLB SPs that debuted from 2008-2015.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

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Reposted by JJ Cooper

Seth Emerson @sethemerson.bsky.social · 15h

“The school continued to insist it had not officially hired anybody as its new head coach, despite the season opening tomorrow.”

Sickos Committee @sickoscommittee.org · 15h

Wait, so now athletes have to wait until a new coach is HIRED before they can enter the portal?

Previously, it was immediately after the previous coach was fired.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 15h

I fear my equilibrium is going to be knocked out of balance tonight.

One game in the late innings and another starting out and beinv in the early innings is like a well-planned handoff from one game to another.

Tonight. Chaos it appears.

Reposted by JJ Cooper

Baseball America @baseballamerica.com · 18h

Over 200 players made their MLB debut this season.

And we kept track of all of them.

Full list + signing scouts for every rookie : buff.ly/xfE5h9L

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 18h

Conventional wisdom is that flame-throwing SPs are meteors which blaze fiercely before disappearing because of injuries, while soft-tossing SPs aren't as flashy but last a lot longer.

What if I told you the conventional wisdom is very wrong.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

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Reposted by JJ Cooper

Baseball America @baseballamerica.com · 19h

While throwing harder does help with the longevity of careers for MLB pitchers, it poses another question?

How much more injury risk do those hard-throwing pitchers face?

We take a look:

How Much Does Throwing Harder Increase Injury Risk For MLB Pitchers?

MLB pitchers are throwing harder than ever. Just how much of a risk is it to their health and career?

buff.ly

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Reposted by JJ Cooper

Geoff Pontes @geoffpontesba.bsky.social · 20h

All 125 Minor Leaguers Who Threw 100 MPH in 2025 www.baseballamerica.com/stories/all-...

All 125 Prospects Who Threw 100 MPH In The Minor Leagues In 2025

Presenting the complete list of pitching prospects who reached back to throw 100 mph in a game this season.

www.baseballamerica.com

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 21h

That is kind of the finding of the study.

Conventional wisdom is to focus on the injury risk of hard throwing MLB SPs.

Reality is the bigger risk for MLB SPs is being demoted/released for ineffectiveness if you don't throw hard enough.

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Reposted by JJ Cooper

D’Janiel Sanchez @oriolesreview.bsky.social · 21h

A great Part 2 as well. Subscribe to @baseballamerica.com

JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 21h

More from this study.

I gathered the Tommy John data from Jon Roegele's invaluable DB, and entered myself all 60-day IL stints for all SPs in the study.

How much does throwing harder increase an SPs injury risk?

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/how-...

How Much Does Throwing Harder Increase Injury Risk For MLB Pitchers?

MLB pitchers are throwing harder than ever. Just how much of a risk is it to their health and career?

www.baseballamerica.com

1 1 1

Reposted by JJ Cooper

Davy Andrews @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social · 21h

This is a fantastic and well-executed idea.

"The biggest threat to an MLB pitcher’s career is not a career-ending injury—it’s ineffectiveness."

JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 22h

Until I studied this what I didn't realize was how even the best SPs with fringy velo don't have longevity.

I struggled to give you an example of a durable/above-average/successful soft-tossing SP from 2008-2015 who was successful from age 32-36+.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

5 11

JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 21h

More from this study.

I gathered the Tommy John data from Jon Roegele's invaluable DB, and entered myself all 60-day IL stints for all SPs in the study.

How much does throwing harder increase an SPs injury risk?

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/how-...

How Much Does Throwing Harder Increase Injury Risk For MLB Pitchers?

MLB pitchers are throwing harder than ever. Just how much of a risk is it to their health and career?

www.baseballamerica.com

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 22h

Until I studied this what I didn't realize was how even the best SPs with fringy velo don't have longevity.

I struggled to give you an example of a durable/above-average/successful soft-tossing SP from 2008-2015 who was successful from age 32-36+.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

I would drop everything for the chance to see a guy throw 100 MPH in person for the entire 2000s. Never succeeded.

Now, I see it from HS pitchers.

I used to make a note of any RP I saw in a MiLB game who touched 97. Now, that's pretty much a dime a dozen RP.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Thank you...coded properly, written up improperly. Now fixed.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Part II Looking more closely at injuries will post shortly.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Agreed.

But only for hard-throwers. As the study shows, the most successful soft-tossers generally seem to hit a wall around 32.

The flamethrowers have had success in their mid-30s and beyond.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Partly, but more than that, I would suggest the biggest risk for MLB longevity is not injury, it's ineffectiveness.

And throwing hard makes you more effective than those who don't throw as hard.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Among MLB SPs from 2008-2015 who threw 2 mph or more harder than league average when they debuted, 50% have thrown 1,000 or more MLB career innings.

Among those who who threw 1 mph or more softer than league average, that number was 15%.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

2 3 6

JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 23h

Conventional wisdom says if you throw extremely hard as an MLB SP you at significant risk to blow out and fade away.

In reality, the hardest throwing MLB SPs are the most long-lasting/durable. I studied 236 MLB SPs that debuted from 2008-2015.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...

To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard

J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.

www.baseballamerica.com

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 1d

Quick question.

Two RHSPs make their MLB debut this season. They have similar success immediately.

One throws 99-101 mph.

The other sits 92-93 mph.

Which one would you expect to have the longer MLB career (in terms of MLB seasons/innings pitched)?

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 1d

Asking to get 3 or 4 singles before 3 outs against a guy who throws 103 seems like a less productive strategy than hoping to hit one out every once in a while.

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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 1d

This game has had 7 103+ mph pitches. That's more than any postseason other than 2016 (9).

This game has 2 104+ mph pitches. That equals the entire number of 104 mph pitches thrown in the postseason in the pitch tracking era coming into tonight.

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