[LCHSbulldogsalum]

Just to comment on what I said about the injuries. Overuse is not the only reason for arm injuries but it is the #1 reason for kids under 20 having arm surgeries. Part of that has to do with their physical makeup not being completely done growing. That's why a high school team shouldn't have the same workouts as college and pro teams have. Another thing that plays a huge role into is the strength and conditioning that someone mentioned. Baseball isn't like other sports and doing strength training the wrong way WILL absolutely lead to arm trouble, especially for pitchers. The coaches that do not buy-in to personalizing workouts are the same ones that continue to see injuries like Lawrence is seeing. Small things, like lifting certain kind of weight above your head can lead to big problems for pitchers as well as everyday players. There is also a big difference between "playing catch" and throwing off of a mound. It's importan, for young kids especially, to play catch and throw on flat ground instead of always throwing from an elevated position. All these injuries didn't start until the showcases and elite style camps become essential for high school age kids. Now they are constantly throwing off a mound year around instead of having a cool down period, and then the time to build their arm up again for the season starts. There is also mechanical issues that can attribute to injuries and some coaches do not educate themselves enough to help their players and prevent some of these issues.

Just for your own research, how many injuries has LC had to just a kid's arm in the last six years? I think someon already answered that in-which they're averaging one a year. Now compare that to how many they've had before 2009?

This type of thing goes on in lots places and even those schools will only have one every few years. That is why it is so alarming to me to see LC averaging close to 1 a year.

1 injury is accident. 2 injuries is a coincidence. 3-5 in as many years is a pattern. Until something changes, you can expect for this to continue. That shouldn't be surprising to anyone.

I get you are a Randy Keaton friend. But it seems you are now trying to slam the new coaching staff at LC. You do realize that Shepherd's and Moore's pitching careers were utilized in 2007 and 2008 under the watchful eyes of Randy Keaton. Why did you exclude those years? Instead, just focusing on 2009? Hmmm. Maybe I'm reading too much in to this or....??????


1. Have you seen the LC baseball team workout? If not, how can you assume they are doing the weight training you say is "bad"?

2. Do you know when the LC pitchers throw off the mound in the off-season? What about the pitchers from JC and Paintsville? I know for a fact that some go at least once a week to training sessions and throw off a mound in the off-season. The LC pitchers just started this week throwing off a mound.

3. What changes need to be made at LC? Strict pitch counts? Umm, they do that. Off-season proper training? Umm, they do that.


I heard Jake Hamilton had to have surgery, and so did Sam Burton. Now, you all lump Burton in at LC for his reason for arm injuries. Do you know how much he threw while at LC? It wasn't much, trust me. He goes to Pikeville and they pitch him once a week. Yet, it was LC that caused his injury?


You all can say that I'm going overboard with this, but you all are either directly or indirectly blasting my alma mater and the coaching staff at my school. Arm injuries is not an exact science. There are many things that go in to arm injuries.