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Reply to "Staying well-armed ... Young pitchers are increasingly at risk of injury"

Coach Rod has some good advice and bad advice, but that is the nature of pitching and knowing what to do.

 

Couple of points that in some ways are minor.

 

1. You can learn a curve around 16YO's old. The issue is not the curve but how it is thrown. I have yet to meet a kid who will "learn the concepts" of it and not be throwing it to his buddies when daddy and the coaches are away. Teach him it and let him throw it in front of everyone.

 

2. Not all mechanics are the same. There are so many variations in bodies and approaches it is amazing. Certain check points are the same, but how you get there are vastly different.

 

3. Agree with stick with the FB and CU until 16.

 

4. Running programs as funny as it may sound have little to do with pitching. (or baseball for that) other than some preseason preconditioning, sprints are very important, and running post game, but I am sure this may be taken wrong but at least long distances don't do much for baseball players.

 

Now lifting, core, explosive, boxes, pylos, yoga, etc is a whole nother discussion.

 

5. Long toss to 120 feet. This is stone age pre-2005 MLB hard head philosophy. 

 

6. If you want to REALLY understand deception, read Perry Husband's books on effective velocity. They should be a must read for every pitcher and coach IMO.

 

7. Frankly overuse is the key problem for young arms so I agree don't let overzealous youth coaches destroy their arms. The real danger however starts when they BEGIN to throw over 85-86. 

 

Of course all we want is the best for our kids so each will find their own path as best they can with the information available.

 

Best of luck to your sons!

 

 

 

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