The "CURVEBALL"

What age to start throwing it. How many to throw a game. Does it really hurt the arm more than a fastball? How do I throw it correctly?

All very good questions, but answers that could differ depending on the person you ask. Since it was asked to me here, I will give my answers. Throwing overhand is not a natural act, hence why we get a "sore" arm after throwing at times. By throwing a curveball you can put extra stress on the arm, especially and most definately if it is thrown incorrectly. This is the major reason I tell kids to wait to throw the curveball. That, and it is best to let the bones mature and the body as a whole mature.
The biggest problem with a curveball is that kids try and throw it by "twisting" there wrists. Like if you were opening a doorknob for example. This puts a lot of stress on the elbow, inparticular the ulnar nerve. Through all my years of coaching kids, this is how every child will throw it. Pretend you had a fishing rod in your hand, or better yet, go out to the garage and get one. Pretend like you were casting straight out in front of you. That is the wrist action you need to create with a curveball. This will give you the most effective break on the ball and the least amount of stress to the arm. Its a win win. I have created a product that is currently in manufacturing mode that will teach kids this technique within minutes. It will be available at curveballtrainer.com soon. I will have another post when it is out as it will be a huge benefit to the youth of baseball and to those of all ages playing Americas game.
Keep your questions coming folks.

ICE!!!

A question was asked yesterday concerning icing young kids arms. Yes, icing can take place at any age. Basically you are trying to decrease the inflammation that can occur after throwing a multitude of pitches. However, there are some do's and dont's. Never ice longer than 15 minutes with an "ice pack". No more than 10 minutes is using ice applied for instance with a frozen dixie cup applied to the elbow or shoulder and ran in a circular motion. This penetrates quicker and deeper into the joint. Never ice a child after pitching and then move them into another position. Ice should only be applied when throwing is complete for the day. The sooner the better, but you would be doing more harm "tighten" the arm up with ice and send them back out to throw. Kid's will throw anything they can get their hands on, from a ball to rocks on the ground, so they need to be monitored as best as possible. Icing is just another way to help create longevity in a child's arm. Do you change the oil in your car on a regular basis?

Do you warm your car up?

When you jump into your car in the morning, do you turn it over and immediately jam out of the driveway? Occasionally you might, but if your looking for your car to be there for you down the road, you better not make this a habit. The same goes for our young kids arms. I can't tell you how many times I am out at the ballpark and I see a team start to practice and there is no stretching involved. "There young, they don't need to stretch. They're already limber as can be." This is an answer I have heard a lot. My reply to this is simple and should make great sense. Your not necessarily stretching them to prevent injury at that moment. You are stretching them for the long haul. And when I say this, I am specifically talking about their throwing arms. It's just like your car. If you don't warm it up it simply is not going to last as long as if you did. It's that simple. We teach these kids the game of baseball and some have the opportunity to play well into their lives. Baseball may prevent them from falling into trouble in their teen years. Baseball may give them the opportunity to attend college. Baseball may give them the opportunity for a career. We teach them the fundamentals of the game at an early age to give them this opportunity. We better teach them the importance of taking care of the one thing that can bring it all to a sudden halt. Their arm!!!!

A new season

It is the beginning of a new season. I hope ballplayers of all leagues and ages have a great year!! The game of baseball can give you so much and teach you so many life lessons. "Respect The Game" is something I always tell kids. By doing so you will learn sportsmanship, to win respectfully, to lose humbly. Thats its not the last error you made or the last strikeout or the last past ball you threw. Its the next groundball you get and the next at bat and the next pitch you throw that matters. If you can accept that, and move forward in the game with the confidence you need to succeed, how much better off will you be at dealing with life? Move forward this season with the knowledge that the next pitch is the only one that matters.

Hello all,

This will be a new blog centered around baseball. Baseball questions will be answered as recieved and topics picked at my discretion. I am a former pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinal and Detroit Tigers. I pitched 3 years at the major league level and several others in the minors. I look forward to helping all of you with your baseball questions over time.
I am currently starting up a business that will supply baseball training devices that I have come up with through my years of teaching kids the game that I love. You can visit us soon at www.leftyrightysports.com. Thank you and look forward to our chats.

Tom Urbani