Article in NY Times about Arm Trouble & Pitching

Thanks to ATC and baseballman for the advice. This is why I shut my kid down from 11-13 years old. He is lucky to have a travel coach this past year that when he said he was tired he would take him out. But then his travel coach pitched at Tulane and coaches at High Point. He realizes there is little importance in winning a U14 USSSA game.

 

pitch count

I went to a tournament this summer and was the scorekeeper for every game.

I saw an 11 year old throw 350 pitches in 6 games over 3 days this summer. When he wasn't pitching, he was catching - wow. This was in a tournament that had an inning limitation.

What was more obvious is the fact that this was not the first tournament in which the kid threw this many pitches. His team had a huge dropoff with their next best pitched and obviously relied on this one kid to pitch the maximum allowed innings.

My child would be looking for a new coach and a new team for the fall - better yet - taking the fall off!

 

Welcome and thank you

I post seldom, but lurk alot. You posts are right on the money. It is great to have a person that has the education to back his theories and the ability to put his conclusions in terms even I can understand.
I have coached at many levels and have used parental advice, pitch count, stress levels and monitoring arm slot-ability to locate-velocity. Pitch count alone isn't the tell all. the coach does not know what the child has been doing in his free time that could effect his stamina. Swimming, lifting, sleep overs, jobs etc. A boy can tire after only a handful of pitches without proper rest prior to pitching. That is where I tried to use velo, location, arm slot as early indicators that my pitcher was not properly rested ad therefore not ready to pitch. Lu'ckily using my layman's approach I never had a pitcher with serious arm issues.

 

One Pott...

Baseball Alum here class of 84 @ ole HPU Good luck to your son and the new coach there! And yes ATC I am almost 100$ sure in my giut feeling it is UCL damage/issues, any advice to rehab it before goin under the knife?

 

Advice before Ulnar Collateral Ligament surgery for Oriole

Work on range of motion. The more you have going in the better off you'll be when rehab starts.

 

Over Use

Nothing new but interesting article...at the younger ages, I truly believe legislation by local leagues is the way to go, I have seen first hand that coaches (good people & well meaning) are not always capable to manage the situation in the heat of the battle. Not to mention that part of the problem also is the parents ... so remove all the decision making, put some logical ( ASMI supported ) limitations AND required rest into policy, and play ball. You may also be amazed at how many additional pitchers it forces you to develop.

I say this because we did just this in our league, prohibited the curve as well for 12U ( I challenge anyone to give me a sound reason that it's beneficial for a 12 yr old to throw a hook ... mine didnt until he was 14 ). Anyone looking for details pm me, would be glad to share.

* ps - AND MAKE YOUR PITCHERS TUBE !!!!

 

I've got a son that is 12 and pitches some. He was throwing a bullpen last night and when we were done, he said he had some pain in the inside part of his elbow. He has been learning to throw a curve ball w/ an instructor because I want him to learn the proper way to throw it. Dont know if this is causing a problem or not. He had experienced a little pain on the outside part of the elbow in June but did not pitch again until the last week. When he pitches in a game , he rarely throws over 60 pitches and rarely throws a curve ball.

Will be playing this fall and will probably pitch some.

Any thoughts.

 

When your son sits, what posture does his shoulders have? Look at him from the side.

 

ATC! Yet there really isn t all that much you can do but "twist" your arm at the elbow joint right and obviously bicep curls, no? feel free to PM me...

 

Cubbies has awesome cheesesteaks, Sloppy, yummy cheeseburgers...yum

Cool article.