Why Can't Johnny Throw?

Why Can't Johnny throw?

I've heard a rumor that all Major League Baseball teams are considering replacing their third base coaches with a traffic light. That traffic light would display only one color, green. This move was made necessary because too many third base coaches were injuring their shoulders “windmilling” runners around to score. Send them every time, because Johnny can’t throw.

We’ve all seen video of Roberto Clemente gunning down runners foolish enough to try to go from first to third on a single to right. 1979 All Star game, Dave Parker throws out Jim Rice trying to stretch a double into a triple, then he guns down Brian Downing at the plate as he tries to score on a Graig Nettles single. Bo Jackson (missing the cut-off man) throws Harold Reynolds out at the plate on the fly from the left field warning track, remarkable.

As Yankee fans, we’ve suffered for years with Bernie Williams sub average arm, replaced with Johnny Damon’s sub Bernie arm, replaced with Brett Gardner’s “I’ll throw the ball 100 miles an hour into the turf two feet in front of me” arm. Don’t even get me started on Nick Swisher, who has no clue on where the ball is going after it leaves his hand….send them every time.

Andrew McCutchen the Pirates rookie center fielder air mails a throw into the backstop, 10 feet over the catchers head on a potential play at the plate….send them every time.

Outfielders who can’t throw, throwing to the wrong base allowing runners to move into scoring position, a lesson that should have been learned while playing Little League.

Of course there are Major League outfielders who CAN throw, but they are the exception. Bobby Abreu still has a respected arm, going from first to third on him is something you’d want to reconsider, and yet, I've seen his throws meander ten feet up the line. Rick Ankiel a former Pitcher still has a cannon for an arm, it’s accurate too, as long as he’s not throwing the ball to the catcher from 60 feet 6 inches away.

I welcome the discussion. Can the outfielders on your favorite MLB team throw?