Jim Kaat says fastball-changeup-curveball- NO slider

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anthony Medrano AKA BIG E on March 15, 2010 at 2:48pm

I agree with you Bill, when teaching kids how to pitch the first thing is for them to learn how to command the fastball first and then teach them curveball, sliders or any other pitch per say. Many kids have asked me to teach them how to throw a curve ball. The curveball also known as the bender and Uncle Charlie. The curveball is a breaking pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts downward spin to the ball and it is therefore considered a type of breaking ball. However, when teaching a youngster how to throw a curve ball I usually take the following points into consideration as the curveball can create very risky injuries on a pitcher because of the risk of injury to the pitcher’s elbow and shoulder, A curve ball is considered a more advanced pitch, geared towards pitchers with more developed and mature arms. According to research- It is suggested that the pitcher be near 16 to 18 years old before attempting a curve ball. This restriction is not due to the ability to learn how to throw a curveball; rather, the restriction is advised to allow for proper maturity of the pitcher’s arm. In most children, the cartilage and tendons in a pitchers arm have not yet been developed and could receive micro-tears that can permanently damage a pitcher's arm.

▶ Reply to This