How to win, and also develop youth pitchers

Cal Ripken, Jr.'s got a nice little column in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Readers write in and "Ask Cal" baseball-related questions. It's worth adding to your "favorites" list of Web sites. Here's an article that appeared June 11.

Rich Krutsch of Fort Smith, Ark., asks: In our youth league, we have seen a trend in which teams have one or two pretty good pitchers and a couple that might need some practice. They will pitch their better player the first couple of innings, and if all is going well, switch to a less accomplished player to finish the game. If things get close in the later innings, they bring back their starter as a type of closer. What effect do you think this has on the pitcher's arm that has a break in his pitching time?

Cal's response: DEAR RICH // I think many of us who have been successful pitchers at the youth level have been there. I can remember starting the game on the mound, being moved to shortstop and then being brought back in to pitch. It often occurs when there is a greater emphasis on winning.

For the youngest, the emphasis should be more on developing the pitchers by teaching them the proper mechanics and then allowing them first to throw to a catcher and later to face opponents in a game situation. It is important to protect these kids, not only physically, but also their psyches. A lot of patience must be applied. Young pitchers must learn to stand out there on the rubber and to face hitters. That's the only way they are going to develop. If you pull them - or more important, if they fear being pulled - whenever something goes wrong, they are going to either feel too much pressure when they pitch or not want to go out there at all.

If winning is one of the team's primary goals, then the strategy about when to pull and replace a pitcher depends on the success that pitcher is having that day. How to handle these situations depends primarily on the philosophy of the team and the league. For younger pitchers, however, it is important to allow them to develop.

Cal's column can be found here.