the guys says he wants to prove that he doesnt get an unfair advantage, but i dont see how he can do that unless he loses. and if he purposfully sets out to lose, then what's the point? that's a tough call.

Doubtful, recall the Casey Martin case with the PGA. He had a debilitating condition and was unable to walk the course. He was not allowed to use a cart to compete. The league rightful can define the conditions under which competition takes place. They will. Robot/machine ball is not MLB, and will not happen.

there are already kids getting elective Tommy John surgery, as they and their parents believe it will add 5 mph to the fastball. What do we do about that?

I'm wondering what Al Oerter would think of the suggestion that a motor be put into an arm. Imagine how far he could have thrown that discus!

"there are already kids getting elective Tommy John surgery, as they and their parents believe it will add 5 mph to the fastball."

BS. That's absurd. Have any evidence for that?

Hmm, would the Americans with Disabilities Act not allow those with prosthetics from being banned from professional sports?

RBJ --

that's what the Caey Martin case referred to above was about. The ADA requires reasonable accomodation, and would not require a change in any fundamental of a game. With regards to Casey Martin, the PGA claimed that it was a fundamental part of the game that the player not be allowed to ride a cart but intead walk the course. (There were other issues as well, as to whether a PGA tournament was a public accomodation.) In any case, the Supreme Court sided with the PGA. It is hard to imagine any court now preventing MLB or another sport from banning prosthetics which might be an advantage in even more fundamental a fashion.

Wells:

Technically all Tommy John surgery is elective, as there is no imminent health danger in avoiding the knife...and it is not covered by insurance.

Here is the article...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/20/sports/baseball/20surgery.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Fit Young Pitchers See Elbow Repair as Cure-All , New York Times, Jere Longman, 20th July 2007.

Dr. Frank Jobe claims that the surgery cannot make the elbow joint stronger than it was originally.

In any case, the Supreme Court sided with the PGA.

Um, Casey won that case. 7-2. For what it's worth, I think the Supremes got it wrong.

i have been pondering this scenario...

Stud baseball player at West Point/Annapolis/C Springs goes to Iraq/Afghanistan after graduation, gets his arm/leg/hand/etc blown off and replaced with a prosthetic. Still plays at the same high level (or better) as before the injury.

Can he play MLB? Lasik eye surgery, pre-emptive TJ surgery, PED's, they are all related. Just because PED's are illegal and baseball statistics are its holy grail, they become so disagreeable to fans. This whole thing becomes a slippery slope. Where do you draw the line?

The problem with the prosthetics is that he could run at the same pace while consuming 25% less energy. That's a mechanical advantage. That's why they won't let him compete. And it makes sense.