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bmoser
1633 Posts |
 Posted - 05/13/2010 : 09:37:51
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I agree, but you have to admit that a good curve ball is extremely effective.
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Originally posted by PumknHead
The risk at this age is not worth it. A fastball with location and a good changeup will do wonders.
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ss7
28 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2010 : 21:16:06
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| Is it worth it though, that is the question. The kids are only 11 |
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G-Man
326 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2010 : 03:47:47
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I dont believe anyone is judging. I for one dont believe a curve should be thrown at this age but I dont mind the parents or coaches who allow their child/player to throw a curve ball. It only helps my son see this pitch at an earlier age which will help him as a hitter when it really matters. Its better others throw curves then me having to throw them to my son because my arm is too old to handle the strain now LOL.
As I have mentioned in past post I have seen first hand what curve balls do to a younger athlete. I have seen what it does to parents and coaches who have a kid who has a good curve ball. In short it gets abused and the coaches and parents dont mind because HEY my player/son is sure striking out a lot of kids. But at what potential cost???
Now there has been talk of studies, x-rays.Mri's and mechanics. First ask any professional pitching coach in MLB whether or not professional players maintain perfect mechanics every pitch. They will all tell you NO!!!. So if a professional player can not maintain those perfect mechanics every pitch then what makes you think a 10,11 or 12 yr old child can, no matter who they are taking instruction from???? Also as mentioned and it being a medical fact. All kids develop differently. That includes tendon and ligament development. This is one primary reason some of those studies are skewed relating to throwing a curve ball. Just because for this year or in the next 3 years a pitchers arm isnt affected by throwing a curve ball doesnt mean it wont happen. Development/Risk takes place in time, NOT overnight!!!!
Its not about the present, its about the future. Again any minor league pitching coach will tell you. They can teach a pitcher a curve ball once they reach the minors. Even a GREAT curve ball will not get you drafted or a scholarship to play in college unless you have a very good fastball and the control to go along with it. If coaches, parents and pitchers would focus on hitting spots and changing speeds up. That is WAY MORE effective than ANY curve ball.
Also on a side note. Someone mentioned that a fastball puts more strain on the arm than a curve ball. You are right but do you know why that is the case?? Again it falls back on mechanics. NO ONE throws any pitch with consistent perfect mechanics. So since a fastball is the most thrown pitch in baseball it does more damage to the arm than any other pitch.
There is an old saying: Its Hard To Get A Man To Understand Something, When His Paycheck Depends On Him Not Understanding It.
Think about it and see if it applies. Look to the future not the present.
quote:
Originally posted by Spartan4
Bottom line: People on this board are going to believe what they want to believe....No amount of arguing about it is likely to change opinions. My nephew is 10 and he receives personal pitching lessons from a former major league pitcher as well as a former D-1 pitcher. Both of these me who are paid to coach say the same exact thing, when properly thrown the tomahawk little league curve is no more stressful on the arm than a good fastball would be. A correctly thrown fastball will finish with the thumb down, same as with the correct little league hook. I have seen just about every major 10U and 11U team in the south and I can assure you more kids throw the adult hook than properly throw the little league pitch. The change-up is also extremely effective at younger ages and some coaches/dad prefer to use a change-up as a substitute for a hook. Also, my nephew has been throwing this pitch for quite some time and after our season last year I took him to an orthopedic surgeon and had his arm looked at(mainly growth plates) and x-rays and MRI's of his elbow were A-OK. Do what you feel comfortable with your player doing and stop judging other parents/coaches who allow their players to throw a different pitch than yours. GwinnettDad....funniest thing I have heard today, that quote is surely going in my book!
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bharbin
19 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2010 : 08:14:11
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I agree that a "traditional" 12-6 curve ball (or a poorly released rendition of one) is, in most cases, not the best type of pitch for kids to throw.
That said, all breaking balls are not curve balls. A simple grip change will off set the weight of the baseball which will produce sliders/cutters which will "break". Change ups have an appearance of breaking but again it's a grip adjustment more than torquing the wrist to create spin. Also, a properly thrown knuckle curve can emulate a "12-6" curve ball but the release requires no torqing of the wrist.
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