Adam Eaton

[Vottomatic]

Your dad and grandpa were wrong. Players will tell you that. I have a friend who is a scout. He is in his early 50's. When he was younger, well before he was scouting, he talked with Waite Hoyte, who played in the Majors, then of course broadcast games for a long time after his playing days were done. Hoye talked about how when he played that most pitchers were topping out at 85 MPH by the time August rolled around because of how often they were used and they simply didn't have any gas left. He also noted that as time went on that guys did throw a little bit harder in general than the guys before them.

I remember being younger, watching games on ESPN. They had radar guns. They didn't like up like they do now. Yes, some guys could do what a lot of guys can no, but most couldn't. Scouting still holds onto the idea that 89 MPH is average for a lefty and 90 is average for a righty. Really? When a guy throws 90 as a RHP these days he is a soft tosser, like Mike Leake.

You're always disrespecting other generations. I'm just saying I'd be careful about it because it comes across as obvious disrespect and condescending to us old timers.

You'll never convince me that Kobe or Lebron are better than Jordan was. Saw it with my own eyes. And I saw plenty of pitchers hitting in the mid-90's back in the 70's and 80's. It's not like suddenly every pitcher became superman and can throw 100+.

But we'll just agree to disagree.

Edit: By the way, my next door neighbor growing up pitched in the minors for a bunch of years. He met his wife after she dated Jim O'Toole. I've heard plenty of stories that again would disagree with some of your comments. But we can just agree to disagree.