Pitching styles?

I'd say get educated and take charge of your sons training. Have you not learned anything about mechanics after paying someone for 4 years?
I will resectfully say, if you don't, you and your boy will be jerked around everytime. If the new guy can't give you substantial and compelling reasons for him to change....tell him to bump off.

jd is spot on...I saw his short-and-to-the-point remarks only after I had finished the long-winded diatribe below...

If you also have become pretty knowledgeable about pitching mechanics over the past 4 years, and if you completely buy into what your son has been learning from his long-time pitching coach, then the strategy for dealing with a new coach who wants to change him needs to be carefully thought out.

Prime examples of the usual kinds of well-meaning but misguided changes that poor coaches may push on your kid (1) immediately change the arm-slot of a pitcher who doesn't fit the coach's myopic lens (this is almost always: get your elbow up and throw over the top, son), (2) ask the pitcher to "stop at the top" of leg lift, (3) tell the pitcher to pull his glove into the body during launch of the ball.

There are lots of other common wisdoms that do not bear close scrutiny, but pitifully few coaches at LL level, 12U travel ball, etc, are really curious enough or motivated enough to learn pitching in any depth. So, they tend to accept common wisdoms uncritically and teach the same things that other ignorant but well-meaning coaches have taught them in the past.

After 4 years with a really good pitching coach, your son should have enough confidence in most cases to look his new coach in the eye, smile sincerely, and say "thanks for that advice, coach" or "thanks, coach, I'll try that" and then quietly keep doing the things that make him a good pitcher. Most often, since a coach's time at your son's level is spread thin among a lot of players and the coach will only remember that your kid is pleasant and cooperative. If your kid is good at what he does, the pressure to change will likely abate.

If the new coach is a red-*** about your son following his advice, then he (your boy) will need to take a different approach. If it's "change your arm-slot to ___", I suggest that your son look the coach in the eye and say, "Coach, when I try to throw like that it makes my elbow/shoulder/etc sore". This is not so much an untruth as it is a truth told out of sequence. If your boy has adapted his throwing musculature to a certain arm-action and arm-slot over the past 4 years, changing that abruptly is a poor idea.

Anyway, you get the idea. If you and your son strongly believe that his old pitching coach was doing things right, then your boy needs to develop the confidence to stay on the track that you and he think is right.

If you don't have that confidence after 4 years with the same person, then you do need to think more critically about what both of these coaches are telling your son.

Being a single baseball mom, I've tried my best to understand the mechanics. I wasn't a pitcher or player myself, which is why I was asking for advice. I knew my son had talent and potential but I wanted to make sure he wasn't forming bad habits. He obviously looks up to and respects his coach and and the trainer; which puts him in the dilemma I began with.

I do believe in his trainer and his ability. The coaches evidently liked his pitching when they selected him for this team

Thank you - I appreciate the advice

Don't be frustrated, it is a deilemma many have, your best opportunity for your son is to be educated, paying for something over 4 years should have given you an idea if you were getting your money's worth. People will always tell you what to do...including internet forums...they will also take your money. You said your son had good results and a nice delivery..well what does the new guy want to change...more importantly WHY? If it's because he says so...well that is one thing, if he says your boy may hurt himself that is another. La and I aren't on the ground, you are. Your son is apparently a paying member, and he has a right (and so do you) to know why it is that after 4 years and apparent success, this new coach wants a change. If he wants to pat you on the head and treat you as less than that well he isn't much of a coach and I assure you there are other coaches. Remember, he needs pitching...there isn't a single coach who doesn't. So you have the upper hand and again apparently he had enough talent to get invited/picked/what ever got him on the team. If the new coach has no good reason, well you give your boy the confidence to continue as he was, if he (The coach) has good reasons....I'd be lookin for some splainen from the first coach.
Bottom line, I wasn't wrong to say your best defense for your son and you is education. If you are paying, hopefully you are paying attention also. It isn't difficult to see if what is being taught to your boy is helping him towards success and spending a couple of extra minutes to get a little information isn't too much for a dad or mom when talking about the health and future of your child. Hang tough, ask questions, don't be a push over. I know a few mom's in your spot and they have learned to speak up, so will you or you will be throwing away money and potentially your sons health.

One of the problems in BB is new coaches will often try and make changes to your son. This happens at all levels. It is often dissasterous. I always told my son to go along with it but revert back to his old way which was very successful. The new coach tended to forget when the results were good.
I have a friend who got into a thing with his minor league coach and eventually had it out with him. Asked him to let him pitch the way he got to the minors. He made the 40 man roster doing it his old way.
Having said that there are things that you should change if the old way has risk to the arm. Hopefully his instructor taught him proper mechanic.

hartbreakerr,

I appreciate the various difficulties you are facing.

I think my son's long-time pitching coach put it best: "Baseball is a game of failure, coached by negative people, in a misinformation environment". These are obviously generalities, but they highlight some important points.

Kids will gain a tremendous advantage if they:

(1) Learn how to cope with the ever-present failure inherent in baseball while enjoying the processes of competing and developing in the sport.

(2) Are lucky enough to hook up with coaches who are not only deeply knowledgeable but also are positive, goal-oriented people.

(3) Develop a healthy and active b.s.-meter to help them overcome the tremendous amount of misinformation that is rampant in baseball. There is literally no major sport with a more confusing and complex mixture of myth and fact than baseball.

quote:

There is literally no major sport with a more confusing and complex mixture of myth and fact than baseball.

I respectfully disagree on behalf of golfers everywhere. :<

Yankeelvr,

Nice try!

If, in addition to striking it, golfers also had to pitch and catch the golf ball...I might be able to agree with you.

JD and LA have hit it on the head.

Nice post guys.

Many people consider golf to be a skill not a sport

LA -
Our coaches are very knowledgable and goal oriented. I have seen such an improvement in my son's overall game this year and it's due to their positive reinforcement. He has responded very well to them.

I wasn't sure if the new coach had a different style of pitching or delivery method. Our original trainer has worked hard on my son's mechanics and getting his delivery consistent. He's very consistant and good at placing the ball wherever they ask (probably throwing around 65-68 mph).

I've tried to listen and take in all that I could. I do mention things to him when I see he's not lifting his leg high enough or finishing. My problem seems to be that my son doesn't want to listen when "mom" tells him what to do - probably because he thinks I don't know anything. lol

I really appreciate your advice and taking the time to point these things out to me. I will definitely pass these things along to my son.