9u pitchers pitches?

[dwactx]

My son plays 11UAAA and always pitches on Sundays
we go to pitching lessons once a week and my opinion is a good 2 seam, 4 seam fastball and a change up is all you need right now.
At this age its about working the plate up, down, left and right
just my $.02

[chris1911]

As soon as he figures out how to throw a curve, I know he and his buddies are going to throw on their own and play around with it, that is a given. .

youre absolutely right about that.... same with breaking a gun out and showing them how fast they throw. theyll just try to throw harder and end up hurting themselves. we strive for accuracy over everything. i tell him, let them hit it and let your infield to make the play.

[chris1911]

My son plays 11UAAA and always pitches on Sundays
we go to pitching lessons once a week and my opinion is a good 2 seam, 4 seam fastball and a change up is all you need right now.
At this age its about working the plate up, down, left and right
just my $.02

that your son in your avatar? looks good man!

[manwitaplan]

Chris1911,

Did you see this thread on here:

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=518037&highlight=tommy

Good Luck,

manwitaplan

[LWC]

There is really no need to start throwing any off-speed other than a changeup for a while. Location, Location, Location are how you become a good pitcher, its not the pitchers, its being able to spot your ball and throwing the right pitch at the right count. Curves should come in around 8th grade IMO, also do not get caught up in the whole pitch count crap, read what Leo Mizzoni (ex pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves) thinks about pitch count.

I've got a 9u pitcher and I'm concerned about pitch counts. Seems to be a correlation between when kids started playing so much and large number of Tommy John sugeries. I tried to find out what Leo Mizzoni said about pitch counts. All I could find were his quotes about MLB pitchers. Does he feel the same about kid pitchers? Not trying to be smart....just trying to learn. Thanks

[Nado]

I've got a 9u pitcher and I'm concerned about pitch counts. Seems to be a correlation between when kids started playing so much and large number of Tommy John sugeries. I tried to find out what Leo Mizzoni said about pitch counts. All I could find were his quotes about MLB pitchers. Does he feel the same about kid pitchers? Not trying to be smart....just trying to learn. Thanks

I would say that pitching count is important but not an end all issue. if you are mixing in fastball changeup fastball fastball for a bullpen session I would say that the count really is less of an issue when you go off speed off speed off speed that is an issue with pitch count and something that shouldnt be dont to begin with.

[chris1911]

good read

[chris1911]

would break my heart if he got hurt and couldnt play... he loves the game too much for that

[raider19]

At his age a good fastball and a change up is all he needs. Hitting your spots and throwing strikes will be what wins him games. The change up will keep hitters of balance, and make his fastball more effective!

Bingo! Kids need to learn how to pitch first. (Hit their spots, change the hitters eye level, etc) To many people worry about teaching as many pitches they can to kids at a young age. Once they develop arm speed and learn how to pitch, the other things can be learned later. I am not teaching my kids any breaking balls until at least 16. For now all they throw is fastball and change up. They are 11

[dpatterson1976]

Fastball - Fastball - Fastball

Location - Location - Location


At this age if your kid can throw a FB for a strike 70% of the time he doesnt not need any other pitch.

I would work on accuracy with the FB and the FB only. Get that down and around 11 or 12 you can start working in Change Ups.

I would not allow my kid to throw a curve until HS and very limited at that. I have seen TOO MANY kids with elbow and shoulder issues because they started throwing junk when they were young. A very few could have played in College for a free education but a couple bad elbows ruined that.

Again... location location location is the key.


All this is of course IMO.


Daniel

[gspbrad]

i dont really give a **** how it comes across....you have a problem with that?

"Grooming" since he was 7, but you're asking for pitching advise on a hunting forum. Sounds like the last 2 years of grooming under your tutelage was a quality experience - insert typical stereotype of an overbearing dad screaming in the stands. Best of luck to your son................he'll need it.

[dwactx]

Yes, that's him...he's definitely not the biggest kid on the field but he's loves to pitch, his pitching coach preaches to him all the time

Hit your spots
Trust your pitches
Pound the zone
Positive Body Language on the mound (no matter the situation)

[xman59]

been awhile since my son was 9 but nothing beats location, up and down in and out,,, his mix of pitches at 9 was a basic fastball thrown from overhand, sidearm and submarine,,,, the rest came in time especially his slider and knuckleball,,,

if he had trouble with in or out pitches staying in the zone I simply had him move across the pitches rubber most kids only use the center he used all of it,, simple adjustment with nothing more than were he stood

[3DW5]

I've got a 9u pitcher and I'm concerned about pitch counts. Seems to be a correlation between when kids started playing so much and large number of Tommy John sugeries. I tried to find out what Leo Mizzoni said about pitch counts. All I could find were his quotes about MLB pitchers. Does he feel the same about kid pitchers? Not trying to be smart....just trying to learn. Thanks

I am going to see if I can find the article for you, he says the problem is kids do not throw enough. His test subjects were the Braves pitching staff, Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux... they all agreed with throwing more, not less. And to his credit, Leo does have a great track record of pitchers not getting hurt.

[chris1911]

"Grooming" since he was 7, but you're asking for pitching advise on a hunting forum. Sounds like the last 2 years of grooming under your tutelage was a quality experience - insert typical stereotype of an overbearing dad screaming in the stands. Best of luck to your son................he'll need it.

no sir....no yelling. he is super respectful and thanks me for helping get him where he is. he LOVES pitching, and if loves it then so do i. ive spent alot of time squatted down behind the plate catching for him. TEACHING him. it sounds like to me that your brain to mouth connection is broken. so good luck to you sir on fixing that. and i asked for advice here because 99% of these guys have common sense....guess i found the other1%