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re: Little kids throwing curve balls.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 8:56 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
Posted on 4/16/18 at 8:56 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
Circle change is the best pitch in baseball. Teach them at 9/10 and by the time they're in higschool. They'll have mastered it. It's a huge advantage to batters that don't have a clue how to approach one. Spot up fastball and change of speed is basic pitching. Loser tournament ball coaches just want to see that snap wrist nasty curve punch out on unsuspecting little kids.
1
Posted on 4/16/18 at 8:57 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
Most coaches are teaching kids curve balls with a lot more of a jerky arm motion and a very exaggerated wrist snap.
Not even considering the arm damage, a changeup is the most effective off pitch in baseball. If you have a good changeup by high school, you won't even need to throw many curve balls.
Not even considering the arm damage, a changeup is the most effective off pitch in baseball. If you have a good changeup by high school, you won't even need to throw many curve balls.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:01 pm to LSUballs
My son is 12 and throws a knuckle curve.. he will start working in a slider next year.. over usage and poor technique coupled with little arm downtime are the reasons for increased injury..
ETA. He throws a change and fastball 95% of the time.. the knuckle curve is essentially a change with more action.. I’d rather him develop a slider than a straight curve if he keeps pitching in high school
ETA. He throws a change and fastball 95% of the time.. the knuckle curve is essentially a change with more action.. I’d rather him develop a slider than a straight curve if he keeps pitching in high school
This post was edited on 4/16/18 at 9:07 pm
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:06 pm to hendersonshands
quote:
Prior to high school, they should be learning 4 seamers, 2 seamers, and changeups
I don’t disagree with this at all. So very rarely does a hs pitcher actually have a good change that he can locate.
quote:
A breaking ball isn't necessary and causes too much stress on the arm too young.
Not true if its thrown the right way. A good 14 year old pitcher should have already mastered the mechanics of a fastball, change, and curve.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:13 pm to bamafan1001
14 is about the right age, but that is only if they can throw a fastball with control and a change-up. If a kid can't do that then he has no business throwing a curve.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:18 pm to LSUballs
We have a team that has been together since age four, we play community ball for practice then move to tournament (select) play.
AA 12 U team this year, we do not allow our kids to throw a curve ball.
We are also very strict on pitch counts.
Kids do not need a curve to be dominate at these ages, maybe if they show potential while high school age but the curve motion is a good way to damage young arms.
AA 12 U team this year, we do not allow our kids to throw a curve ball.
We are also very strict on pitch counts.
Kids do not need a curve to be dominate at these ages, maybe if they show potential while high school age but the curve motion is a good way to damage young arms.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:19 pm to LSUballs
I was a friend to a top notch orthopedic surgeon in Nashville. he was emphatic about not letting kids throw curves until they are a minimum 13 but 14 or even 15 was best. he also emphasized not letting them throw that many till later. he told me his business with high school pitchers was off the charts and he felt it was throwing pitches that hurt their arms and elbows.
the problem is the coaches, esp the "play ground" coaches. the summer league guys that think they are hot shite because they played in some minor league organization for a year or two. they destroy kids arms. not all, of course, but many.
the problem is the coaches, esp the "play ground" coaches. the summer league guys that think they are hot shite because they played in some minor league organization for a year or two. they destroy kids arms. not all, of course, but many.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:20 pm to LSUballs
I see 9 year olds doing it. They will be fine
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:22 pm to bamafan1001
quote:
A good 14 year old pitcher should have already mastered the mechanics of a fastball, change, and curve.
If a kid shows up at his high school tryouts and tells the coach he has never thrown a curveball he is not going to be taken very seriously. I think 12 is a good age to start learning how to properly throw the curveball. Even at that it shouldn't be a primary pitch. Less than 10 curveballs a game should be fine at that age. But the pitch should be worked on in the bullpen where the coach can make sure it is being thrown properly.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:25 pm to CoachChappy
quote:
Before high school, kids should develop a fastball and change up only.
amen. it takes years to learn to throw these two pitches anyway. you have two and four seamers and you can teach them to "cut it" with different finger pressure. same with change ups; most kids hands are too small for the full change but a circle change can be a great pitch. also, these pitches can be taught to move a lot by different finger pressure.
I think a well thrown change is one of the top pitches in the game. the emphasis is on changing speeds and the above mentioned 4 pitches will produce 4 different speeds when learned.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:36 pm to bamafan1001
quote:
Not true if its thrown the right way. A good 14 year old pitcher should have already mastered the mechanics of a fastball, change, and curve
, there are professionals that legitimately can't throw three good pitches. 
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:43 pm to slackster
quote:
, there are professionals that legitimately can't throw three good pitches.
My best friend in HS didn't learn to throw a curve until college.
He just worked Fastballs and Changeups.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:44 pm to Choupique19
quote:
If a kid shows up at his high school tryouts and tells the coach he has never thrown a curveball he is not going to be taken very seriously.
It a kid shows up and can throw a 4 seam, 2 seam FB, and change up for strikes, he'll be just fine.
Having minimal command of your FB is far more detrimental to your career than the lack of a curveball.
To answer the OP, I wouldn't consider starting a CB with a kid younger than 7th grade. Even then, I wouldn't suggest it unless he can throw two FBs for strikes and has decent command of a circle change.
A CB is gun to throw with batters bailing out and whatnot, but it is by its a few pitches down on the priority list IMO.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:44 pm to Choupique19
I'm a big fan of Leo Mazzone's approach to pitchers. Throw more but don't throw at max exertion. Learn control and change of speed by practicing at 90% effort.
All of these Tommy John surgeries have little to do with curves or sliders or pitch counts and more to do with kids (and major leaguers) trying to hit a number on a radar gun. All of these Tommy John surgeries will continue at the high school and big league level as long as guys are trying to throw to hit a number on a radar gun.
Also a fan of using the long toss as a way to build up your arm without stressing it like you do on the mound.
All of these Tommy John surgeries have little to do with curves or sliders or pitch counts and more to do with kids (and major leaguers) trying to hit a number on a radar gun. All of these Tommy John surgeries will continue at the high school and big league level as long as guys are trying to throw to hit a number on a radar gun.
Also a fan of using the long toss as a way to build up your arm without stressing it like you do on the mound.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:46 pm to LSUballs
Wait til HS. Until then, no need to throw anything else but a 2-seam and 4-seam FB, change and cutter.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:47 pm to slackster
quote:
To answer the OP, I wouldn't consider starting a CB with a kid younger than 7th grade. Even then, I wouldn't suggest it unless he can throw two FBs for strikes and has decent command of a circle change.
IMHO, the reason to teach the curve to kids.....is to keep the kids from learning to throw it wrong from someone else.
But focus should be on FB and Change
This post was edited on 4/16/18 at 9:49 pm
Posted on 4/16/18 at 9:51 pm to Joecaster06
quote:
Loser tournament ball coaches just want to see that snap wrist nasty curve punch out on unsuspecting little kids.
C'mon,I see kids throwing curves all the time when I watch the LL world series.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 10:01 pm to tduecen
We play against 11yo that are throwing curves.
Posted on 4/16/18 at 10:05 pm to RD Dawg
A few of you should read “The Arm” by Jeff Passan
A lot of people’s elbows are just ticking time bombs, some have it, some don’t, and no one really knows when it’ll happen
A lot of people’s elbows are just ticking time bombs, some have it, some don’t, and no one really knows when it’ll happen
Posted on 4/16/18 at 10:06 pm to slackster
quote:
there are professionals that legitimately can't throw three good pitches.
Wrong, there are professionals that might stick to two pitches because they get the job done. Some may have a mental block with throwing certain pitches and don’t throw them. Theres not a single pitcher in the major leagues that couldnt throw a curve ball or at least tell you how to correctly throw one.
Im sure you read my post incorrectly and assumed I said mastered actually throwing those three pitches. I said master the mechanics of correctly throwing those pitches.
Not every kid can throw hard..or even locate. Every kid can at least learn the proper way to throw pitches.
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