To the Editor:
Jeff Passan is spot on in his warnings about damaging arms in youth baseball (“Baseball Is Hurting Our Kids,” Sunday Review, April 10). Inning limits and pitch counts for young players should be monitored as assiduously in youth baseball as they are in the major leagues.
But one problem is what to do when the children are not pitching. Since they are often good athletes, they are placed in the infield or the outfield, where they will still have to make hard throws that are not counted as pitches but still contribute to arm strain.
One suggestion for coaches: Pitching is as much a mental skill as a physical one, and while young pitchers rest their arms, they can be taught the cerebral aspects of the craft. On the bench, discuss things like location, mixing up pitches, holding runners on and dealing with adversity when things aren’t going well.
Make the pitcher’s mound a classroom. You will save arms and teach children things they can use in other areas of life.
CORY FRANKLIN
Wilmette, Ill.
