For All You Baseball Fans and Parents of Players

I'm really not sure what my ego has to do with it, but I agree with your pitch count point. As for playing in the field, he plays third base or outfield when he isn't pitching, and he has no complaints playing wherever they put him, except first and catcher, whatever it takes to bat, which is his real love. His pitch counts are low because he rarely throws anything but a strike, and at home I monitor the number of his pitches. He is never allowed to throw more than five curveballs for every 20 fast balls. His internet pitching coach, a retired MLB pitcher, who I believe had a Tommy John surgery, told me this in an email this morning:(I don't include this to argue, because other than what I have learned about mechanics, I don't know enough about baseball to argue)...

"Studies have shown absolutely zero connection between throwing curveballs and an increased risk of injury. The fastball and slider put the most stress on the elbow. Far and away the #1 risk of injury is pitching when fatigued. Guys are 36x more likely to get hurt if they've pitched with fatigue... And unfortunately the guys who throw hard are the most often asked to pitch, and so the most at risk. ...But I would be very cautious in not letting him get overused on the mound this year. Tough to do, but would try to focus on the long run and the big picture."

Phil Rosengren

I've heard/read other experts with different opinions, so my policy is to exercise caution, and use moderation, keeping the pitch counts down and spread out. I apologize for my long winded response, I'm on my third cup of coffee, and haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning. Thanks for your input, and I wish the best for your Seahawks in the coming season.

Grow up.
Stop trying to make up your own life failures through your kid.

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Wow.

We see how you are handling your life’s failures, by pi$$ing in the cheerios of those who have something kind of cool to going on.

That’s some great insight you received in that email. Arm fatigue is brutal if not addressed. That’s where I screwed up - not icing up, not telling coaches of my pain, not resting my arm. Coaches would ask how do you feel and my reply was “fine” because I could pitch with success even with the pain...I wasn’t completely truthful. I also caught when I wasn’t pitching so I threw the ball with a sore, tired arm, as much as the pitchers, obviously to a lesser degree than a pitcher. Your son playing 3rd and outfield when he’s not pitching should help. One of my pet peeves about local park district managers is that they’ll take out a tired and maybe sore-armed pitcher and put them at catcher or short. In the managers defense, the team might have only 9 or 10 players at a given game and so the tired pitcher has to play somewhere to keep 9 guys on the field. Hopefully your son is being up front with any elbow or shoulder pain or tightness.

And thank you for the kind words about my Mommy story :)

I’m leery about developing kids too quickly. His fastball will get plenty of D1 schools looking at him, then he can develop in a program where he’ll only have to pitch once a week. If he’s throwing 93-95+ at 21 he’ll be drafted, for certain, and spend time in Double A and Triple A ball getting some of the best coaching available where he can work on a slider or cutter. Hope the kid makes it!

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