📚 Upside Studies: (1) MLB Study: Elbow Surgeries (2) NBA Study: A Comparative Analysis of Jordan's Bulls and Curry's Warriors (3) Soccer Study: Retirement Age
⚾ Upside Study: Epidemiology of Elbow Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgeries in Major and Minor League Baseball Pitchers
The medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) is the cornerstone of elbow stability, especially against valgus stress during throwing. Baseball pitchers, who repeatedly place high loads on the elbow, are particularly vulnerable to MUCL injury. Overuse, mechanical stress, and long seasons have led to a steady increase in these injuries, often requiring surgical intervention. Historically, reconstruction — known as “Tommy John surgery” — has been the gold standard, but recent years have seen a shift toward repair techniques with internal brace (IB) augmentation, designed to enhance stability and potentially shorten recovery time. This study examined 2,281 MUCL surgeries in Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) pitchers between 2010–2023, assessing surgical trends, outcomes, and return-to-play (RTP) performance.
Authors:
Fabien Meta,* MD, Keith Meister,y MD, Timothy B. Griffith,z MD, Stan Conte,§ PT, DPT, ATC, Peter N. Chalmers,|| MD, Sophia Mavrommatis,* MD, Sean C. Clark,* MS, Elizabeth Hebert,{ MBA, and Christopher L. Camp,* # MD Investigation performed at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
You can download the full PDF study by clicking on the button below:
Year of publication: The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025
Key Stats & Insights
Scope of study: 2,281 pitchers analyzed using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (2010–2023).
Age at surgery: Mean 23.9 years overall (MLB pitchers 28.1; MiLB pitchers 23.1).
Surgical trends:
MUCL surgeries have increased year over year (R² = 0.821, P < .001).
Internal brace augmentation first documented in 2016, with rapid growth (R² = 0.896, P < .001).
Revision surgeries are also on the rise, especially among MLB pitchers (16.3% MLB vs 6.9% MiLB).
Return-to-Play (RTP):
Overall: 79.1% of pitchers returned to any level of play, averaging ~470 days post-surgery.
Same-level return (RTSL): 73.5% returned to their pre-injury level, averaging ~499 days.
MLB pitchers: 93.2% RTP, but only 71.4% RTSL (large gap between return and maintaining elite performance).
MiLB pitchers: 76.3% RTP, 73.9% RTSL (minimal gap, but lower overall career stability).
Primary vs revision surgeries: RTP dropped from 79.8% (primary) to 71.1% (revision); RTSL fell sharply from 74.8% to 57.7%.
Surgical techniques:
Reconstruction remains most common.
Internal brace–augmented repairs show biomechanical advantages, quicker rehabilitation potential, and >90% RTP in select series.
Revision surgeries consistently yielded the poorest outcomes and longest recovery times.
Key Takeaways for Teams
Rising surgical demand: MUCL injuries and surgeries — including revisions — are steadily increasing. Organizations should expect growing demands on medical, rehabilitation, and roster management resources.
Timelines matter: The average return to the same level of play takes 16–17 months, which has roster and contract implications. Teams must balance performance expectations with long-term health, resisting the pressure to accelerate recovery.
MLB vs MiLB challenges: MLB pitchers are more likely to return to any form of play but less likely to regain their prior level, reflecting the difficulty of sustaining elite performance after surgery. MiLB pitchers face career instability, with surgery often influencing contract renewals or career progression.
High cost of revisions: Revision outcomes are significantly worse than primary surgeries, with nearly half of pitchers unable to return to the same level. This underlines the need for prevention, careful workload monitoring, and individualized throwing programs.
Surgical innovation opportunities: Internal brace augmentation appears promising, with higher RTP and faster recovery, suggesting teams should collaborate closely with surgeons and stay at the forefront of evolving medical practices.
Holistic rehabilitation: Successful return requires more than surgery and physical therapy. Teams must address psychological readiness, workload ramp-up strategies, and role adjustments (e.g., transitioning starters to bullpen roles) to optimize long-term success.
Youth and pipeline concerns: The increasing number of young pitchers undergoing MUCL surgery highlights the importance of early intervention, workload management, and preventative strategies at the amateur and developmental levels to preserve future talent.
Conclusion
MUCL surgeries in professional pitchers are becoming increasingly common, with rising revision rates and growing adoption of internal brace augmentation. While nearly 8 in 10 pitchers return to the field, fewer than three-quarters make it back to the same competitive level — and success rates drop further with revision cases. For teams, this means more strategic planning around injury prevention, surgical decision-making, and holistic rehabilitation support. By integrating medical innovation, workload monitoring, and long-term player development strategies, organizations can better protect pitching assets and sustain performance at the highest levels.
🏀 Upside Study: The Impact of Offensive Duration on NBA Success: A Comparative Analysis of Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Curry's Golden State Warriors
Introduction
This study investigates the impact of offensive duration on NBA team success by comparing two of the most dominant teams in league history: the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls (72–10 record, NBA champions) and the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors (73–9 record, lost in the Finals). While both teams achieved historic regular-season success, their offensive approaches differed significantly. The Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and coached by Phil Jackson, relied on the triangle offense, emphasizing spacing, deliberate ball movement, and adaptability across multiple tempos. The Warriors, built around Stephen Curry’s shooting and Steve Kerr’s pace-and-space system, thrived on quick possessions, three-point shooting, and offensive fluidity. By analyzing 1,461 offensive plays from both Finals series, this study sheds light on how possession length and tempo influence efficiency, adaptability, and performance under playoff pressure.
Authors:
Mario Amatria Jiménez 1, Natán Andrés Cook Vaquero 1, Concepción Suarez-Llorca 2, José Antonio Pérez-Turpin 3,*
Month of publication: Journal of Human Kinetics, volume 96, February 2025
You can download the full PDF study by clicking on the button below:
Key Stats & Insights
Dataset: 1,461 offensive plays analyzed — 669 from the Bulls (6 Finals games) and 792 from the Warriors (7 Finals games).
Tempo profiles:
Bulls: favored medium-duration plays (12–16s, 24.2%) and semi-fast plays (21.5%). Their structured style reflected the triangle system’s balance of patience and opportunism.
Warriors: relied heavily on semi-fast plays (8–12s, 30.4%) and fast plays (4–8s, 21.6%), reflecting an emphasis on pace, spacing, and quick shot generation.
The difference in tempo distributions was significant (χ² = 38.262, p < 0.001).
Shot generation by duration:
Bulls produced most of their shots from medium plays (24.1%).
Warriors produced most from semi-fast plays (30.7%).
Statistically significant differences (χ² = 30.384, p < 0.001).
Shooting efficiency:
Overall efficiency was similar: Bulls 40.1% vs Warriors 42.1%.
Shot profile differences: Warriors attempted nearly twice as many threes (16.3% vs 8%), while Bulls leaned on twos (32.1% vs 25.7%).
The Warriors’ approach mirrored the modern “three-point revolution,” while the Bulls maintained a more balanced shot profile.
Strategic implications:
Bulls’ rhythmic variability helped manage fatigue and adapt to defensive schemes in critical moments.
Warriors’ fast tempo created volume but became predictable under Finals pressure, particularly against physical defenses like Cleveland’s in 2016.
The Bulls’ adaptability translated into playoff resilience, while the Warriors’ reliance on speed and threes left less margin for error.
Recommendations to Teams
Balance tempo with adaptability: Teams should avoid relying exclusively on fast or slow tempos. Instead, integrating multiple offensive rhythms — like the Bulls — improves unpredictability and late-game execution.
Contextualize tempo to opponent: High-paced play can overwhelm weaker defenses, but against disciplined playoff defenses, structured possessions may yield better outcomes. Teams should adjust tempo dynamically based on opponent tendencies.
Avoid over-reliance on one scoring method: While three-point shooting is a powerful weapon, playoff opponents often adjust to limit perimeter looks. Maintaining a balanced scoring arsenal (mid-range, post-ups, drives) increases playoff resilience.
Fatigue management matters: Longer, structured possessions can double as defensive recovery periods, preserving energy in high-stakes games. Coaches should consider tempo not only for scoring potential but also for player sustainability.
Playoff-specific strategies: Teams that dominate in the regular season with fast-paced offense should develop slower, more deliberate options to withstand playoff defenses, when possessions become more contested.
Analytics integration: Teams should track efficiency by possession duration during the season to identify optimal tempos for different lineup combinations, enabling better in-game tactical adjustments.
Conclusion
The comparative analysis of the 1995–96 Bulls and 2015–16 Warriors highlights that NBA success is not solely about offensive talent but also about how teams manage possession duration and tempo. Both teams achieved historic dominance, but their contrasting styles illustrate the trade-offs between speed, efficiency, and adaptability. The Bulls’ structured, multi-tempo offense provided greater resilience in the Finals, while the Warriors’ fast, three-heavy approach faltered under playoff adjustments. The key lesson is that strategic flexibility in tempo and possession duration — blending fast breaks with deliberate execution — is crucial for sustained success in the modern NBA.
⚽ Upside Study: The Last Whistle: Unveiling the Relationship between the Career Path and Retirement Age in Professional Soccer
Introduction
Retirement in professional soccer is not a single event but a complex, multi-stage process influenced by early career development, senior-level performance, and the management of the discontinuation stage before exit. This study, The Last Whistle: Unveiling the Relationship between the Career Path and Retirement Age in Professional Soccer, analyzed 3,467 retired Portuguese soccer players who competed between 1960 and 2018. The researchers used a two-level mediation model to investigate how different career indicators (CIs) — such as time spent in youth academies, experience at top-tier clubs, total senior appearances, and timing of peak performance — interact to determine when players retire.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial because soccer careers are inherently short, physically demanding, and psychologically intense. Many players retire in their early 30s, often struggling with identity loss, financial instability, and lack of preparation for post-playing life. By identifying the career patterns that prolong or shorten careers, this study provides actionable insights for clubs, federations, and player support systems.
Authors:
André Rebelo 1,2,*, Diogo S. Teixeira 1, Diogo Monteiro 3,4, Ricardo Monteiro 5, Bruno Travassos 4,5,6
Month of publication: Journal of Human Kinetics, volume 98, July 2025
You can download the full PDF study by clicking on the button below:
Key Stats & Insights
Sample size: 3,467 retired Portuguese professional players.
Average retirement age: 32.7 years (±4.3).
Average career length: 17.5 years (±4.9).
Youth Stage
Number of youth seasons: On average 2.6 years in youth systems.
Top 3 club youth experience: Only 0.5 years on average, but this variable showed a strong effect.
Insight: More youth seasons in top 3 clubs correlated with earlier retirement (β = −0.24). The demands and pressures of early exposure at elite academies may cause burnout or physical/mental wear that shortens career span.
Senior Stage
Average senior seasons: 14.2 years.
Top 3 club senior experience: 0.5 years on average, but critical for longevity.
Total senior games played: Mean = 93.0 (ranging up to 919).
Key findings:
More senior seasons in top 3 clubs (β = 0.26) and more total senior games (β = 0.22) were positively associated with later retirement.
Playing consistently at the highest level builds resilience, skills, and support structures that extend careers.
Discontinuation Stage
Average length: 5.5 years (range 0–21 years).
Key relationships:
Longer senior careers → longer discontinuation stage (β = 0.89).
Achieving peak results later in the career → shorter discontinuation stage (β = −1.07).
Interpretation:
Players with sustained careers at top levels often extend their playing time, transitioning more gradually into retirement.
Players who achieve their “last big success” late may choose to retire shortly after, ending on a high rather than extending into decline.
Overall Insights
Retirement is shaped by career flow: Early elite exposure accelerates retirement, while accumulated senior experience delays it.
Discontinuation stage is decisive: The strongest predictor of retirement age was how long players spent in the discontinuation stage (β = 0.91). Players who planned and prepared during this stage delayed retirement more smoothly, while those who struggled with transition tended to prolong it in uncertain ways (e.g., moving to lower leagues before exiting).
Recommendations to Teams
Integrate Career Planning from Youth Development
Encourage dual-career pathways (education + sport) to balance early specialization.
Monitor youth players in top academies for burnout risks, providing psychological support and load management.
Parents and coaches should be informed of the long-term implications of early elite exposure.
Optimize Senior Career Development
Focus on steady progression into top-level competition rather than premature jumps.
Provide resources that help players accumulate senior-level experience, such as mentorship, tailored fitness programs, and medical support.
Encourage players to seek competitive environments that balance challenge and career sustainability.
Strategically Manage the Discontinuation Stage
Establish late-career transition programs offering vocational training, mental health services, and financial planning.
Identify players nearing peak performance late in their careers and support their transition planning, ensuring they can retire on their own terms rather than under pressure.
Clubs should maintain open dialogue with players about post-playing opportunities, including coaching, scouting, and ambassadorial roles.
Build Structured Support Systems
Create in-house career transition units to guide athletes during the discontinuation phase.
Offer psychological counseling to mitigate identity loss, depression, or anxiety associated with career termination.
Develop partnerships with universities, businesses, and federations to ensure smooth entry into post-sport careers.
Stakeholder Awareness and Involvement
Coaches and managers should avoid extending careers for purely performance or marketing reasons when it may not align with player well-being.
Families and agents must be educated on their role in shaping balanced retirement decisions.
Federations should implement mandatory career planning frameworks that track and support athletes across all stages of their professional trajectory.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that retirement age in professional soccer is not simply a function of physical decline but a product of an athlete’s entire career path — from youth training environments to senior club exposure and, most critically, how the discontinuation stage is managed.
Early elite exposure can fast-track success but also shorten careers.
Sustained senior-level experience in top clubs prolongs careers and delays retirement.
The discontinuation stage is the decisive factor: those who prepare proactively transition more smoothly and retire later, while those who struggle may experience uncertain, drawn-out exits.
For clubs and federations, this means that managing career longevity requires a holistic, long-term approach. By supporting players through all stages — youth, mastery, and discontinuation — organizations can maximize on-field performance, reduce burnout, and help athletes transition into fulfilling post-playing careers. Proactive programs in education, mental health, and financial guidance will not only extend careers but also protect the well-being of players once they reach “the last whistle.”
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📚 Upside Studies: (1) MLB Study: Analytic & Pitch-Tracking Metrics Associated with UCL Surgery. (2) WNBA Study: Factors Impacting Wins/Losses (3) Golf: Sleep Study.
⚾ Upside Study: Advanced Analytic and Pitch-Tracking Metrics Associated with UCL Surgery in Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Case-Control Study.