12Yr old Youth Baseball, Pitching

[fishboys]

My son wants to pitch this year, he has done a little but not much, only a few innings in fall ball. So my question to you would be how do I learn myself so I can teach him how to do it the right way. He will have a coach but he wants me to teach him, Plus I really really want him to do it so it puts as little stress on his arm as possible. I have looked online but it seems most of the stuff I find is video's for 50.00 to 100.00 dollars, It just seems I should be able to learn this without shelling out another 100.00. sign ups 140.00 mit 125.00 bat 200.00 batting gloves 20.00 cleats 60.00 you get the idea. If I have to I will buy a video but thought I would look to you people for ideas first, thanks

[husker]

make sure when he throws the ball it rolls off his fingers tips either with or accross the seams is ok. it should be a basic 2 finger fast ball. not with his fingers split. when he throws the ball properly it should dip then rise slightly. no curve balls until later. make sure he warms up properly and no more then a few innings a week. he is still young. make sure he is coming straight over the top and not 3/4 or side arm. it hard to describe over the internet but those are some of the basics

[98ramtough]

I would find a high school or college pitching coach in the area. If your son is willing to help out around the field, do yard work or be a batboy etc he will learn a lot.

As for being 12. No curveballs and husker gives good advise on not throwing split fingered type fast balls. A 12 year old kid can be very effective throwing fast balls, change ups. Just make sure the kid understands that you don't have to wrench your wrist over throwing curve balls to be a good 12 year old pitcher. Some of those injuries that happen at that age never completely heal and follow them later when they are pitching...

You may concider sending him to a baseball camp over the summer, I know, more money, but it gives him a chance to see where other kids like him are at....

Mike

[HntnFsh]

Both posts offer good advice.
I really get irritated with a lot of coaches that use a Kid way,way too much.They really can make a mess of their arm.I've seen it happen.Dont let him over do it.Make sure he warms up and keeps loose.Stick to the basics.And make sure to limit his pitching.I would ask often how his arm feels.If he has any pain or soreness.Its time to rest.

I've been away from that stuff for many,many years.But I always limited my kids to 3 or 4 innings a couple times a week.Some kids can pitch all day and suffer no ill effects.But why chance it.I just felt better to err on the side of safety.Especially at that young age.

[Lucky one]

Two pitches fastball and change up. Work on hitting the mit and move up from there. At twelve years old it is more about learning the mechanics and hitting your target. Work on the mental aspect, everybody gets homered off of, and everyone loses a game, preparing him for that will help alot.

[Jettin' Fool]

Arm strength is key even at that age. Play light toss with a football a few times per week. Also get him on a rotator strengthening program using surgical tubing exercises. This will help with the most common arm problems. Stick to fast balls and change ups until his freshman year and then teach the curve ball. I made that mistake and it shortened my career with arm problems :depressed:. I can't honestly remember the last time I threw w/o pain.

JF

[Jettin' Fool]

And one more thing... Teach him to use his legs. Driving off the back leg will give him more velocity and save his arm.

JF

Don't let him throw breaking stuff. Torques the elbow too much and can cause elbow problems later on.

[Duckwheat]

I pitched through high school. I would just get him out throwing to you warm with some soft tosses stretch out the distance a little.

Then pick up the velocity. I would not over think it too much. Too much coaching can take the fun out of most things.

I would have someone who knows how to coach pitching give him a very simple motion. Location and speed (changes) of the ball are key at any level of ball.

A lot of kids think the batter should never put the ball in play. Let him know it is not a personal insult to have the ball get hit. Thats why the other 8 guys are out there. They also get bored if you are not keeping the game moving.

Just chuck it and don't over think it. I can remember a baseball changing moment when I hit I guy in the rib cage really hard.

Just like in Bull Durham when he hit the mascot. You want the batter off balance. Perfect control is not always what you want either.

D. Wheat

[98ramtough]

Jettin fool sounds like he pitched quite a bit. The surgical tubing exercises and strong legs and using your legs is great advise. Pitching is a tricky game. Having strong legs and pushing off the mound will give you better velocity. Pitching is about all the little muscles that you can't see. I have seen a lot of guys in college that look like little bean poles that could throw 90+...

I think the biggest thing is to keep it fun for your kid...

[Bait O' Eggs]

I find this thread educational and timely.

Tonight was my kids first meeting with the team for Rookie ball (3 -5 graders). We got to meet the coach for the first time for the team we are signed up on.

Coach shows up with his hat on backwards (last years coach wouldnt allow that said it set a bad example ) He looks like a miami ink billboard all tattooed up, big hoop ear rings in each ear beer on his breathe :tongue:

Asst coach looks like a meth head, skin and bones and all shakey like.

I am sizing up the situation and the coach is telling us they have coached for the last 8 years (sounding better) he played semi pro ball but could never make it in the big leagues. He was a pitcher and was looking for pitchers for the team, as this is the first year the kids are away from the pitching machine.

coach says he wants all the kids at practice every time, and if a parent cant get them there, call him and he will run shuttle for the kids to get them to practice

My first impression of the coach was not high. Up till the first couple minutes were over, I was ready to load up and leave.

Gonna give it a chance, and if he wants to recruit my kid to pitch I will be reviewing the things in this thread, I never played organized baseball as a kid. I was just never interested in baseball, my kid thinks its the best sport to play.

[TheKing]

Buy 25 baseballs and Hang an old tire in the strike zone. Teach him to hit the rubber not the hole. After a while take duct tape and tape a cross on the tire dividing it up into quarters. Have him put 25 balls into each quarter of the tire. ZThis will teach him placement. If you really understand how power pitching comes from driving your legs through the pitch teach him if not find someone that can. It is a tough concept that most adults don't get. Nothing but heaters and change ups.

[zipper]

My first question for you is - What level of competition is he playing this year? Park and rec? National league? American League? All star type with tryouts? The reason I ask is simple... don't set him up to fail. At the more competitive levels, even 12yr olds, a rookie pitcher will get eaten alive and believe me, it's no fun. Take the fun out of the sport and you loose a potential Baseball player. I've seen it countless times. Ever see the movie "The Rookie"? If not, rent it. Got a chain link fence (tall)? Paint a target on it and measure back for the mound (start close and move back as he gains strength). Get a bucket of balls - say 25-50 and tell him to throw every day. No fence? use a tree and hanging tire - build a backstop of some sort. Teach the mechanics - if you don't know the mechanics, find someone willing to show him and you - it's the only way to do it. Video him throwing and play it back showing him where to change mechanics ... Strength will come with repetition. Excercises (as stated above) are a great idea - stress accuracy, not velocity at first. No fancy stuff at all. That's the hard part, all kids that want to pitch want to throw curve balls, knuckle balls etc. It's critical to not allow that yet. If he shows natural ability, you might find it useful and worth while to find him a pitching clinic that he can attend once a week - they usually run $10-15 a week for 30-45 minutes of 1:1 instruction. Above all, I'll repeat, don't set him up to fail. Keep it fun and he'll find his natural position on the field and enjoy the sport for a lifetime. Not everyone has what it takes to be a pitcher and that's ok. It takes a team.... get involved with whatever team he's on - you'll learn and he'll appreciate the attention. Enjoy it, it's gone really quick. zip

[Thumper]

I once got to know a baseball coach for a major eastern university quite well-known for its teams. He commented that the single worst thing to happen to potential college/pro players, especially pitchers, is Little League. Apparently the potential to ruin a good arm is great, and avoiding burn-out in kids at that age is a very tricky technique.

My kids played Little League, and I coached it for 6 years. But we always tried to make it fun rather than too serious. Everyone, regardless of skill, played the same amount of time. We didn't win any championships, but the kids and their parents seemed to have a great time.

Oh, and one of our players went on to pitch for Stanford, winning the final national championship game, then pitched for San Diego in the World Series. Great guy.

[Lucky one]

I'll agree be careful of burnout. All through my younger years I played baseball and loved it. Baseball was my passion and I couldn't wait to get out there. Then in highschool the coaching staff took every ounce of fun out of it. All my life I wanted to play in college, by the time I was done with my senior year I never wanted to see it again. I miss it bad now. Keep it fun or he will burn out quick.

[MattyFlavor]

As a baseball nut... loyal and proud of it, and currently an OSAA umpire, I would have to say it's probably best to steer him away from pitching for the time being.

Here's why:
Pitchers with high hopes are now literally scheduling when they're going to have Ligament Replacement (Tommy John) surgery.
Several I have met try to either do it once getting up to the bigs or somewhere around the time they are to advance up the ladder from Double-A; reason... it takes a solid 18 months to recover and get back to form - at those two junctures, the team is more willing to invest in their prospect... take a look at the Mariners' Jesse Foppert career and timing of his TJ... another kid to look at is Francisco Liriano who is now with the Twins, I believe. Both were on the Salem-Keizer Volcanos during the summer when I worked for them and this whole concept was even mentioned to me.

How does that play into teaching your son how to pitch? Well, in reality, it doesn't I suppose... but I would contend that some of the best pitching prospects right now are the ones that never pitched until their bodies were pretty well developed (see: Jon Papelbon).

I'd definitely echo the thoughts that building arm strength, leg strength, stretching - properly and frequently - and even throwing some (I'd use a rectangular milk crate and not a tire... the strike zone is a rectangle, not a circle, but that's really splitting hairs) long toss, then longer toss (always throwing flat lines, not long arcs)... those are good ways to set up your son for success later on. The trouble with him starting to pitch now is part physical, part mental. Those problems can really blossom into expensive long-term issues, be it therapy for the psycological or surgery for the physical.

Any which way, for the sake of all that is good, make sure he understands that learning to throw a curve will ruin his shoulder... or elbow... or both. He needs to wait on that as long as possible.

I know that pitchers are kind of the "glory" players on the team... but if he can hit a baseball, run and know the fundementals, that's what will advance him to the next level(s).

[devonian]

I pitched for 2 of the better coaches in the region. Pat Bailey (2004 Div. III National champion)and Pat Casey (College World Series 2005). Shoot me a PM with your number and I can give you some sound advice.