How Parents Can Help Little League Pitchers Prevent Pitching Injury

From youngsters playing their first game of tee-ball to the last team standing at the Little League World Series in August, spring and summer baseball is a rite of passage in schoolyards and fields worldwide. But in their attempts to throw the farthest and fastest, Little Leaguers put themselves at major league risk of arm and shoulder injuries according to the American Physical Therapy Association.

"Little League pitchers can throw more than 100 pitches per game -- almost twice that of a professional pitcher -- placing substantial stress on a young, still developing arm," says physical therapist David A. Boyce, PT, of Bellarmine University's Physical Therapy Program.

Mr. Boyce, who has treated professional baseball players as well as Little Leaguers, says, "Kids sometimes mistake strength for proper pitching mechanics and may be trading six innings of excitement for years of debilitating arm and shoulder problems."

The pitcher runs the greatest risk of injuries resulting from overuse or improper mechanics, leading to a condition known as "Little League Elbow." A chronic inflammation of the growth plate in the elbow joint, Little League Elbow can feel like tendonitis. In his practice, Boyce has seen children as young as 8 years old with this condition. "Pitchers who continue to pitch through the pain can eventually cause the growth plate to separate from the joint, requiring surgery to re-attach it."

Baseball's Safety Advisory Committee recommends that the first pitch introduced to Little Leaguers should be the fast ball at 8 years old, followed by the change-up at 10, the curve ball at 14, the knuckle ball at 15, and the slider and fork ball at 16.

Boyce notes that this is because a fast ball features a standard grip, and pitchers don't have to deviate and flex their wrists to throw it. "It's when young pitchers start throwing curve balls that Little League Elbow starts to surface. Younger pitchers don't possess the neuromuscular control and stability in their bones to withstand the forces that are placed across the elbow when throwing more technical pitches," he adds.

Most Little Leaguers mistakenly throw with the force coming from the arm instead of the trunk, observes Boyce. "When a child comes to me with Little League Elbow, I tell him or her that the key to throwing harder is not arm strength, but trunk, leg, and hip strength. Too often we try to strengthen the arm and get little or no lasting results."

His advice: "Direct the front shoulder and hip toward the target. Let the legs and trunk supply the power, and let the arm function like a whip."

Shoulders are also in danger during a pitch. Because the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, it is also the most unstable. The four muscles surrounding the shoulder, called the rotator cuff, are stressed during the acceleration and deceleration phases of pitching. These excessive forces can damage ligaments and muscles within the shoulder joint. To reduce the risk of injury, says Boyce, it is important that the muscles of the trunk and shoulder girdle be strong, stable, and flexible.

Because children tend to be less aware of their physical limitations, it is especially important that parents and coaches watch their children carefully for correct throwing mechanics, while advocating proper conditioning and pre- and post-game stretches. "Attentive parents and coaches will maximize their child's chances of having a healthy season," he says.

APTA recommends three important upper body stretches:

1. the inferior shoulder stretch
2. the posterior shoulder stretch
3. the rotator cuff stretch

"Once kids understand the proper way to throw, they need to concentrate on a pitching maintenance program that consists of exercise, stretching, proper pitching rotation and volume, and periods of active rest," he says.

Source

How To Pick Off A Runner At Second Base With An "Inside Move"

With a runner on second, the "inside move" is a good way to keep him close. The best time to use it is when you've got full count (3 balls, 2 strikes) on the batter or if there's 2 outs in the inning.

Here’s how to do it correctly:

1. come set, look at the runner on second base
2. then look away, toward home
3. count "one-one thousand"
4. spin off the inside of the pitcher's mound with a deliberate leg kick
5. collect yourself with a small crow-hop
6. make a strong short-arm (or even slightly side arm) throw to the bag

Chances are very good that you will catch the runner leaning a little too far off second base. Of course, make sure your second baseman or shortstop knows that a pick-off attempt is coming. You may want to come up with a sign before the game if your team doesn't already have an inside move play.

Internal Rotation Rotator Cuff Exercise For Baseball Pitchers

Lie on your right side. Keep your left arm along the upper side of your body. Bend your right elbow to 90°. Keep the right forearm resting on the table. Now roll your right shoulder in, raising your right forearm up to your chest. (Hint: This is like the forehand swing in tennis.) Lower the forearm slowly. Repeat the exercise until your arm is tired. Then do the exercise with your left arm.

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians

What Pedro Martinez Says About Fielding Your Position On Balls To The Right Side Of The Infield

Major League Baseball has a great website for kids on which popular players answer some common baseball-specific questions. These aren't "what's your favorite color" type of questions. These are about improving hitting, catching, fielding, and pitching.

In this particular segment, located in its entirety here, Pedro Martinez addresses covering the right side of the infield on baseballs hit or bunted to the right side -- and what pitchers should do.

So, how should a pitcher cover the first base side on bunts or balls to the right side?

"First of all is, read the ball," Pedro says. "Read when the ball leaves the bat of the hitter. And make sure that if it's to the right side you take off on time.

"Then as you are approaching the bag, you try to make a little path where you can align yourself to go straight down toward the line so that you don't go across the runner. You don't want to go across the runner at a 45 degree angle, you want to go straight. By the time you get to the bag, you want to be straight down toward the line."

What It Means To Pitch With Confidence From The Mets' Top Baseball Pitching Prospect

Being Mike Pelfrey wasn't always the glamour gig it is today. The Mets' best arm on the farm grew up Wichita poor with a father who was nowhere to be found and a future in baseball that was anything but solid.

Sitting in the visiting clubhouse of the Altoona Curve last week - the Pirates' Double-A affiliate - he goes back to a moment when he was in Long Beach, Calif., in March of 2004. Pelfrey, then a sophomore at Wichita State, saw what he wanted to be. Jered Weaver, the brother of former Yankee Jeff Weaver and a first-round pick of the Angels, was on the mound for Long Beach State and he was "dealin'," says Pelfrey.

Weaver recorded his first 11 outs on Ks, but in the fifth he gave up a base hit, his first of the game. Weaver didn't walk back to he mound rattled; his eyes burning, he glared at the form now standing on the first-base bag.

"He kind of stared at him as if you say 'Hey, do you know who I am? I'm Jered Weaver, don't you ever do that again'," says Pelfrey.

Wichita State head baseball coach Gene Stephenson remembers it, too. "He made you sick to watch him," he says of Weaver.

But Pelfrey was inspired. "Weaver's presence on the mound was unbelievable," he says, "and our hitters and everybody else just hated watching him, but I was like, 'I need to be like like that.'"

"You've got to be confident when you're throwing," he adds. "This game's confidence, it's mental. So, I definitely think I'm mentally strong, that's a big part of my game."

His pitching coach, Wichita State's Brent Kimnetz, drilled toughness into his players. "He used to tell us, 'I can stand anything but being out there and pitching scared'," Pelfrey says.

Mike Pelfrey doesn't pitcher scared, he doubles up pitches inside, something Mets closer Billy Wagner taught him at spring training, and he's Wichita State's all-time leader in hit batsman while walking the fewest per nine innings (1.7).

Read the complete newspaper article here

Part 8: The Truth About Anabolic Steroids And Its Effects On Baseball Pitching Performance

Editor's note: This is the eighth and final of an eight-week series of articles examining the effects of anabolic steroids and other substances on baseball pitching performance and overall health. Source: MLB.

Creatine has been used by baseball players since the supplement first appeared on store shelves. The manufacturers of creatine have made extravagant claims about creatine's ability to increase muscle size, increase muscle mass, increase endurance, etc.

It's important to understand that when it comes to creatine, the basis of many of those claims are marketing and advertising, not scientific data.

What is creatine?

Creatine comes from three sources: 1) the body is able to synthesize it, 2) it is a natural substance found in food, and 3) it can be prepared synthetically.

Creatine is composed of three amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of protein), and it is found in most protein-rich foods -- especially fish and meats. Creatine is stored in the muscles as creatine phosphate, a precursor to andenosine triphosphate, which is an immediate source of muscle contraction.

Creatine's three-amino acids:

1. glycine
2. arginine
3. methionine

Most people already consume 1-2 grams of creatine in their diets and produce a similar amount in their bodies, thus maintaining normal energy metabolism.

Does creatine lead to a muscle mass increase? Creatine alone does not appear to increase muscle mass. However, it has been shown in studies to increase the intensity of training workouts, which can lead to faster and more pronounced muscle growth.

On the other hand, there may be dangers associated  with rapid muscle growth and the issue certainly requires further study.

Studies have shown that the ingestion of creatine in large doses increases the creatine phosphate in the muscles which allows for the sustaining of powerful muscular contractions and delaying fatigue.

There also appears to be an increase of short-term energy for explosive muscle movements. This can clearly be an asset in a workout regimen and may improve performance in short-term, high-intensity exercises like sprints. Other studies have shown that athletic performance and maximum oxygen uptake are not enhanced by creatine supplements. (Hand-eye coordination, used for hitting a baseball or fielding a baseball, are not improved by creatine supplementation, either.)

How much creatine?

Creatine dosages recommended by manufacturers vary from 10-20 grams a day for 5 days followed by a total maintenance of 2-5 grams per day. Increasing the dosage will NOT increase the effects of creatine supplementation -- it only increases the side effects.

It is still not known exactly how safe it is to use creatine. Overuse may put an excessive amount of strain on the kidneys and liver. It also has been shown to cause dehydration, and it's highly recommended that athletes who use creatine drink at least 64 ounces of water daily, even more! Remember, creatine is excreted by the kidneys and inadequate hydration can lead to muscle cramping.

There is also very little information about the purity standards of creatine so the major question that remains is: "What are you really ingesting?"

The bottom line: ask a physician, do your research (outside of label claims, which are often nothing more than advertising), and carefully consider both sides of the creatine debate before your decision.

How To Pitch Like A Surgeon, Not A Meat Cutter.

When Matt Chico, a 5-foot-11 lefty in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, earned a promotion to double-A in 2004, he brought a daredevil attitude to go with his 93 mph fastball.

“No one can hit my fastball. I can overpower everyone,” he believed.

Hitters, however, thought differently. They feasted on Chico's fastball like a $10 Las Vegas buffet.

“I don't think I really had the concept of pitch selection,” said Chico, 22, now with the single-A Lancaster JetHawks. “I only felt confident in two of my pitches, and if one of them was off, you can guess what happened.”

“He struggled, clear and simple,” said JetHawks pitching coach Jeff Pico. “But since he was sent down, he has worked really hard for me. He works his butt off and he wants to prove that he belongs at the next level.”

Former Fallbrook High coach Jay Craven said he's not surprised it took Chico a while to understand the mental aspects of the game. He remembers Chico's grip-it-and-rip-it approach in high school.

“He was nails,” Craven said. “He loved to play the game and he was very talented. That's a good combination. But he had some control issues in high school because he knew he could just get by with his fastball. But at the next level, you have to use your noodle. You have to learn to get into the hitter's head and become a complete pitcher.”

Read the complete newspaper article here

Empty Can Rotator Cuff Exercise For Baseball Pitchers

In a standing position, start with your right arm halfway between the front and side of your body, thumb down. (You may need to raise your left arm for balance.)  Raise your right arm until almost level (about a 45° angle). (Hint: This is like emptying a can.) Don't lift beyond the point of pain. Slowly lower your arm. Repeat the exercise until your arm is tired. Then do the exercise with your left arm.

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians

Should Baseball Pitchers Train With Weighted Vests?

Mike Griffin, a former Kansas City Royals strength coach and a moderator on my LetsTalkPitching.com Baseball Forum, had this to say recently about training for baseball pitching with weighted vests:

"I think wearing a weighted vest while throwing is a very bad idea. Specificity is a great thing but it can be carried too far. If it alters your mechanics in any way then it can really mess you up.

"You need to increase strength in the weight room and then apply that added strength and power when you're pitching. Don't mix the two."

To talk more about pitcher-specific strength training with Coach Griffin, join the forum.

Leo Mazzone On How To Develop Arm Strength

If you want to develop arm strength, throw the ball, says Leo Mazzone, current pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles (and formerly of the Atlanta Braves). Throwing gives you arm strength.

Here is a simple program to develop velocity: Throw every day, without maxing out your effort. I believe in picking up a baseball and throwing it every chance you get.

Around here, we don't discourage a pitcher from throwing. In fact, we encourage it. What you have to do is regulate the effort. For example, if I told you that you were going to run seven miles in a week, would you feel better running seven miles in one day or one mile, seven days in a row. We bring pitchers in two weeks before spring training and put them through a throwing program.

It works well for us.

Eventually, I think pitchers are better off with year-round throwing. I don't think it's good to not throw for three months. Play catch every day.