Weighted Balls??

[BoomBoomPow]

I know most of you may be expecting this to be a topic regarding Pitchers, However...My interest is more on the receiving end...THE CATCHER.

I'm trying to get some oppinion's (constructive please) on Catchers and the increased chances of injury to the CATCHER, when a pitcher uses a weighted ball for warm up...
Ket notes...HS ages, and "A" ball level of play, so they are throwing HARD by the end of warm up, even to the point of walkthrough pitches...

I have been told that there is an increased chance of injury to the Catchers thumb or hand, i.e. torn ligaments or pulled muscles are prevalent. The reason I bring up level of play is that correct technique is being used by catcher, but this is "Warmup" for the pitcher and all it takes is ONE PITCH, that is just centimeters off the mark that could take you out for the season...

THEN...how do you approach the coach or pitcher to handle this delicately?

[Imperial SB Dad]

Using a weighted ball for pitching full speed?

Knowing what I know about how even a couple of ounces can increase load on the shoulder through pulling on the arm I would never ask a pitcher to do full speed pitching with a weighted ball. Let alone ask a catcher to catch it.

For those that don't know the anatomy of the shoulder the long head of the biceps muscle attaches to the cartilage in the shoulder joint. When you load the biceps too much it can pull the biceps loose from this attachment causing a biceps tear and a cartilage tear. Curt Schilling had this injury and required surgery, it is called a SLAP lesion.

[hit4power]

For a brief period in time, I caught my DD (then in middle school) throwing a weighted ball that was 0.5 ounces heavier than normal and even that small added weight (and she topped out at 52-53mph back then) made a noticeable difference in the impact of the ball in my glove. I never had a hand injury but then she was throwing slower than your pitcher likely is, and I am an adult. Knowing what I know now, I'd never have had her use a weighted ball. Pitching from extra distance and distance throwing were more effective with her than the weighted balls ever were and with much reduced risk on injury on both ends.

I wonder who (TB coach, pitcher's parent, pitching coach) is behind wanting the pitcher to throw full speed with a weighted ball? But that's where I'd start my conversation and then go from there pointing out the risk of injury to both players and the lack of any evidence that weighted balls do anything to improve pitching performance...

[rbi]

Was just talking to ex minor leaguer who is now part of a baseball/softball training facility, of which has a Sports PT on staff. He says he see's numerous YOUNG kids who are coming back from Tommy John, all of which were using weighted balls as a part of their throwing program. Weighted balls have their use BUT, the uneducated abuse and subsequent injuries are very prevelant. I know my kid has NEVER touched a weighted ball and hopefully never will.

[DonnieS]

Was just talking to ex minor leaguer who is now part of a baseball/softball training facility, of which has a Sports PT on staff. He says he see's numerous YOUNG kids who are coming back from Tommy John, all of which were using weighted balls as a part of their throwing program. Weighted balls have their use BUT, the uneducated abuse and subsequent injuries are very prevelant. I know my kid has NEVER touched a weighted ball and hopefully never will.

My dd2 used a weighted ball we got from Ernie Parker - it was a pound rubber ball - but it was used for warmup tosses, short tosses that emphasized wrist snap. We would do around 10-15 of those from around 15 feet or so . We hadnt done it in quite a few years, her warmups are run by other folks most the time now and are a lot of long toss after the short snaps. Early in high school, her high school pitching coach asked her to do a weighted ball - pitching regular distance and lots of reps. She did it once or twice and then refused todo it again. So they came up with a workout for her. That did not include weighted balls.

[Tucson]

I learned a long time ago, to listen to Donnie.

When my DD was 14, we tried the weighted ball thing. Never again. They are too heavy to windmill and can cause shoulder injury. I sold them to a slow pitch guy. I had a set of varying weights.

And to answer the OP's question, yes they are a danger to the person that is catching. I was an experienced softball player and my DD still broke my finger with one.

[Sid Barrett]

DD's pitching coach and Donnie must be cut from the same cloth. I agree 100%. Pitching coach would not allow DD to use the weighted ball until she was 13, and then only for 3/4 snaps from 20" from the plate, 15 reps or so, just as a warm up.

In my experience with the weighted ball, I saw it more hazardous to the catcher when they tried to throw it back to the pitcher with an overhand motion. Particularly if the pitcher was using it for long tosses 50 or 60 feet from the plate. Absolute hell on the shoulder joint of a still developing young lady.

[DonnieS]

DD's pitching coach and Donnie must be cut from the same cloth. I agree 100%. Pitching coach would not allow DD to use the weighted ball until she was 13, and then only for 3/4 snaps from 20" from the plate, 15 reps or so, just as a warm up.

In my experience with the weighted ball, I saw it more hazardous to the catcher when they tried to throw it back to the pitcher with an overhand motion. Particularly if the pitcher was using it for long tosses 50 or 60 feet from the plate. Absolute hell on the shoulder joint of a still developing young lady.

Sid, those us that are older than dirt, learned from the writings and teachings of people like Ernie Parker and his teaching as I remember (remember older than dirt) was no windmill motion with a weighted ball.

[superfan]

My DD has only used her weighted ball at close range(20-30 ft) to increase her spin and finger strength. She only throws it slingshot and never throws it windmill or overhand. The catcher returns it underhand as well.

[Midwest]

This is all news to me and glad I'm reading it. Up in our area you see most of the best pitchers warm up with heavy balls. I'm not talking 15-20 pitches. By the end of there warm ups with the heavy ball they will pitch from 43', full motion and as hard as they can. They then warm up with reg. ball then. As to the catchers, yes I do see a problem. Myself as an adult hurt my shoulder throwing back to my daughter. I see a lot of catchers rolling the ball back because it hurts there shoulder throwing over hand 43' with those balls. Regarding finger injuries, Yes some have had sprains but nothing broken yet thankfully.