Stephen Strasburg threw his changeup in the low 90s. It not only was 8-10 mph slower than his almost unprecedented peak fastball velocity, but it dived wickedly in the vicinity of the plate.
A noted arm mechanic named Dick Mills, the Dalai Lama of the momentum delivery, was among the first to issue the Strasburg Warning.
"Just because a pitcher throws with high velocity," the former Red Sox journeyman wrote, "should we ignore his pitching mechanics and the possibility of an arm injury? . . .
"Stephen Strasburg has some flaws in his mechanics that could lead to a shoulder and/or elbow injury . . . "
Nor was Mills the only one red flagging what to the eyes of a layman appeared to be a smooth and efficient delivery.
"I have seen lots of analysis of his mechanics where these flaws are pointed out but I have yet to read one diagnosis that suggests what changes could be made to help reduce his risk of injury and possibly improve his velocity and control," Mills wrote.
Dick Mills wrote all this Strasburg stuff in an online newsletter that was published March 25, 2009, 10 weeks before the Washington Nationals made the college version of Nolan Ryan the No. 1 pick in the draft.
The kid was a Scott Boras client, of course. And the super-agent made sure that if the lead pony in his 2009 stable suffered a catastrophic injury and never threw a meaningful pitch, he would be set for life . . . Make that set for several lives.
Boras scored a 4-year, $15.1 million deal for a kid who had yet to throw even a minor league pitch, including a $7.5 million signing bonus spread over 3 years.
Strasburg will not throw another major league pitch until at least late next season. The normal recovery and rehab time for the Tommy John surgery he must have to repair a torn ulnar tendon is 12-18 months.
