Baseball team bullpens are becoming more important because teams now regulate how many innings or pitches a starting pitcher can throw. As a result they now have specialists who throw only for example, in the seventh inning or the eighth inning or are closers and only throw in the ninth inning. Nolan Ryan disagrees with this and conditions his pitchers to go the distance. He disagrees with the modern trend or limiting what and how much a pitcher can do. He has proven to be successful in this method just as many teams say they are having greater success by limiting the number of pitches or innings pitched.
For best results we should go more toward the Nolan Ryan philosophy. The reason for this is simple: pitching success (as is true of all sports skills) depends upon two foundational factors. They are technique and the athlete’s physical abilities, especially as they relate to his technique. Both of these factors are dynamic and changeable. Teams use pitch or inning count because they are not capable of scientifically analyzing and improving technique and developing the physical qualities specific to pitching. The training , if it is done, relates more to strength in season with no attention to technique unless the pitcher is having difficulties. Although the counts are used to help prevent injury, they can actually increase injuries. The less the pitcher pitches the more he loses his physical abilities (especially those related to his technique) and to a certain extent, the consistency of his technique. Since most injuries are due to neuromuscular coordination, these two factors become even more important.
Teams will continue to grasp any concepts that are not related to science. Keep in mind that they have not been any scientific studies showing the value of their present practice with pitch and inning counts. Injuries continue and it is not uncommon to find pitchers on the disabled list. This is a sad commentary for the 21st century. The science and know-how is here; teams just do not want to even look at it.