re: ATL Thread 4/5 | Diamondbacks (Henry) @ Braves (Strider) | 6:20 CST

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Not sure about that considering his mechanics were more lower body based compared to most pitchers. He doesn't really have a lot of torque on the arm with his fastball. It's a very easy delivery.

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Right. And it's crazy that as relatively short as he is (for someone that throws that hard), doesn't he have the 2nd closest release to the plate in the bigs? He uses his legs to kind of explode off the rubber and winds up releasing the ball closer to the plate than only 1 or maybe 2 the guys. So I agree with you that his delivery doesn't seem overly stressful on his elbow compared to most guys who throw that hard.

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I do wonder if bringing the curveball back into his repertoire for the first time since college has created some stress on the elbow.

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Well, he doesn't throw it that often, so I can't imagine he's putting a whole lot of extra stress on his elbow by throwing it in-game. However, how much did he throw it in the off-season to try to perfect it. THAT may have been where the extra stress did come (if it did).

But, I think he needed to add it. For whatever reason--I guess MLB hitters have seen him enough to adjust at this point--he's not finishing guys off quick enough once he gets 2 strikes. Hitters are fouling off way more 2-strike pitches early this year and last year and driving his pitch count up way too early in games. So I think he did need to add a strike-out pitch, especially for right-handed hitters. I think his change-up could be an out pitch throwing it away to left-handed hitters, but he needed something else to throw glove-side to right-handed hitters besides his slider.

Oh well. It is what it is now (even if we don't know yet). If he has TJ again, that would be devastating. But that's why you get Sale and add to the bullpen. If he is out for the year (just talking worst case), I think Waldrep winds up in the rotation by the end of the season. Need another hard throwing RH starter besides 40-year-old Charlie Morton, and I think Waldrep is probably further along than AJSS, even though he hasn't pitched in the bigs yet. He's just been a pitcher longer (and is older, I believe). We'll see. Let's all cross our fingers.