Curve balls

[12gage]

At what age should a kid learn or start throwing a curve?

[Bobcat101]

10 if you want your kid to shine.


17 if your kid is a great pitcher that can hit his spots.

Reference:???  None.

[Peppermint Patty]

[quote name="12gage" post="1405019" timestamp="1368668727"]
At what age should a kid learn or start throwing a curve?
[/quote]

High school.

[TLB0]

I waited until my son was a teenager. 13 or 14 I believe. But I took him to someone who taught him to throw it the proper way. There is a wrong way. He was also limited on how many he could throw. His coaches were very cautious and understood it wasn't about right now but about learning how to throw it properly and throw it for a strike. This is just me andwhat i did. Don't known if it was right or wrong. This was when I felt it was right and when I thought his body was ready for it. Everyone has their own opinion. IMO only you will know when your son has reached the physical maturity to handle it. Hope this helps a little but remember its just my opinion. Just make sure that when its time you get someone to tech him the proper way and not some kid who thinks they know what there doing.

[nitro383]

Watched a 10 year old throw about 12 - 13 curve balls in a LL game the other day. In my own opinion that's way to young.

[td]

My rule was, don't even start teaching until they start growing hair. Sounds kind of funny but I have the same rule about weights. That being said I think my youngest sneaks a few in that he learned from his brother. Main thing is make sure they learn it the right way and have a coach that thinks about pitch count and how many curve balls he throws. My opinion only.

[2throwrundown]

age will vary from kid to kid.  Learning the curveball is not the issue, throwing it during competition is.  Fatigue during the game and unneeded stress on the arm will be what leads to arm issues, not the pitch itself.  When the kid is mature enough to take a serious approach to learning the craft is a good time to start learning different hand positions for different pitches.  I would advise anyone young pitcher wanting to learn different pitches to first learn to [u]command[/u] the straight ball then start with a change-up, and then move on from there. 

[Peppermint Patty]

Teach young players a "drop" ball. Same action as a curve ball, but not as much stress on the arm.

[KAISER SOSAY]

A good offspeed pitch for developing youngsters is the knuckle curve. It's thrown much like a fastball with the exception of the grip. My son, who is 14 now, had a nasty knuckle curve at age 10 and had a lot of success with it. Starting when he was 13 his instructor began teaching a proper curve ball. Please remember that those young arms are still developing and their health is priority.         

[Coach85]

My son is 12 and his two select coaches, who have pitched professionally, have taught him a slider and change-up and he has been very effective with those two. If he can keep getting by with these I don't really care if he learns how to throw a curve. Pitching is all about hitting a spot and keeping hitters off balance. You don't need a curve to do that.

[KAISER SOSAY]

For developing arms in younger pitchers all you really need is one good off speed pitch to be effective. A true slider is also hard on the arm, much like a curve. A circle change-up or a knuckle curve is easier on the arm because it's released with the same arm action as a fast ball. This saves wear on the elbow and shoulder area. A pitch that has a change of speed and a different look is all a kid needs to keep batters on their heels at a young age. 

[Coach85]

The slider my kid throws is not hard on the arm. it is all about the position of his fingers and his release. No tourque on the arm at all. And it is nasty when he throws it for a 12 yr. old. And it is a true slider. Just not thrown the way most are use to seeing it. Learned it from San Diego Padres pitching coach.

[2throwrundown]

[quote name="KAISER SOSAY" post="1405160" timestamp="1368723746"]
For developing arms in younger pitchers all you really need is one good off speed pitch to be effective. A true slider is also hard on the arm, much like a curve. A circle change-up or a knuckle curve is easier on the arm because it's released with the same arm action as a fast ball. This saves wear on the elbow and shoulder area. A pitch that has a change of speed and a different look is all a kid needs to keep batters on their heels at a young age.
[/quote]

Really if a curve ball or true slider as you call it are any more hard on the arm then you are throwing it incorrectly.  And a Knucklecurve? is that an oxymoron?

[KAISER SOSAY]

We are still talking about young arms here right Crash? In keeping with the kids health in mind, offspeed pitches that put stress on the arm (curves and sliders) are discouraged at the young ages. I know their are varied opinions on what age and what pitches to teach them while they are learning to pitch. Physical and mental maturity play a key role in this process. Throwing a curve or slider is unmistakably harder on a young arm than a fastball. So, any viable alternative that gives them a good offspeed pitch should be encouraged until they are ready.

Not everyone has heard of a knuckle curve, including Crash. Google it, it's a great pitch. That's why I put it on this thread so people could see for themselves that their are other ways of throwing a curve ball without the stress on these young arms.   

[2throwrundown]

yes we are talking about the health of young players arms, and yes i have heard of the "famed" knucklecurve.  Teaching kids off-speed pitches should be done as i said earlier when the player has the mentality to approach learning the craft seriously.  Age not really a factor, but as you said and i agree development physically and mentally.  The fastball should be learned and the ability to command that pitch first.  A curveball or slider or any other pitch is not thrown by grip.  Grip is just a matter of comfort of the ball in the hand.  Different pitches are thrown by hand position at release.  Not with a snap of the rist or twisting violently- that will put added pressure to the arm, particularly the elbow.  Thrown correctly and the perceived added stress is minimal.  That being said an 8 year old does not need to be learning a curveball or any other pitch other than how to throw the ball correctly. 

[643]

Whats more important>>winning at 10 or winning at 17???

[espn2]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/sports/baseball/debate-grows-over-how-to-protect-young-pitching-arms.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[rhino1877]

Fastball, change-up, cut fastball.... No curveballs in my opinion

[Bobcat101]

[quote name="643" post="1405455" timestamp="1368791454"]
Whats more important>>winning at 10 or winning at 17???
[/quote]


If your kids sucks then Winning at 10 and getting that 1st trophy in LL trumps all including your kids arm.

If your kid is going to the next level as in Div I / Pro baseball then winning at 17 isn't really that important. 

[Keith Stone]

[quote name="Bobcat101" post="1405700" timestamp="1368829553"]
[quote author=643 link=topic=111994.msg1405455#msg1405455 date=1368791454]
Whats more important>>winning at 10 or winning at 17???
[/quote]


If your kids sucks then Winning at 10 and getting that 1st trophy in LL trumps all including your kids arm.

If your kid is going to the next level as in Div I / Pro baseball then winning at 17 isn't really that important.
[/quote]

Wow!

[JWB]

[quote name="Keith Stone" post="1405809" timestamp="1368840700"]
[quote author=Bobcat101 link=topic=111994.msg1405700#msg1405700 date=1368829553]
[quote author=643 link=topic=111994.msg1405455#msg1405455 date=1368791454]
Whats more important>>winning at 10 or winning at 17???
[/quote]


If your kids sucks then Winning at 10 and getting that 1st trophy in LL trumps all including your kids arm.

If your kid is going to the next level as in Div I / Pro baseball then winning at 17 isn't really that important.
[/quote]

Wow!
[/quote]

Two of the most ridiculous statements,I've ever read on this site!

[Bobcat101]

[quote name="JWB" post="1405880" timestamp="1368875503"]
[quote author=Keith Stone link=topic=111994.msg1405809#msg1405809 date=1368840700]
[quote author=Bobcat101 link=topic=111994.msg1405700#msg1405700 date=1368829553]
[quote author=643 link=topic=111994.msg1405455#msg1405455 date=1368791454]
Whats more important>>winning at 10 or winning at 17???
[/quote]


If your kids sucks then Winning at 10 and getting that 1st trophy in LL trumps all including your kids arm.

If your kid is going to the next level as in Div I / Pro baseball then winning at 17 isn't really that important.
[/quote]

Wow!
[/quote]

Two of the most ridiculous statements,I've ever read on this site!
[/quote]


Which is more ridiculous. The fact that I typed that as a joke or the fact that it may be true that kids as young at 10/11/12 yr olds throw 20-30 "curve" balls each outing.

I've never seen an under 16 yr old kid do anything "with proper" technique with consistence. Even the pro player tell me that they have to focus on each and evey type of breaking pitch they throw.

You'll never find anyone more anti breaking ball than me.

We've talked about this typical a million time and a million dad always say " my 3 year has been taught to throw curves with the proper technique.


Ha Ha Ha. JBW that is the most ridiculous statement I've heard.

[teeboan]

Take it from an ol ump. Teach a kid to live at the knees, work out then in..You'll be amazed...no curve ball needed. Not until he has a driver's license anyway.