Should pitchers use weighted baseballs in-season?

Diesel asks -- I just got a set of Decker Velocity Balls. I was pretty excited only to find when I opened the box that it did not include the in-season and out-of-season workout schedule that was promised to be part of the package. What  schedule can I implement?

I generally only encourage the use of weighted baseballs with older, more mature pitchers who have outstanding strength. I always cringe when I hear about or see young kids using them. That's because weighted baseballs require a relatively high level of base strength and coordination that most young kids do not have.

There's also a level of maturity and concentration that's needed to stay safe and to avoid injury. An added ounce here and there may not seem like much, but any pitcher who's used weighted baseballs knows that they're VERY stressful on the arm -- even when you're using them with outstanding form and attention to detail.

I used weighted baseballs (4 oz, 5 oz, and 6 oz balls ONLY!) in college and during the off-season in pro ball. They were a part of a broader arm-conditioning and throwing program I was doing. It was not the only throwing I did. And I only used them in the off-season, for about 4 to 8 weeks.

I don't recommend using weighted baseballs in-season. I've found that they really throw off your timing, and, as I mentioned above, they are very stressful on the arm. (They were for me, too, and I was a professional pitcher.) There's just no question in my mind that using weighted baseballs in-season can and will lead to an overuse injury.

In the off-season, I always threw for at least one month with a regular baseball before using weighted balls. I think it's important to have a good base-level of throwing under your belt, before you use them, to stay safe.

On the day of the program, I jogged, stretched, and warmed up with a good long toss using a regular baseball.

My off-season weighted baseball program

1. I threw the 6 oz ball at 75 feet for 20 throws, on a line.
2. I threw the 4 oz ball at 75 feet for 20 throws, on a line.
3. I threw the 5 oz ball at 75 feet for 20 throws, on a line.

Sixty throws and out, two or three days a week, with a day of rest (or regular 5 oz baseball throwing) in between.

As a rule: When I started pitching off the mound, the weighted baseballs were put away till the following off-season. I recommend that you do the same.