So Arkansas baseball

[Todd4State]

Has now had three pitchers go down to elbow injuries with two of them needing Tommy John surgery. Including a guy who was supposed to be their ace.

[msstate7]

Since Wes got there? If so, his career is almost over

[Todd4State]

Yes. Just this year since Wes has been there.

[msstate7]

Yes. Just this year since Wes has been there.

I don't see any way his career survives this then. He's leaving a trail of elbows behind him

[HereComesTheSpiral]

I think that ends the snakebit argument.

[Tbonewannabe]

So is what he does to increase velocity dangerous? I always thought it was weird that he would be able to increase velocity that quickly. It seems like the "secret" would get out pretty quick of what he was doing.

[GTHOM]

WTF is he doing torturing the kids????

[msstate7]

So is what he does to increase velocity dangerous? I always thought it was weird that he would be able to increase velocity that quickly. It seems like the "secret" would get out pretty quick of what he was doing.

I can get you 2 more mph on your fastball and all it costs you is your elbow and 18-months recovery

[The Federalist Engineer]

If only he had left us for Ole Miss, I would feel some satisfaction...he has costed us an awesome team

[Bass Chaser]

I thought someone mentioned weighted throws. Is that accurate?

[louisvilledawg]

I thought someone mentioned weighted throws. Is that accurate?

Yeah, i know last year he had pitchers warming up and doing drill with weighted balls (like small medicine balls.)

[Todd4State]

I think (and I'm taking an educated guess here as an occupational therapist who happens to also be a huge baseball fan) is that he probably "overdoses" the amount of weight too soon and that overloads the joints and it causes arm injuries.

Also- and I'm way oversimplifying here because there is a lot that goes into this- but a big part of increasing velocity safely involves strengthening the core and legs. Of course, proper pitching mechanics are huge as well.

Basically what it likely boils down to is too much too soon.

[Todd4State]

Yeah, i know last year he had pitchers warming up and doing drill with weighted balls (like small medicine balls.)

It's not so much the medicine balls as much as it is the weight of the medicine ball. If that makes sense. It would be like lifting a dumbbell that is too heavy for you at the gym and tearing your biceps tendon. Dumbbells are good in general to strengthen your biceps and other muscles- but if you lift one that is too heavy you risk injury then.

[Liverpooldawg]

If that's true he should be banned from coaching.

[Human Meat]

It is not all on Wes Johnson. His style of coaching just doesn't mesh well with this generation of weakened, overused arms. He does just fine with big strong guys like Dakota Hudson. He really does need to do a better job of evaluating and not just trying to add velocity to every kid. They are over-throwing.

[HSVDawg]

It is not all on Wes Johnson. His style of coaching just doesn't mesh well with this generation of weakened, overused arms. He does just fine with big strong guys like Dakota Hudson. He really does need to do a better job of evaluating and not just trying to add velocity to every kid. They are over-throwing.

He did "fine" with them because he didn't have to do anything with guys like Hudson and Houston. Those guys came in throwing like 95-96 mph and had stature and body type to support doing so repeatedly. Both of those guys are 6-4 / 6-5 plus with plenty of upper body strength. Also you had guys like Sexton that didn't see sharp increases in velocity that did fine as well because they continued to focus on location (which was a Butch emphasis). The pattern with all the injuries is that it has all been underclassmen. Almost like he took a more hands on approach with the new recruits, but left the older guys alone to keep from too much alteration to the routines and workouts that they had utilized for 2+ years under Butch. Wouldn't be surprised if the 3 Arkansas pitchers were young guys as well.

[Bothrops]

Wes Johnson is pipe bomb

[bulldogcountry1]

At least he left us for a division rival.

[MarketingBully]

So what is that for him, 10 in two years?

[Steakonastick]

It's what he does best. He's an orthopedic surgesons dream. Here kid I want you to start throwing weighted balls over and over again.

It's just like the juice box who tears something in the gym. His muscles are growing faster then his tendons and ligaments. Soon as his form slips there goes the tear. Or his eyes are bigger then his arms . So he puts to much weight on the bar and he has to cheat to get it up.