A fascinating look at a baseball dilemma.

I am a lifelong baseball fan. I’ve long understood the dominant position the pitcher plays in the game. I’ve also followed the injury plague pitchers endure to play baseball. Jeff Passan’s book puts the current whole picture in startling perspective. Human arms did not evolve to throw a 5 ounce sphere nearly 100 MPH. The stresses are enormous and it shows in the propensity of injuries.

Passan does a marvelous job with the subject. He also puts this problem in human terms by following injured pitchers who undergo surgery and exhausting rehabilitation to keep playing the game they love.

This book will probably not interest the non-baseball fan. Even if you are a fan, the book may be more than you bargained for in one small (but important) aspect of the game. Having stated these disclaimers, the book is a fascinating look at an issue that needs more attention – the pitching arm.