03-23-2023, 02:09 PM
Edwin Diaz got hurt in a celebration; total freak injury. I'm sure some people are blaming the WBC, but rational people will realize that this could've happened during a spring training game or washing his dog or walking down the stairs in his home.
Also, they can limit pitch counts the same way they do in Spring Training. I believe pitchers couldn't throw more than 80 pitches in the WBC, but also, if someone like Verlander (or whoever) wanted to play, he could insist on a 50 pitch maximum or something. This really shouldn't be a determining factor, IMO. Unless pitches thrown in Spring Training are less strenuous (I suppose you can make the case that you're not trying to get guys out so much in Spring Training as you are just getting loose and working on pitches), then who cares? Guys are still throwing all of their pitches in the spring, either way, at their normal velo.
Side note: I don't know how anyone is expected to hit Devin Williams's changeup. That is one of the nastiest pitches I've seen in a while.
Also, they can limit pitch counts the same way they do in Spring Training. I believe pitchers couldn't throw more than 80 pitches in the WBC, but also, if someone like Verlander (or whoever) wanted to play, he could insist on a 50 pitch maximum or something. This really shouldn't be a determining factor, IMO. Unless pitches thrown in Spring Training are less strenuous (I suppose you can make the case that you're not trying to get guys out so much in Spring Training as you are just getting loose and working on pitches), then who cares? Guys are still throwing all of their pitches in the spring, either way, at their normal velo.
Side note: I don't know how anyone is expected to hit Devin Williams's changeup. That is one of the nastiest pitches I've seen in a while.