rjs4470...As I totally agree with using the gun for health purposes, as I have personally done in the past, I don't really agree with the curveball/slider call. Besides the good ole heater, the only other pitches that create a natural pronation are the sinker and change. The cutter, slider, slurve and curve are all supination pitches which do create the snap/roll over to the natural pronation after thrown. The wrist should be pre-set on the supination pitches. I totally agree with pitch counts, but at the same time every kid is different. Your gun idea is a very good way to see if the kid is tiring. if he is, THAT is when things start to go wrong. I would venture to say that the first thing most coaches look at on "Little Johnny" is the upper half and where he is releasing the ball ect.. When actually they should look at the kids foundation first and work their way up. My first year as a high school pitching coach, we were doing bullpens and the stud pitcher stepped up to the mound. The kid threw 2 pitches and I stopped him and ask him. Does your arm ever bother after pitching? The kid response was "Coach, it freakin kills me". I proceeded to tell the kid why and it was because of his foundation. He and I worked to get him out of that habit and his arm didn't kill him after he threw that year. I do agree with throws from the field after pitching can create potential issues after pitching. If the kid is a top hitter he needs to DH. I've been told personally from Alan Jaeger of Jaeger Sports, that it would be best if the kid throws 40+ pitches, he shouldn't play the field for a couple days after pitching. This is JMO and thoughts on the subject.

 

Again, I am totally against the slider, and I've seen 11-12 year olds throwing sliders (when my oldest went to Cooperstown). And while I think the curve ball I'm speaking about can be taught and used, even though it doesn't place stress on the arm, it shouldn't be used until age 14 or 15. The first off speed pitch I taught was the change up, and next pitch was experimenting with different fast ball grips. A kid can have 3 or 4 pitches without using a curveball.

Bottom line is that the kid should have hit puberty and have the start of some facial hair. That is usually a good sign they are ready to start throwing more supination pitches. Grips IMO are overrated. The last finger to remain on the baseball on most all pitches is the middle finger, unless your middle finger happens to be in line with your index or ring finger. Depending on the type of change a kid throws would be the only pitch it would not be. I think finger pressure can dictate much more than a grip. JMO on curveballs not creating stress, I would disagree. A curveball is still thrown from the supination side of the baseball. I do agree that a kid can have that many pitches without throwing the curve. 2 seam, 4 seam, sinker and change gives you 4.

Thought this was interesting and would share:

 

http://www.aiaonline.org/story/uploads/State_by_State_Pitching_Restrictions_1316444712.pdf

Thought this was interesting and would share:

 

http://www.aiaonline.org/story/uploads/State_by_State_Pitching_Restrictions_1316444712.pdf

 

IN briefly scanning these KY actually has one of the more stringent rules. I like Louisiana. Lets the school principal make the pitching rule. That is what I want. Somebody who has never played a sport deciding a pitching rule. HA!!!

Tournament past weekend went by outs recorded. I saw a 13 year old throw 132 pitches on Saturday against a friends team and came back on Sunday and the coach pitched him again and he threw 70 pitches on Sunday and still never recorded the maximum number of outs for the 2 days. Sad!!

Wow....Number 1.....I wouldn't call that a coach. 2....The parents are either ignorant or stupid. That is really sad:irked:

 

Tournament past weekend went by outs recorded. I saw a 13 year old throw 132 pitches on Saturday against a friends team and came back on Sunday and the coach pitched him again and he threw 70 pitches on Sunday and still never recorded the maximum number of outs for the 2 days. Sad!!

Tournament past weekend went by outs recorded. I saw a 13 year old throw 132 pitches on Saturday against a friends team and came back on Sunday and the coach pitched him again and he threw 70 pitches on Sunday and still never recorded the maximum number of outs for the 2 days. Sad!!

 

Did the parent say something? That coach shouldn't be allowed to coach because all he is going to do is kill that kids arm. Sounds like a great tournament....

I was trying to figure out who the kids parents were but if they were there I couldn't tell. I agree the coach is an idiot and will ruin that kids arm and shouldn't be allowed to coach but the unfortunate thing was he was within the guidelines of the tournament outs required. Every tournament is different, some go by outs recorded and some by innings pitched and they both are a joke. My 15 u team won't go over 80 pitches and will NEVER throw back to back days unless they throw 20 or less pitches they day before and I still don't like doing that if I can avoid it and thankfully I haven't had to do that.

Did the parent say something? That coach shouldn't be allowed to coach because all he is going to do is kill that kids arm. Sounds like a great tournament....

In the case of Lawrence and SK, the potential for rain in Lexington may give him an additional day to recover from the regional.

In the case of Lawrence and SK, the potential for rain in Lexington may give him an additional day to recover from the regional.

 

Any idea what the backup plan is for the games should rain interfere?

Tournament past weekend went by outs recorded. I saw a 13 year old throw 132 pitches on Saturday against a friends team and came back on Sunday and the coach pitched him again and he threw 70 pitches on Sunday and still never recorded the maximum number of outs for the 2 days. Sad!!

 

When I see coaches doing this it makes me sick. Whatever happened to coaching for the kids? I am one of the most competitive people there are but when I coached my 2 older sons I would have never even thought of throwing a 13 year old 80 pitches non the less 132 one day and 70 the next even if the rules said I could.You have to think of the kids before the win. The coach should be thrown out of the league. As far as the SK kid throwing 160 pitches or whatever was made even worse by the two stoppages of play. It takes a while to loosen an arm back up after rain delays. Once again it was a coach putting a win over the kids arm. To me he should be disciplined.

Any idea what the backup plan is for the games should rain interfere?

 

I don't. I'd guess they'd push them out to Thursday and the Thursday games to Friday. With school being out, could play them all on Thursday.