side arm throwing

I would not say there are more dangers - only different. I depends on how he throws sidearm. Some throw upright and others lean over to the throwing side. One thing to really consider is that the body can acclimate itself to various loads if the right recovery factors are in place - rest/sleep, nutrition, etc. If he throws that way with regularity and consistency and listens to his body, he may be fine with it. If he plays around with it and then say uses it more in a game where the normal stuff isn't working so well, then that may cause more breakdown in the body and may lead to injury. I'm sure you can variance of opinion on this subject just like you can with many other subjects on what should and should not be done. You see that I am kind of vague because there is so much that I don't even know of this situation so I am only giving general conditioning guidelines that may help you along the way. Have you looked for any pitching instruction in your area? I would think there would be several in Phoenix. Of course you will have to weigh what they believe in vs. what you want to hear.

Tim Robertson

Doughnutman,
I am a sophomore in high school and i have developed a sidearm fastball because i have another pitch that i have to throw from down there. I wouldnt suggest it for your son because of his size. Him being 13 and 6' tall he probably gets on top of the ball well (or he should) and his ball should be coming in at an angle to the plate. If he drops down he looses this height advantage that few pitchers have. I suggest if he uses it he only uses it to get a batter out that keeps fouling of pitch after pitch.

As for your question about it being better or worse for his arm that depends on how far he is dropping down. It also depends on if he is leading with his elbow. When thrown correctly (usually is natural, only a few tweaks need be made) sidearm is better for the arm than overhand. An overhand pitch is one of the most dynamic motions your body can do.

I hope this helps

My opinion is that there is nothing uniquely dangerous about the side-arm slot. The same issues that affect higher arm slot pitchers also affect the side-armer and vice versa.

Now, I believe some young side-armers may have more of a tendency to inappropriately supinate their pitches so it might be worth watching for this but realize that this is something that higher arm slot pitchers need to avoid as well.

I also believe that side-armers who really "wind the clock" may have a tendency to open up early. So, keep an eye out for it but, again, realize that this is also something that higher arm slot pitchers need to avoid.

By the way, if your son only throws certain pitches from the side-arm slot, then he is tipping his pitches and a sharp opponent will quickly figure that out.

Thanks for the information. He only throws fastballs side arm. He really strides towards third and starts the ball well behind right handed batters and doesn't throw it to lefties. It is more like a different look and he doesn't throw many strikes with it but the batters tend to not dig in as much after he lets one go. He only throws it 4-5 times a game.

Thanks again for the info. He says it feels really good when he throws it so we will keep working on control. He thinks its cool.

I am not a fan of differing arm angles, for a number of reasons. First, as Roger Tomas has indicated, it tips his pitches. Second, the biggest reason pitchers do not throw strikes is lack of a repeatable delivery. If a kid is constantly altering his arm slot I really see control problems. Third, it detracts from his primary weapon, and that is the development of a fastball. The fastball is developed primarily by applying pressure from behind the ball toward the target. The side-armer does this too, but not with the same weight (of the body) behind the ball.

And what do you mean "he strides toward third"?

I would recommend you talk to a real pitching instructor and not the person who is teaching your son this type stuff. With all due respect it sounds dangerous and dumb.

quote:

Originally posted by Bum:
And what do you mean "he strides toward third"?

I would recommend you talk to a real pitching instructor and not the person who is teaching your son this type stuff. With all due respect it sounds dangerous and dumb.

I agree with Bum.

Sounds like the old "righties on the right, lefties on the left" teach in which pitchers are taught to stand on the throwing arm side of the rubber and even stride to the throwing arm side to "create angle". While that might make things a little more difficult for batters, it also creates issues for pitchers. Specifically, it can lead to postural issues and it can block off hip rotation. These issues can impact performance (velocity and consistency) as well as create health issues. It's just not worth it to me.

I just saw the posts. Nobody is teaching him how to do this. He just started doing it on his own. I am sure that I am not describing it real well and he only throws it at 80%, around 60 or so. It is more like a scare the heck out of the batter kind of pitch and he only does it a couple of times a game. And there isn't any surprise involved. You can see it coming a mile away. But it sure keeps kids from digging in too tightly. If he is serious about throwing it harder or more often, then we will get a pro coach to show him how to do it. I don't think an 80% throw will hurt him. If you guys think different let me know. I can kill it easy enough but at this time he thinks it is fun and he is only 13. He can get serious in HS.