Go Throw

Go throw

John P. McCarthy, Jr.

Youth baseball: The guide for coaches & parents

Each player needs to throw a ball a few thousand times before he or she develops a smooth throw. Parents should regularly have a catch with their child. It's something you can do anywhere, anytime. Having a catch is not only a great American pastime, but at early ages, it is critical for building throwing skills. Start nice and easy; 15 to 25 feet apart, then slowly move back to 60 feet. The more times your child throws the ball, the faster and better his or her arm will work out the coordination needed.

Here are some throwing basics:

Grip

Grip on the ball is very standard—thumb on bottom, the next two fingers (index and middle) on top, the last two fingers tucked on the side. If the player's hand is small, let him or her use the three middle fingers on top, with only the pinky tucked on the side. Fingers can straddle or cross the seams, but in a fielding play, the player won't have time to worry about seams. Also, make sure the ball is not set back in the hand too far—there should be some space between the palm and the ball. The idea is to throw with the fingers.

Aim

Never use this word! Aim comes from the body. You throw to a player. For righties, the left should and left foot both point in the direction of the target (opposite for lefties.) Eyes must look right at the target. A throw should always be as hard and level as possible, much like a line drive, right at the other player's chest or head.

Velocity

The velocity of a throw depends on where the fielder is playing. A third baseman or shortstop really has to rifle the ball to get it to first base. However, the second baseman needs only to ensure a firm throw to first base. Same for the pitcher. An outfielder, on the other hand, always throws the ball hard. The key to the outfielder's throw lies in getting rid of the ball quickly.

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