[atomicsombraro]

I'm 11 and throw a fastball around 71 mph. I am developing a curve. My coach says that I throw it in a way I can't hurt my arm and it breaks around 2 feet. Should I keep throwing it I throw it around 60?

[Teddy Ribbons]

You'd probably be better off waiting until you're at least in High School to start working on your curveball. My brother, who's a strong kid, was throwing about 70mph at age eleven. He and his coach thought that his muscles and tendons were developed enough to start throwing breaking balls. By the time he got to High School his arm was shot. If you really want to keep throwing your curveball, just be careful. Good luck.

[wolfcandy2]

I used to be a pitcher with a wicked splitter,it took the stress off the breaking curveball I threw... my doctors said that age 11 you shouldn't even think of throwing a curveball.Try working on other pitches that don't require that much stress

[prairie son]

NO ONE throws a curve ball that breaks 2 feet unless it just lacks speed enough to get to the plate. And, no you shouldn't throw any kind of curve until your arm matures more. When that will be depends on your own individual body.
Personally, I started throwing a curve when I was 16; my arm was shot by 18.
Prairie Son

[seibel44]

Wow, nice answers so far!! I played 4 years of college baseball and pitched a lot. I can't remember exactly what mph I through @ the age of 11, I'm guessing around 70. But I have been throwing curveballs ever since I can remember probably when I first started playing catch with my father with a ball and glove. My arm is still fine. I through 88-90mph off the mound and have been clocked at 92mph curl hop from right field.

I'm a firm believer in mechanics as long as you are using perfect mechanics you should be able to through any pitch without hurting your arm. Every pitch should be thrown just like a fastball. It all depends on how you hold the baseball/ what grip you are using. I personally think that people hurt their arms worse with fastballs because they are trying to gas up and throw so damn hard. When people throw curves they get on top of the pitch more and work down the mound saving their arm and worrying about their mechanics more.

And as for that last comment "nobody's curve breaks 2 feet" have you ever seen kerry wood/ or any major league pitcher for that matter, buckle batters knees so bad they fall down thinking that the ball is coming at or behind their head? Well it is a lot farther than 2 feet from behind my head to the outside corner of the plate where kerry wood's pitch ends up.

Hope this helps