Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Stress on Pitcher's Arm

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Anyone watch Lauren Delaney's performance last evening (Northwestern over Iowa 16-5)?

Well over 300 pitches in two games! Ill effects? She's probably VERY sore today, and I'm sure she used liberal ice/heat on her arm after the games.

But irreversible damage? I doubt it - not any more than a body builder does to their muscle tissue after max reps. First, she's very LONG and LOOSE (as previously said), and Mother Nature was very kind in giving her a very long whip, as she's 6' tall.

She'll live to pitch another day... and another... and another. Her ability is more than likely linked to two things: Genetics and proper mechanics/conditioning. I'm sure she gets excellent medical advice and treatment. But in her case, the fact that she pitches SO MUCH is the key to her stamina.

Not every kid could replicate this performance. My point is that a "study" is great and helpful in general terms, but you can't apply a "cookie-cutter" approach by stating what she did last night is dangerous to her health. It may well be to a kid with a different physical build and flawed mechanics. But for her, it was just another marathon performance.

 

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Yes,, I think the point that should be taken is that proper mechanics are vital, and that genetics bless some athletes more than others to withstand the stress of throwing larges amounts of pitches. We have a friend who's junior high age who experienced shoulder pain last fall and winter, and they backed off. My dd's new pitching coach, one things she talked about at her first session with our dd was the importance of ice-ing down her shoulder 20 minutes on, 20 mins. off, once she starts pitching 100 plus pitches a day.

 

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While I believe that throwing 3-4 games in a day is rediculous, keep in mind that many travel games are less than 7 inning affairs. Especially in pool play.

I would suggest that the issue isn't as much about individual pitch counts in competition. It is more the belief that pitchers need to throw 300 pitches 4-6 days a week on a ten month basis or more. I feel there is far more damage done by the amount of practice time that is being demanded of pitchers rather than how many innings are pitched in competition.

That is another reason to encourage other types of athletic activities and multiple sports to give the kids a break in the repetition.

 

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Oh, That's an excellent point. Cross training, breaking up the repetition, using different muscle sets is an excellent point. Plus, what';s the old saw about putting all your eggs in one basket?