4T2 posted:I certainly didn't mean to incite a riot with my original question, but I truly appreciate the various perspectives. From the scientifically-based to the empirically-based, I appreciate them all. It seems as though science supports a shut-down, but genetics can "trump" that to some degree (as evidenced by those that skip the shut-down, develop faster, and don't get hurt). Seems like a risk, unless one is awfully certain his kid's arm has that magic genetic advantage. I'll be shutting him down and focusing on other areas of development, personally.
A follow-up question, which was actually 50% of the reason I asked in the first place: how do you manage timing of the shut-down? Many advocate fall-ball, many also advocate attending college camps/showcases in the fall/winter. HS baseball starts up in January...I don't see a 8+ week span in my calendar that accommodates the other activities. How do you shut down, but then perform at a showcase/camp? Am I missing a month in my calendar that you guys all have?
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Here in lies the entire problem, IMHO. My issue is with the Sophomore to Senior in HS that is looking to play at the next level. If you are trying to get a college scholarship, the summer and fall is the time to be seen by colleges. I understand there is some recruiting happening in the spring, but that is there competitive schedule. This is the EXACT issue we struggled with when my son was going through the process in 2013-2015.
Son pitched since he was 8 or 9. We always tried to be sensible and use pitch counts before they were in vogue. He never complained of arm pain until he felt a "pop" at the age of 15 (actually 1 week before his 16th birthday). I don't think he was overused, but he did throw frequently as the pitch count rules allowed. He played CF when he wasn't pitching.
I beat myself up very badly when his UCL was injured. I placed ALL the blame on myself. We had the fortune to see Dr. Andrews. He is an incredibly caring man that takes an incredible amount of time with his patients. He sat there and listened to our "story" and asked a LOT of questions. He was extremely patient as well and assured me that it may or may not have been anyone's "fault" that it happened. He did state that the harder throwing kids ARE the ones getting injured. He also admitted that he was unsure if it was because they threw harder, which led to them being used more and possibly overused, or it was simply a genetic factor. Most likely it is a combination of all the above.
The last 5 years of my son's life has been extremely difficult. He has gone through ulnar nerve transposition and recovery, then UCL reconstruction and recovery. 12/16/17 will be 2 years post-op from TJ surgery. Things still aren't back to "normal", and they may never be. It has been and is a LONG road with lots of "two steps forward and then one step back". His dream is still MLB. I support him in whichever endeavor he pursues, but as a dad, I'm tired! The stress is significant. I completely understand that there is NOTHING I can do, but he is my son. I will never watch him play again without fear and trepidation.