2012 MLB Free Agents: Risk Not Worth Reward for Hard-Throwing Joel Zumaya

Joel Zumaya is a freak of nature when it comes to throwing a fastball.

He can wind it up and chuck it down the center of the plate at 100-plus miles an hour on a constant basis, and he's done so for five years as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

There's something special about him, but there's also something very risky.

I remember being at a Tigers game last season and deliberately walking from the outfield bleacher seats over to the snack vendor by home plate, just so I could get a closer look at Zumaya pitching.

It's a sight to be seen.

He winds up and in the blink of an eye the ball is past the batter and in the catcher's mitt.

If you think that watching him throw is impressive though, you'd have to experience listening to him throw.

I've heard of listening to the crack of the bat, but the noise a Zumaya pitch makes when it cleanly smacks the catcher right in the mitt is unbelievable. It will literally hurt your hand just listening to it.

This guy has got "great stuff," as they say in baseball, and that's why it's no surprise to hear that he garnered a whole lot of attention at his throwing session in Houston, according to a tweet from Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, who cited a scout he was talking to:

Yes, he's got "the stuff" and that alone will make him very attractive to major league clubs looking for a free-agent hard-throwing bullpen pitcher.

He also has a horrible history of getting injured though, and that alone make him not worth it.

He's had five straight injury shortened seasons according to Jason Beck of MLB.com, and if that doesn't raise enormous red flags, I don't know what will.

He's ruptured the tendon on his middle finger, hurt his shoulder, and fractured the bone on his elbow twice, both times requiring surgery.

After taking a look at that laundry list of injuries, those hundred mile-an-hour fastballs really pale in comparison. 

Believe me, I understand the intrigue of Zumaya, I really do. When healthy he has the ability to mow down opponents at the speed of light, and he would make a great addition to any bullpen in the Major Leagues.

When healthy is the key word though, and healthy is something he hasn't been able to remain throughout his career.

When all is said and done, the risk is not worth the reward.