Because the pitchers don't pitch nearly as much as back in the day. Christy Mathewson started 56 games in 1908. The most Johan Santana has ever started is 34. Almost 400 innings for Mathewson in a season and Santana only gets 230 or so. Will White pitched 680 innings in 1879. Just doesn't happen in modern day baseball as the athletics have improved so much that an arm can't hold up that many innings throwing that hard.
Pitchers will always get hurt because the human body isn't designed to throw a baseball .... steroids can't prevent rotator cuff tears, elbow ligament damage, etc ... in fact, roids probably causes more injuries in the long run.
In addition to the fact that, as stated above, pitchers today aren't conditioned/trained to throw more than 120 pitches, 225 innings per year anymore. Add on: juiced balls, tight strike zones, band box parks .... steroids can't overcome all these obstacles to winning 30 games.
In addition to the fact that, as stated above, pitchers today aren't conditioned/trained to throw more than 120 pitches, 225 innings per year anymore. Add on: juiced balls, tight strike zones, band box parks .... steroids can't overcome all these obstacles to winning 30 games.
Record for wins was set when, 1892? Why hasn't a hitter on steroids broke the record for triples in a season? Or had a .425 batting average?
The sport has changed so much over time and drug use is such a small part of all those changes. Things about baseball other than drugs have changed so far more dramatically over the past 140 years that adding one small change such as steroids only makes a small difference. If the mound was higher, parks and strike zone larger, bats and balls engineered differently and no body armor, Bonds and McGwire would have never hit 70 homerun. Make all those changes and eliminate the DH and maybe the single season strikeout record would have been broken (though there is the possibility the record is held by a steroid user anyway. . . )
Also for wins the pitcher isn't competing against the hitters, he is competing against the opposing pitcher. If you have two great steroid-using pitchers in the same game, only one of them can earn the win
And really, who has said the drugs help them equally?
The sport has changed so much over time and drug use is such a small part of all those changes. Things about baseball other than drugs have changed so far more dramatically over the past 140 years that adding one small change such as steroids only makes a small difference. If the mound was higher, parks and strike zone larger, bats and balls engineered differently and no body armor, Bonds and McGwire would have never hit 70 homerun. Make all those changes and eliminate the DH and maybe the single season strikeout record would have been broken (though there is the possibility the record is held by a steroid user anyway. . . )
Also for wins the pitcher isn't competing against the hitters, he is competing against the opposing pitcher. If you have two great steroid-using pitchers in the same game, only one of them can earn the win
And really, who has said the drugs help them equally?
Steroids for pitchers are not for power so much as recovery and they help relievers more so than starters....
Look back through the steroid years and look at how many appearances some relievers made and tell me how they did it....
The steroids help them recover quicker and keep swelling down so they could go out and throw day after day...
Look back through the steroid years and look at how many appearances some relievers made and tell me how they did it....
The steroids help them recover quicker and keep swelling down so they could go out and throw day after day...
T Hawk nailed it. Steriods serve a different purpose for hitters compared to pitchers. Steriods mainly help build strength by helping the body recover faster. The added bulk can make hitters hit the ball much farther say increase max HR from 440 to 480 for example. It can turn a lot of long fly balls in home runs. The added strength and bulk is very limiting as to what it can do for a pitcher. It isn't going to turn a 90MPH fastball into a 95MPH fastball. Now what it can do is help you sustain your max velocity.
For example say a guy like Gagne. So his max is 98 MPH but he can only throw maybe 10 pitches per day at that speed and keep his control. With the help of steriods he may be able to stay around that max 98 MPH much longer say 25 ptiches. If not for the juice he would probably throw a more pedestrain 94 MPH while occasionally topping out at 98 MPH for pitch here and there.
Clemens is a great example. He came up as a flametrhower mid 90's MPH consistantly. Then later in his career he as throwing lower 90's with an occasional mid 90's. Then late in his career (the juice rebirth) he was back to consistanly throwing 93, 94 MPH again.
For example say a guy like Gagne. So his max is 98 MPH but he can only throw maybe 10 pitches per day at that speed and keep his control. With the help of steriods he may be able to stay around that max 98 MPH much longer say 25 ptiches. If not for the juice he would probably throw a more pedestrain 94 MPH while occasionally topping out at 98 MPH for pitch here and there.
Clemens is a great example. He came up as a flametrhower mid 90's MPH consistantly. Then later in his career he as throwing lower 90's with an occasional mid 90's. Then late in his career (the juice rebirth) he was back to consistanly throwing 93, 94 MPH again.
