Pitch count, pitcher protection and catchers

[ddtimes4]

The LLWS pitch count rule is also meaningless with the kids throwing all of those curve balls. I think its a big reason so many need Tommy John surgery. The change up is a better pitch to master for them long term.

 

[guero_gordo]

You do need to monitor how much throwing your catcher is doing, as well as mechanics. Not sure there's a magic number, but you do need to quiz them about soreness. Like dogs, they will hide their injury from the pack.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I am cranky about the changes in LL this year in respect to the loosening of the pitching rules around girls and pitching back-to-back games. It sort of ticked me off to hear the talking heads state that ole fallacy that "girls with the windmill motion can pitch forever without injury". Of course I know that especially in LL the quality of pitching could drop off dramatically after #1 but is this a reason to make a change like this to promote the game versus protecting the pitchers and forcing more girls to pitch....?

In youth SB I would FAR more like to see the direction go the way that BB has. Get the pitch counts in there and the back-to-back restrictions in there and force leagues to produce more pitchers (just like BB). You know how frustrating it is at HS to only have one pitcher (if your lucky to have one!) that needs to be ridden like a horse because nobody else pitches? That is BAD for the game and I think LL is doing a disservice to the sport by going in this direction. But of course their viewer $$ will drive that decision......

 

[BobInMadison]

There are two people I know who had career-ending injuries playing softball. Both were catching at the time.

In one case, a coach was pushing his DD to keep on catching every inning of every game even though she was begging him to let her rest for a game. Neither her knees nor her arm ever completely recovered. She had to be carried off the field in the last game. She occasionally plays 3B now in adult leagues.

In the other case, a first year 12u girl was playing in a 14u rec league game. Blue called time so she could tie her shoes, but the pitcher didn't notice, threw a pitch that broke the girl's left (catching) hand. The coach kept her in the game even though it was obvious she was in great pain. Her parents weren't at that game, and it was a few days before she got medical treatment. It hurts for her to catch a ball. She was a talented softball player, now she plays hockey.

DD #3 has often pitched and caught in the same game. Her PC told her not to catch before pitching, because it wears out her brain (and her arm). She can pitch before catching, though.

 

[BobInMadison]

DD #3 will catch in rec league games, but has never caught in a TB game. Nor does she want to.

One time her TB team had only 1 catcher for the first 4 games (3 in one day, 1 the next). I knew she would be the emergency catcher if the remaining catcher couldn't handle it. We had a talk about it. She did not want to catch TB, but would've been willing to do so to protect "my catcher". (Actually, she calls both catchers "my catcher"). Being a pitcher, she is very protective of her catchers. In the end, the girl did catch all 4 games, and was very happy when the other catcher made a special trip in to catch the 5th game.

 

[BobInMadison]

I just got a call from DD #3's rec ball coach, to let me know he is her coach, etc. His main concern: making sure he has a catcher who can catch DD without getting hurt. The problem isn't overuse of throwing. The problem is the team will have 5th-7th graders, and the younger girls could get hurt trying to catch the fastest 7th grader (DD). A few years ago they would have 5th-8th graders in the fall, and some of the 8th grade pitchers could really throw smoke.

 

[smddad]

SMDDAD: I agree that they don't throw every ball back at full speed, but the good ones are snapping back to the pitcher, trying to get a baserunner off balance. Or in my daughter's case she is throwing that hard from her knees, therefore she is using all arm and core (she is 15 and has a 1.82 POP from her knees)....

I would be concerned for her shoulder, because she's throwing from her knees. My DD has the same POP time throwing down from a runners on position. She, too, just turned 15.

 

[Greenmonsters]

IMO the forthcoming NECC/Wasserman catcher throwing ebook will help solve most catcher throwing problems.

 

[BobInMadison]

I would be concerned for her shoulder, because she's throwing from her knees. My DD has the same POP time throwing down from a runners on position. She, too, just turned 15.

These are pretty amazing times. My DD #1 played in a couple of tournaments a couple of years back with a catcher who was 15 at the time, with a pop time a little over 2 seconds. She was 2.0 earlier this year, so probably a little slower back then. I can certainly remember the chilling effect it had on the other teams' base runners. A lot of teams started out stealing aggressively, then stopped altogether when they saw what she could do.

That girl's father told me a pop time of 1.8 was what the colleges were looking for. I can imagine, if your girls have around 1.8 at 15, the colleges will be noticing already.

When my DD #1 played, she almost always stole on the first pitch. It was extremely rare for her to find a catcher who could throw her out. I remember seeing a catcher throw her out in the first game of a double header, so DD made sure to steal successfully in the second game. However, DD #1 never faced a catcher with a pop time under 2 seconds.

 

[sbmom19]

These are pretty amazing times. My DD #1 played in a couple of tournaments a couple of years back with a catcher who was 15 at the time, with a pop time a little over 2 seconds. She was 2.0 earlier this year, so probably a little slower back then. I can certainly remember the chilling effect it had on the other teams' base runners. A lot of teams started out stealing aggressively, then stopped altogether when they saw what she could do.

That girl's father told me a pop time of 1.8 was what the colleges were looking for. I can imagine, if your girls have around 1.8 at 15, the colleges will be noticing already.

When my DD #1 played, she almost always stole on the first pitch. It was extremely rare for her to find a catcher who could throw her out. I remember seeing a catcher throw her out in the first game of a double header, so DD made sure to steal successfully in the second game. However, DD #1 never faced a catcher with a pop time under 2 seconds.

Thanks - they are noticing. She has had faster pops but is around 1.8 consistently from her knees.

And for the record - I am very careful about how much she catches especially in the heat. Of course her coaches want her back there all of the time but we make sure she isn't overworked. I just threw this topic out there because I have just heard so much talk about protecting the pitcher's arms and nothing about the catchers...