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baseball99
89 Posts |
 Posted - 02/25/2009 : 13:18:03
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| Without naming players, which team in 10u Major do you think has the best pitching staff? Or, which team has the best pitcher in 10u Major? |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 15:17:53
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I'll hold off on answering this fully until after the S-NIT when I get a chance to see them all. The Bandits are right up there. Midway has 3 strong, but I dont know what 4-6 look like. They have a big lefty who throws mostly hooks which is the 1st of this I've seen in 10u.
quote:
Originally posted by baseball99
Without naming players, which team in 10u Major do you think has the best pitching staff? Or, which team has the best pitcher in 10u Major?
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Phattso
143 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 15:41:59
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| Kennesaw Express has the deepest staff. Every kid they throw out there is legit. They will be tough to beat late in tourneys. |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 16:02:46
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| The 2 lefty's on Boyton and the 1 kid on Sandtown were the two best last year. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 16:17:35
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This answer truly may not be realized until after the season. I saw a lot of kids blossom from 9U to 10U. My son barely got to pitch at 9U but got to develop a lot more at 10U and up.
Right now, at this age, they are not far enough away from coach pitch to really know who is going to make a good pitcher long-term.
The hard part is to look past the "If they all pitched great, what would we have." mentality and actually see what they really end up pitching like.
I believe, at the end of the season, you will see some surprises both in players stepping up to become good pitchers, and previously good pitchers struggling with mechanics, location, overuse, etc. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 18:45:23
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| Bandits are solid 5 deep and then can throw 2 more solid pitchers. I find it hard to believe that anyone has a better staff although I know that there are at least some equal squads out there. Several things factor in with the pitching other than the heat. If they are able to slip in the off speed pitch for a strike it makes it so much tougher on a 10 year old. And anyone in 10U baseball that is throwing mostly hooks should be thrown out of the game. Please tell the parents that a 10 year old arm cannot take that kind of treatment. We have kids that maybe could throw a hook but they are not allowed. The child's safety should always come first. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 19:08:05
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You mean the best you saw!
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Originally posted by Shut Out
The 2 lefty's on Boyton and the 1 kid on Sandtown were the two best last year.
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 20:43:26
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| I wanted to get back to the hook. I saw a 11U kid from the Palmetto Flames throw 56 curve balls in one game. They tried to pitch him for 1 inning in the championship game and he could not get the ball to the plate. Please lets all be men and give these little guys a chance to develop the right way. |
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BBall123
395 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 20:49:11
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| I think gregglomax is right on the money here. there is gonna be some surprises for sure |
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Tball
142 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 21:19:58
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| Baseballpapa I agree.. if a team thinks it is great they have a pitcher that can throw a curve... good for them, too bad for the boy. At this age, a good fastball and a change-up is all they need.Anything else then it becomes about winning instead of just playing ball and what is best for the kids. |
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jscoda
123 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 13:29:38
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| Amen! baseballpapa...they need to watch how many pitches they are throwing as well. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 13:36:28
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| Simply working on hitting your spots will give you all the advantage you need as a pitcher at 10. If you can spot the fastball and slow the change-up down just a little and keep it low and away, using the same arm motion as the fastball, you can dominate at 10. |
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moss21
54 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 16:22:12
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| We played the Gulf Coast Lighting this past weekend in Niceville Fla. and they had two big kids that threw the baseball very well. |
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baseball99
89 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 16:28:25
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Are you talking about Millcreek's 9u team from last year or the current 10u team?
quote:
Originally posted by Rocky
Best I saw:
Boynton
Redsox
Millcreek
6-4-3 SS early in season
Chili Dogs
Kennesaw
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 20:50:37
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I'm sure he's talking about the Fall Mill Creek team that my son pitched for :)
quote:
Originally posted by baseball99
Are you talking about Millcreek's 9u team from last year or the current 10u team?
Best I saw:
Boynton
Redsox
Millcreek
6-4-3 SS early in season
Chili Dogs
Kennesaw
[/quote] |
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10 BB
264 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 22:34:36
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| Looks like the Yellow Jackets had them some Luck tonight! |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2009 : 09:10:02
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Those boys are spread all over Gods Green Earth, plus there are now 2 Mill Creek teams. They tried, but they couldn't keep it all together. I don't see either Mill Creek team being as good as they were last year now that its been diluted. Too bad. That 9U team beat the Bay Bombers...TWICE last year, ended up being rated 4th in GA well ahead of any East Cobb teams.
Their 11's and 12's are special too. Both top 10's. While this is a feeder team/park, its the largest one I know of in the ATL metro. I think 7 Elementary schools feed into it, so ~7,000 kids. I don't care what the sport is, boys or girls, any age group, with a pool that large, and a darned good org behind them, and nice facilities, they are a force to be reckoned with. Mill Creek High will be #1 in 3-4 years and stay that way for a while unless they build another High School nearby.
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Originally posted by Rocky
I was basing my reveiw on last year at nine.
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BBall123
395 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2009 : 08:48:56
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Did anyone see the news this morning? Resurgens Orthopedic and the Braves have gotten together and made a free DVD about youth pitching.
Smoltz and Glavine and the Braves head trainer were on the news talking about it and both those guys did NOT throw a breaking ball till high school. And the trainer said that many of the arm injuries that they deal with today were caused when the guy was under 13 years old from kids throwing breaking balls.
They flat out said ITS WRONG DONT DO IT TO YOUR KID!
the rule is , if you are to young too shave you are too young to throw junk!
wake up people! if you are allowing it to happen you are wrong! |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2009 : 15:29:12
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| We as parents and coaches should police this ourselves. It is possible to tell any coach in a polite way that studies show that any kid throwing the curve ball before 13U is increasing the kids chance of a arm injury. |
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coachcj12
47 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 19:23:50
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| As a coach on the midway team, i can assure you we don't teach curveballs to 10 year olds. It is his change, and their is no wrist rotation or elbow snap in any of our kids. Good luck this season!! |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2009 : 19:52:16
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Thanks Coach.
I know we played Midway and we didn't see anyone throwing a curve and that is why I say you shouldn't automatically believe all you read in these posts. We have the same problem with one of pitchers that doesn't throw so hard but he has a wicked change of speed that some mistake for a curve but if you watch closely you will see that he does not snap his wrist. |
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ronicard
117 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 11:17:18
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I pitched in college and ended up tearing my rotator cuff. I was seen at Hughston Clinic in Columbus, GA by the orthopedic surgeon who was the guy who did the the knee surgery on William Andrews when he was with the Falcons.
When he walked into the room to see me, he had just left the room of a 14 year old who was experiencing elbow problems and he made mention that the young man admitted to throwing mainly curve balls, starting at age 10, because that made him a more effective hitter. As he was telling me about my rotator cuff tear, I asked him if throwing curveballs was a reason for me having shoulder problems. He asked when I started throwing curves and I said, "14, but I was still predominately fastballs until a junior in high school." He then went into a 5 minute diatribe that can be essentially summed up as this:
- He thinks that anyone who takes a hard line on curve balls at any age is wrong.
- He thinks that anyone who lets young men throw a LOT of curves at any age PRIOR TO PUBERTY is stupid.
- He was 100% convinced that the reason for my shoulder problems was due to the number of innings I had thrown over the course of the years.
- He made the argument, "Don't you think you might have been better off if you threw 3 - 5 curve balls a game, if those curve balls were thrown as "out pitches" and saved you an additional 15 - 25 pitches per game?"
As a coach of an 11U team, I was of the opinion that I was NEVER going to let my kids throw curves. I consulted with 3 pediatricians and 1 orthopedic surgeon and all 4 gave me different answers. The orthopedic surgeon laughed when I told him this and said, "That's why it's called PRACTICING medicine." But all 4 bought off on the plan I proposed. And this is it:
- My players are taught to throw an effective curve ball. The ones who master it are allowed to throw between 4 - 8 curves per day when they are on the mound pitching and ONLY then. Any player caught throwing a curve (even with a Wiffle ball in a Wiffle ball game) is suspended from play for 2 games. We also teach changeups and try to keep the pitch counts to a reasonable limit to limit shoulder AND elbow issues. But to say that you don't allow your players to throw curves is, in my opinion, potentially more damaging to the longevity of that pitcher's arm than throwing a small # of curves as out pitches.
Just my opinion, but if someone of you comes up to me to protest my players throwing curves, this is the answer you're going to get. |
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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 19:46:57
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| The more I read the more confused I get. Is there a clear cut answer to this simple question. Over my many years around the sport I have always heard that the kids should not begin throwing curve balls until at least high school. Just to me sure I think I will follow this advice. |
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clubhousebaseball1
13 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 10:02:52
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So lets go a little further on this topic. Many boys threw a curve ball and nobody apparently thought it would hurt these young arms. Guess what, we found out it hurt these young arms. I believe we are going to see in a few years from now, all these boys gripping it a certain way and throwing these "hooks" are going to find out it is hurting there arms. I hope the coaches and parents who allow it watch their childs glory days now, they will be limited. I still believe, and none of you will change my mind, these boys are "stressing their arms unnecessarily at a young age. I will tell you from what I can see in the Mill Creek cluster they will be the strongest teams in the future because those coaches look down on teams who throw curves.
Baseball99, I will NEVER say a boy that I know throws a hook no matter what you call is the best. I put more emphasis on a boy and his coaches that I know are smart enough to do it for the long term as the best pitchers. I like the teams that can play on a good pitcher throwing fast balls and change ups with a good defense and can hit the ball well. All aspects of the game not just a pitcher who throws hard and has a curve. He must not throw that hard if he has to curve the ball to get boys out at 10. Wake up coaches. The boy is 10, if he loves the game, let him enjoy it for years. I talk to many youth coaches who say I could have gone further but threw my arm out too early. I would guess there are a few of you out there. Why do it to these young kids. If you have a boy who you do not like seeing throwing this mess, take them to Gwinnett County, we will protect their arms. |
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highcheese
71 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2009 : 01:22:36
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| If any of you think throwing curveballs pre puberty is ok then I say you are nuts. Absolutely nuts. The medical data proves it. Sure you can find a doctor or two to say it is ok. I can also find an economist or two to say the stimulus package is ok too. I have posted several strong points on little kids pitching on here before and hopefully some of you have listened. Each week my point is proven by a little kid being out of baseball. Two weeks ago two 11u kids i know who are great pitchers out for at least 12 months each - get it - out of baseball, no other positions played, no Dhing, nothing, out of baseball. Who knows what will be the long term outcome here. To prove my point again, sorry to say this, but it is a fact, learned this this weekend, another 11u kid I know is done with two breaks in his growth plate, in his growth plate! To prove the point further the coach, dad and a doctor said it was ok for this kid to throw curveballs as his out pitch and a third pitch after his fastball and change. Bull!@#$, do not do it. Also ruined the kid for wrestling, football and basketball which many of our kids play. When the facts are in your face and you still let a little kid throw a curveball???? Here is another fact for you - take a look at a kids hand - not very big is it - a very small percentage of kids can even hold a baseball correctly to throw a curve. Guess what he is going to do to compensate - crank the heck out of his wrist, elbow, and shoulder to get it to curve. Not a good thing! A good change up thrown properly - and if taught properly - can drop and tail with out the stress on the arm. When the kid can throw it for a strike and also place it, then it becomes a great change. Instead of relying on the low percentage of an out pitch with a curve ball that will damage an arm, try something like this - low and away change for a strike followed by a 45 footer or a 49 footer straight change. Oh my goodness, the kid SWUNG at it! Imagine that. Teach your kids to pitch first and then the junk when he is shaving. If any of you coaches do not know how to teach pitching then find someone to help you out, please. If any of you parents want little Jimmy to be a pitcher and you feel he is not getting quality instruction from his coaches, then find a qualified instructor. Be smart out there, save a kids ability to PLAY anything he wants, do not sacrifice a future for being ingnorant or stubborn or unwilling to seek proper answers. Hopefully each week I will not have to update you folks on another kid that is toast. |
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Hawkeye
35 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2009 : 07:37:21
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I don't know specifically why "Gwinnett" teams would be more apt to protect arms than other teams, but I agree with clubhouse that do not underestimate the damage that can be done at this age.
There is one now 11u powerhouse team in Cobb that is currently falling apart due to their pitchers being shut down for the season or longer. These kids were not throwing hooks, they were just over-throwing. It's hard to believe Tommy-John's name come up from a doctor for an 11YO, but it has happened. Their parents have recently woken up and are moving their kids to other teams.
Coaches - you have to keep your egos in check and enforce pitch count limits. You must keep your pitches to two types at this age: fastball & straight change. Unless you have an orthopedic surgeon on your staff who specializes in shoulders and elbows, you are just playing with fire. |
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10U Major Pitching
