Expert: Rick Bundy - 6/29/2009

Question
Hi!  My son is 11 and is throwing his fast ball at 56 mph.  Is that pretty good for his age?  I'd like to get him hooked up with some 1-on-1 pitching instruction in Omaha, NE this Winter.  When is the best time, pre-season, to have a kid work on his pitching and how long should we work on it?  Thanks for your help!


Answer
Cindy:  It sounds like your son is currently pitching in Little League this summer.

I am not familiar with the startup dates in Nebraska in the spring.  I live in Arizona, where there actually never is an off season for baseball.

What you want to keep track of is how much he is throwing.  If he throws this summer, and possibly for a fall league team also, he should shut his throwing down for 2-3 months.

If you are able to locate someone for him to work with, look at starting up with them a couple of months ahead of his summer league startup date.  In Nebraska, they are surely set up for indoor instruction, especially in a town the size of Omaha.

A couple of sessions a week working on his mechanics would help him get ready for the start of the season.  There will undoubtedly be different options available, which you can sort out based on what you want to spend and the amount of time you have.

A solid mechanics base will develop accuracy, as well as make the most of his natural velocity.

Since the invention of the radar gun, there has been a fascination for MPH; to the point players sometimes believe velocity is the answer to all pitching situations.  While it certainly doesn't hurt, if it isn't packaged with accuracy and control, it is ineffective.

Sandy Koufax said, "I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it."

Hitting is all about timing, pitching is the disruption of that timing.

At his age, two pitches are good, a fastball and a change up.  They are the easiest on the arm, look the same coming out of their hand and are very efficient at that disruption of timing thing.

I hope he has a good summer.  Sounds like you are off on the right track.  Keep in mind to provide him with that shut down time.  They all need time off, it is good protection for their arm, as is the solid mechanics base.

The best pitch in baseball is strike one!

Yours in baseball,

Rick