Regardless if the player is an elite pitcher or not, the fact is his arm is not ready for breaking pitches at 14u.

I recommend that parents learn and which the game and keep pitch count for their own.

My thoughts

I missed that sentence. Let's just say that you're limiting the chance that your "elite" pitcher is going to be "elite" for a long period of time.

 

And that's more of the problem. You'll throw that kid twice as much as anyone else...than probably put him at SS...

Between pitching way too much, curve balls when I was young, weight lifting without warming up right and throwing heavy footballs without warming up my shoulder/arm has major problems I think.

As for the question, I don't think you can just say such and such age. Kids are different sizes, shapes etc. I've seen some kids in 8th grade that are developed like Sr's in high school. If I had to question if a kid was ready or not then I'd sway toward the not side. I agree with the off speed pitches and hitting spots.

One thing I think is a GREAT alternate is the knucklecurve. I think it's Mike Mussina who still throws the heck out of it in the majors. Middle finger is on the seam on the right and pointer finger is bent with nail in the thread on the left seam. It is thrown straight overhand. It takes practice but you get the same rotation without the arm rotating. This takes the strain off the arm but you still get the breaking action.

After 3 decades of coaching and watching 11-12 year old All Stars in regular season, district , regional and state competition and even once at Williamsport when Valley Sports took it all. My conclusion is that way more than half of the LL pitchers in Allstars competition throw the curve ball. In all that time I have only known first hand of a player who threw the curve alot that hurt his arm so badly that it ended his baseball career. I have known of atleast 10 whose arm was hurt that bad throwing the fast ball too hard or not warming up properly.

 

ASMI says this and I agree:

 

Survey - Age Recommendation for Learning Various Pitches

Pitch Age

Fastball 8 - 10

Change-Up 10 - 13

Curve ball 14 - 16

Knuckle ball 15 - 18

Slider 16 - 18

Fork ball 16 - 18

Screw ball 17 - 19

I don't agree with this part of the chart, IMO throwing a Knuckle is a lot safer for a kid to throw then a Curve is. However that is just my opinion.

I don't agree with this part of the chart, IMO throwing a Knuckle is a lot safer for a kid to throw then a Curve is. However that is just my opinion.

 

Again, it depends on how you throw it. If you throw from behind the ball and snap it off like a fastball, no harm done. However, the majority of people that throw a knuckleball throw it from the side of the ball. That's tough on the elbow...

I coached Little League and Pony league for several years..I was always of the mind that teaching location and control and changing speeds at that age was most important.. I felt that the curve ball should have been taught at a later age when the "growing process of the arm" began to slow!

Curve ball is fine for most 12 yr. olds. What hurts the arm is 'arm angle' and pressure and wear and tear.

 

Knuckleballs are worse and even takes MPHS's off your fastball...

 

A circle-change up actually puts a lot more pressure on your elbow, because you are basically "pulling a lamp shade" downward with your arm motion...

 

What hurts arms are overuse and poor mechanics.