Sidearm vs Coaches opinion

Do not send anymore e-mails. Meet with the coach personally. Explain the history to him. Be polite. He has your sons future BB in his hands. Mention words like arm pain when discussing changing of mechanics. As a coach, that would get my attention. Don't try to teach him. Don't say we hired a professional instructor, and he said......... Use a little diplomacy and act worried not angry. If he is any kind of coach, he will listen.

Question--- have you investigated why the boy has pain when he comes over the top? That is normal

Biggest question. Is the boy getting the job done throwing sidearm? If he is, ask the HS coach what difference does it make how he throws it.

We are encountering the same issue with my son's HS pitching coach. Over the top is pretty much the old school way of teaching pitching mechanics. By throwing over the top you limit the side to side misses of the strike zone and then if you miss the strike zone it is high or low. The problem is each person has a natural arm slot. If that slot is 3/4 then by throwing over the top you create a tilt. This means your head lines up left or right of your landing foot. Ideally the head should be aligned with the landing foot at release.

The most visible way to see this is to watch Randy Johnson. Randy would have a severe tilt if he threw over the top. Instead his head is in alignment with his front foot at landing and he throws side arm. His pitches have more movement and there is less stress on his shoulder. Mark Mulder throws over the top and has a severe tilt. The A's teach the over the top method for more control.

My son has been in a similar position. His pitching coach has advised him that it is best to not try to create too much of a fuss. He tells the high school coach that it hurts his arm when he pitches over the top. This along with the results on the mound have been sufficient to stifle the remarks of the high school coach. We learned that, at least in our case, the HS coach already knows most everything about baseball and doesn't want anyone(esp. a parent) telling them anything. But most will pay attention to a hurt arm. Results speak for themselves.

Why do you give a **** about the HS coach?

Plenty of ball to be played in June July and August.

You have been given some good advice. I pesonnaly love to have pitchers that throw from different angles, it makes it hard for a team to hit off of someone that throws just a little different than the pitcher that they may have seen before. It is important that every pitcher find their own natural arm angle. I would be very diplomatic with the coach like Savanahh advised and express concern. I would also tell the coach that you would like your son to try this arm angle since it causes no pain and see if he is productive. Ask him if he is productive if he would mind. Also, make sure that the coach is a aware of the previous problems your son had. He may just be trying to do something he thinks will help. Sometimes the best of intentions don't always have the best results.

I was in the opposite situation as your son. I used to throw right over the top and in my second year of college, the pitching coach got me to throw more 3/4. I think as a pitcher 3/4 is better then right over the top because you can get better action on your curveball and more movement on your fastball. But to each his own. Everyone throws somewhat different and there really is no right or wrong way in terms of arm slot. If your kid is more comfortable throwing side arm, just make sure his elbow is above his shoulder. If his elbow is below his shoulder, it will cause to much stress on the elbow and eventually inury.

Teacherman, you care about what the HS coach thinks because almost every questionnaire from colleges asks the HS coach to fill out a portion. If he doesn't like you he can stop your sons chances before they even get started.

You care what the HS coach thinks because you are playing for him. Everyone has a arm slot that is comfortable to them. If your son feels comfortable with sidearm and he is effective then I dont see a problem. But thats not the issue because he doesnt play for me. I would ask for a meeting with his coach. I would explain to him that he is not trying to buck him but the reason he wants to continue to throw sidearm is because he has pain when he throws over the top. Hopefully the coach will understand your concerns. If he refuses to listen then you may have to consider moving to another school district to play or just not pitch on the HS team do it in the summer.

quote:

... he can stop your sons chances before they even get started.

Bull ****.

If he's not on the team, why would the high school coach comment on him.

The point is, if the coach is that much of an idiot.......quit. Play in the summer.

I've been told by folks more knowledgable than me that the front side is the coaches and the back side is the players. In other words the arm slot is a natural and personal (genetics) thing. Sure you can tweak it a little while still in your comfort zone to get more movement for instance, but messing with it causes problems not solutions. My experience tells me that I agree with that.

My son throws from 3/4 slot. He is very comfortable and has never had pain or problems. He also has a lot of movement. Our team pitching coach has left the school and the head coach is now trying to change him to overhand. He has told the coach that his arm shoulder gets achy and he loses the movement on the ball but that he has to do what the coach asks because the coach has told him that if he won't follow his instructions then he can turn in his uniform. I've asked my son not to change because he has great scouting reports from TeamOne and tournaments throwing the way he always has and I don't want him to get hurt. I've told him to continue to throw the way he always has and do not turn in the uniform, the coach will have to ask for it. I spoke to a pitching coach from a D1 college who is very familiar with the way my son throws and he said don't change a thing.

Thank you everyone for the great advice. It is early yet, but so far he has not been asked to change anything. If it does happen, we will be better prepared how to handle it. Thank you again!

Coaches styles vary. I personally don't care for side arm or over the top, but to each his own.

Has your son been examined by a physician to determine why his arm hurts?

Anything that you do effectively that is different from the norm is good. How many sidearm or submarine guys do you see? Not many especially ones that are capable of locating. If a kid throws this way naturally and without pain it is a plus. I have no idea why a coach would want to change something that gives a kid and his team an advantage and something that comes natural to a kid. Now if he cant throw strikes and his elbow hurts then of course you would get him more in the 3/4 over the top delivery. Posistion players need to be 3/4 over the top guys because you do not want movement on posistion throws. Some guys are so set in there ways that they have no idea how to adapt to the players abilities. I was at a work out yesterday (try out) for a 16u showcase team. There were 22 kids there from Chapel Hill to Greenville. One of the kids got on the hill and started throwing. After about four or five pitches he drops down on a 2 seamer and it just explodes out of his hand. He not only threw much harder sidearm he has a tremendous amount of movement on the ball. Plus he hid it so well it really snuck up on you. After he got finished I talked to him. I asked him why he didnt throw more sidearm. He told me his coach wanted him to throw over the top and wouldnt let him throw sidearm. I asked him why and he told me that the coach told him he was going to hurt his arm. I asked the kid if it hurt throwing sidearm. He told me no and that since he started throwing over the top his shoulder has been hurting. He went on to say that last week he threw 124 pitches in a game and played ss the next day. Lets see dont pitch sidearm your arm will hurt. But throw over the top 124 pitches and then play ss! I offered my advice to the dad never said anything bad about the coach to the kid or dad. But it is amazing to me what goes on some places. If something does not change this kid will never develop into the player he could be. He will end up with a bad arm and be out of the game soon. Step up parents its YOUR SONS ARM not the coaches. If the coach is clueless its still not an excuse for you to be.