In [[baseball]], a '''power pitcher''' is a [[pitcher]] who relies on the [[velocity]] of his [[pitch (baseball)|pitches]], sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of [[strikeouts]] and statistics such as [[strikeouts per 9 innings pitched]] are common measures of power.<ref name=SM>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsmogul.com/baseballcd/help/Scouting.htm|accessdate = 2007-08-11|date=2006|title=SCOUTING REPORT|publisher=Sports Mogul Inc.|work=Sportsmogul.com}}</ref> An average pitcher strikes out about 5 batters per nine innings while a prototypical power pitcher will strike out one or more every inning.<ref name=SM/> The prototypical power pitcher is [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] member, [[Nolan Ryan]],<ref>King, Jason. ([[July 25]], [[1999]]) [[Kansas City Star]] ''Never-changing Nolan Ryan, one of game's greatest power pitchers, true to Texas roots.'' Section: Sports; Page K11.</ref> who struck out a [[Major League Baseball]] record 5,714 batters in 5,386 innings. Ryan recorded seven [[no-hitters]], appeared in eight [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]]s but also holds the record for most [[bases on balls|walks issued]] (2795).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationwidespeakers.com/speaker/390/nolan-ryan/power-pitcher|accessdate = 2007-08-11|title=NOLAN RYAN|date=2004|publisher=Nationwide Speakers Bureau, Inc.}}</ref> Other prominent power pitchers include Hall of Famers [[Walter Johnson]], [[Bob Gibson]], [[Sandy Koufax]], and [[Bob Feller]] who led his league in strikeouts and walks several times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicbaseball.com/players/f/feller_bob.html|accessdate = 2007-08-14|publisher=historicbaseball.com|title=Bob Feller|date=|author=Olds, Rob}}</ref>
The traditional school of thought on power pitching was "throw till you blow"<ref name="delecate">Shaw, Bud. ([[March 21]], [[1999]]) [[Cleveland Plain Dealer]]. ''Developing a power pitcher can be a delicate proces. Pitch counts are one way to reduce stress on young arms.'' Section:Sports; Page 3C.</ref> but multimillion-dollar contracts have changed mentalities.<ref name="delecate"/> The number of pitches thrown is now [[pitch count|counted]] by a team's staff, with particular attention paid to young power arms.<ref name="delecate"/> The care which some of the older power pitchers took with their arms allowed for long careers and further opportunity after they stopped playing.<ref>Brown, Tim. ([[March 7]], [[2005]]) [[Los Angeles Times]] ''Life needn't end at 40 for power pitchers , and Clemens, Johnson and others are proving it.'' Section: Sports; Fitness and Starts; Page 1.</ref>
