Danville has an 8th grader playing. Not your tipical 8th grader though, 6'1" and 205 pounds. Also hitting .643 through 12 games.

I think its crazy to put that much pressure on a young kid's arm pitching that young from that distance..good way to ruin his arm while he's still developing

Absolutely no different than a 13 or 14 year old playing Babe Ruth; same distance from the plate to the mound! A kid can blow his arm out just as easily in a middle school game. Actually, that kid pitching in high school may be better off as he will have proper coaching at the high school level. So the "pressure" a kid has in high school is not as bad as one might think.

Absolutely no different than a 13 or 14 year old playing Babe Ruth; same distance from the plate to the mound! A kid can blow his arm out just as easily in a middle school game. Actually, that kid pitching in high school may be better off as he will have proper coaching at the high school level. So the "pressure" a kid has in high school is not as bad as one might think.

 

It's pretty tough to succeed in high school without throwing a curveball and throwing it with some degree of regularity, especially if you don't throw hard enough to blow it past people (which most 13/14 years certainly don't). Growth plates for kids at this age have not yet closed and are far more suseptible to injury, so I would say there is indeed the potential for greater injury for these kids pitching in a high school environment.

 

And I'm certainly not saying that they are guaranteed to be injured - in fact, the likelihood is that they won't be - but I've done quite a bit of reading and talking to a few docs about this growth plate issue and it is definitely something for younger pitchers to consider.

It's pretty tough to succeed in high school without throwing a curveball and throwing it with some degree of regularity, especially if you don't throw hard enough to blow it past people (which most 13/14 years certainly don't). Growth plates for kids at this age have not yet closed and are far more suseptible to injury, so I would say there is indeed the potential for greater injury for these kids pitching in a high school environment.

 

And I'm certainly not saying that they are guaranteed to be injured - in fact, the likelihood is that they won't be - but I've done quite a bit of reading and talking to a few docs about this growth plate issue and it is definitely something for younger pitchers to consider.

You can say the same thing for a frosh. or soph. kid who hasn't developed yet. The thing is not all kids grow at the same rate. Sometimes you have a kid who is 14 or 15 who is much bigger & stronger than a 16-17 year old. If a coach sees that an 8th grader is ready to play on the varsity level let them. Again, a majority of high school coaching staffs are more experienced at bringing along those young kids.

And if you think kids aren't breaking off curve balls in Little League, Cal Ripken, & middle school games (at MUCH younger ages than 13-14), you don't get out very much. If presented w/ the opportunity I would much rather have my child be coached by the varsity coaching staff, where they can monitor progress much better than a middle school coach.

I have no problem with 8th graders playing. If they are ready, go for it. It is a great learning experience and will only make them better for the future.

You can say the same thing for a frosh. or soph. kid who hasn't developed yet. The thing is not all kids grow at the same rate. Sometimes you have a kid who is 14 or 15 who is much bigger & stronger than a 16-17 year old. If a coach sees that an 8th grader is ready to play on the varsity level let them. Again, a majority of high school coaching staffs are more experienced at bringing along those young kids.

And if you think kids aren't breaking off curve balls in Little League, Cal Ripken, & middle school games (at MUCH younger ages than 13-14), you don't get out very much. If presented w/ the opportunity I would much rather have my child be coached by the varsity coaching staff, where they can monitor progress much better than a middle school coach.

 

But it's certainly going to be more likely the younger a kid is (growth plate not being closed). As far as your last comment, I disagree. You hear and read - including here on BGP - stories all the time about high school coaches abusing their pitchers' arms. This frequently occurs in the smaller schools where they have less pitching - the same small schools where it is more likely that 7th and 8th graders will be playing for their varsity teams. I know of a player (nice pitcher) on my summer team that told his coach he couldn't throw a game last year because his arm was hurting and his coach responded that he had to throw anyway because it was an important game and he was all he had. Recently there was a thread about Anderson Cty. beating Eminence (very small school) 58-0 and the Eminence coach left his pitcher in the game up until the score was 32-0. How many pitches do you think this boy threw? It happens frequently. You are giving high school "coaching staffs" too much credit. Lots of good ones, to be certain. But lots of bad ones, too.

I have no problem with 8th graders playing. If they are ready, go for it. It is a great learning experience and will only make them better for the future.

 

Well said!! We have a kid in lawrence county that started varsity as a 7 th grader(he's now a freshman). he got pitching experience then and as an 8th grader was a starting pitcher and infielder. He actually was named MVP of the 15th district last season. He is a very mature kid who has traveled and played baseball since he was young but the fact is true that it does take a certain kind of kid to handle the situation of facing players that are older and stronger. Not everyone can do that . bottom line is if that kid is good enough, he deserves to play.

But it's certainly going to be more likely the younger a kid is (growth plate not being closed). As far as your last comment, I disagree. You hear and read - including here on BGP - stories all the time about high school coaches abusing their pitchers' arms. This frequently occurs in the smaller schools where they have less pitching - the same small schools where it is more likely that 7th and 8th graders will be playing for their varsity teams. I know of a player (nice pitcher) on my summer team that told his coach he couldn't throw a game last year because his arm was hurting and his coach responded that he had to throw anyway because it was an important game and he was all he had. Recently there was a thread about Anderson Cty. beating Eminence (very small school) 58-0 and the Eminence coach left his pitcher in the game up until the score was 32-0. How many pitches do you think this boy threw? It happens frequently. You are giving high school "coaching staffs" too much credit. Lots of good ones, to be certain. But lots of bad ones, too.

 

That is where a parents responsibility comes into play. I know how many innings my son pitches and how many pitches that he has thrown. If he is close to his limit or goes over by a few he does not pitch anymore until his arm has had time to rest. The wellfare of the player should always come first to coaches and if it doesn't then as a parent it is your job to step in.

Most 8th graders playing up are probably supposed to be 9th graders anyway.

Its stupid.

Pendleton County has started at least one 8th grader the last 3 years. And I've seen plenty of sophomores and juniors that aren't as physically mature as 7th and 8th graders. If they can play, I say let em play

That is where a parents responsibility comes into play. I know how many innings my son pitches and how many pitches that he has thrown. If he is close to his limit or goes over by a few he does not pitch anymore until his arm has had time to rest. The wellfare of the player should always come first to coaches and if it doesn't then as a parent it is your job to step in.

 

I agree. And you are obviously doing your job as a parent, but I would venture you are the exception, not the rule. Most parents simply defer to the coach or are afraid to approach/question their coach. There have been many posts on this site referencing coaches that regularly throw their pitchers upwards of 150 pitches. I believe one coach just recently threw a pitcher well over 100 pitches in a game at the end of March.

Most 8th graders playing up are probably supposed to be 9th graders anyway.

 

Not the one at Lawrence County-he's 15 and a TRUE freshman.

Right--true "freshman" (not 8th grader) which is what the thread is about.

Right--true "freshman" (not 8th grader) which is what the thread is about.

So would it be a big deal if the 15 year old was a hold back? You have several 9th graders out there actually younger than hold back 8th graders. If an 8th grader is talented enough to play up on the varsity level let them play. Injuries happen to big strong senior players & young freshmen players alike. If a coaching staff is taking care of players it should not be a big deal for an 8th grader to play up.