Pitching Tips / Info

Parents... following are some notes regarding pitching from USA Baseball Medical & Safety Advisory Committee and The American Sports Medical Institute (Dr. James Andrews). Please note highlighted areas and our adopted pitch count guidelines that follow. You may also click on the following link to view the article in its entirety: http://baseballtips.com/pitchingreport.html

Note: This study was compiled on February 12, 1996 and was published by USA Baseball News in April of that year. The USA Baseball Medical & Safety Advisory Committee updated their position statement on youth baseball injuries in May of 2004.

…"How any pitches should I allow my child to throw?" This is the most common question asked to sports medicine professionals by parents of youth baseball players.

The question really is how many pitches can a child throw without injuring the throwing arm. Organized leagues have shared this concern for several years; as a result, most youth leagues limit the number of innings a child may pitch. However, most people now believe that limits should be placed on the number of pitches, rather than the number of innings…

  

To determine recommendations, the USA Baseball Medical & Safety Advisory Committee commissioned the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) to study pitch limits in youth baseball. ASMI sent survey to 85 baseball experts, consisting of orthopedic surgeons and coaches, about pitch limits and other injury factors…

  

 …Several respondents commented on the concept and definition of rest. Issues such as whether a child should pitch at home or play different positions in games during the "rest period" were discussed. Some felt that youth pitchers throw too many total throws, while others felt that children today don't throw enough.

  

ASMI supports the belief that, in general, youth baseball players in the United States do not throw enough. While young pitchers should be given adequate rest after pitching in competition, they should also be encouraged to throw in other settings (playing other positions, playing catch with parent or friends, practicing pitching, etc.).

  

Throwing is necessary for a young pitcher to strengthen his/her arm and body. Common sense and listening to the pitcher for complaints of discomfort or fatigue can greatly help the coach or parent decide the right amount of rest and practice needed.

  

Opinions and comments on other safety-related issued in youth baseball were asked. Many respondents commented that the quality of the pitcher's mechanics is an important injury factor. The importance of strength training was also mentioned…
 
We encourage coaches to adhere to the guidelines and encourage parents to monitor pitch counts for their child.
 
SOX Pitch Count Guidelines (from the SOX Policy Manual)
 
The following are recommendations from Dr. James Andrews at The American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham. Dr. Andrews is the foremost sports orthopedic surgeon in the nation. These recommendations have been adopted by many youth leagues throughout the country including the SOX.

Age - Pitch count (many variables – early in season, late in season, maturity, strength, etc.)

•  14-16 95 pitches per day
• 11-13 85 pitches per day
• 9-10 75 pitches per day

A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. Exception – A player may pitch in consecutive games if less than 21 pitches were pitched in the previous game. Pitchers must adhere to the following rest requirements:

• If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 41-60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 21-40 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest must be observed.