By: Jim Monaghan,
I am a firm believer in no curve balls before AT LEAST the age of 14. These are young arms we're talking about...arms that need time to mature and develop. I coach a 7th-8th grade team and most of my pitchers plead with me to throw curves. The line I hear most from them is "My (town team) coach lets me throw one!" My response is, "Fine, let HIM take responsibility for ruining your arm! Not on my team." I have been pretty fortunate to have access to a number of major and minor league pitching coaches over the past couple of years and to a man, ALL of them are adamant about kids not throwing curves until they learn how to control their fastball and throw a good change-of-pace pitch. They recommend 14 or 15 for the curve. If a kid is really in love with movement, teach him to throw a two-seam fastball. My kids can't believe the way that pitch moves. And never underestimate the power of a change. Nothing like upsetting a batter's timing to get a nice strikeout. And here's another thing that concerns me - how many of the coaches and parents who are teaching their kids to throw a curve actually know how to do that properly?
Date: May 30, 1998 at 15:14