More bad news

[Koz]

My son is a freshman in HS and baseball tryouts started this week. But on Sunday he was at his mother’s and with his giant feet he tripped and fell down a flight of steps.

 

Thankfully he did not break anything and his head CT was clear. But he hurt his neck and non pitching shoulder and he’s in a sling for at least a week. The doctor thinks he separated the shoulder on the way down and it popped back in when he landed.

 

So no tryouts for him and he misses a season of baseball. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I hate to hear that. However, I will try to look at it on the bright side. He has a whole year to get stronger and work on his mechanics without having to worry about pitching at the high school level. I realize missing a season will be a bummer, but it could actually help his arm in the long run. Most kids that are 15, 16, 17 are still growing and developing and this is a time in their careers that many of them sustain injuries that last for the rest of their lives. Now is the time for him to focus on the little things and do the rehab and work his butt off. Realistically, I don't think missing his Freshman year will hurt him as bad as you might think. The experience would be great, but he will get plenty of looks down the road if he does what he needs to this year. 

[Mike L]

Hopefully he’ll have full range of motion when it heals and possibly stronger than it was. 
 

Best of luck to him

 

 

 

Mike

[12poundbass]

Ahhh I know this all too well! I separated my right shoulder (grade 3 tear) after I got checked from behind and my right shoulder smashed the boards. I was in a contraption that wrapped around my stomach and Velcroed my arm to the wrap around my stomach. I was in that for 6 weeks I believe and missed baseball tryouts my junior year. 
 

Make sure he does his PT! I’m paying for it from time to time now 20 years later. I was ten foot tall and bulletproof back then and didn’t do it. Oops. 

[jimmyjoe]

8 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Make sure he does his PT! I’m paying for it from time to time now 20 years later. I was ten foot tall and bulletproof back then and didn’t do it. Oops. 

 

   ^^^  This, times a million!  ^^^                  jj

[Koz]

2 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I hate to hear that. However, I will try to look at it on the bright side. He has a whole year to get stronger and work on his mechanics without having to worry about pitching at the high school level. I realize missing a season will be a bummer, but it could actually help his arm in the long run. Most kids that are 15, 16, 17 are still growing and developing and this is a time in their careers that many of them sustain injuries that last for the rest of their lives. Now is the time for him to focus on the little things and do the rehab and work his butt off. Realistically, I don't think missing his Freshman year will hurt him as bad as you might think. The experience would be great, but he will get plenty of looks down the road if he does what he needs to this year. 

He lost last season due to COVID and he didn’t play summer ball for the same reason. With ballparks and academies closed his pitching workouts were limited. But his fastball now sits 80-82 and he finally honed his curve bay. It’s a real shame he’s sitting out again.

 

I just can’t catch him anymore. It stinks getting old. Plus I have to focus on the pitch and can’t focus on his mechanics.

[jbsoonerfan]

1 minute ago, Koz said:

He lost last season due to COVID and he didn’t play summer ball for the same reason. With ballparks and academies closed his pitching workouts were limited. But his fastball now sits 80-82 and he finally honed his curve bay. It’s a real shame he’s sitting out again.

 

I just can’t catch him anymore. It stinks getting old. Plus I have to focus on the pitch and can’t focus on his mechanics.

I hear that. My daughter is 12 and is hitting 49-50 and that is too fast for this old man. Especially with her learning a drop and a rise ball. I don't have it in me anymore. 

[Crankin4Bass]

Sorry to hear about your son. I hope he heals soon. The advice above on PT is great. We have unfortunately had to make a few visits to our local children's hospital orthopedic department for a variety of injuries and found they also have a great pediatric PT department. It was way better than any PT we have used before. They were really focused and specialized. Some even have sports rehab clinics. Maybe something to look into.

 

I have an idea for you so your son can pitch when he heals and you can watch his mechanics. After a certain point my dad couldn't catch for me either, so I built a frame in the yard and hung a heavy net to pitch into. I put two 12 foot tall 4x4 posts in the ground about 10 feet apart. I then attached a 2x4 across the top of the two post. Then I attached screw hooks every 12 inches around the frame and I used those to hang up a heavy net to pitch into. I then threaded a white rope into the net to form a rectangle as my target strike zone. I even built a mound and installed a rubber and a home plate. 

 

Hope this is helpful and that your son heals soon.

 

* Edit: After typing all this, I now see you can buy something readymade.

 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/easton-7-xlp-training-net-16etsustn7xlpntxxtra/16etsustn7xlpntxxtra

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Crankin4Bass

[Koz]

8 hours ago, Crankin4Bass said:

Sorry to hear about your son. I hope he heals soon. The advice above on PT is great. We have unfortunately had to make a few visits to our local children's hospital orthopedic department for a variety of injuries and found they also have a great pediatric PT department. It was way better than any PT we have used before. They were really focused and specialized. Some even have sports rehab clinics. Maybe something to look into.

 

I have an idea for you so your son can pitch when he heals and you can watch his mechanics. After a certain point my dad couldn't catch for me either, so I built a frame in the yard and hung a heavy net to pitch into. I put two 12 foot tall 4x4 posts in the ground about 10 feet apart. I then attached a 2x4 across the top of the two post. Then I attached screw hooks every 12 inches around the frame and I used those to hang up a heavy net to pitch into. I then threaded a white rope into the net to form a rectangle as my target strike zone. I even built a mound and installed a rubber and a home plate. 

 

Hope this is helpful and that your son heals soon.

 

* Edit: After typing all this, I now see you can buy something readymade.

 

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/easton-7-xlp-training-net-16etsustn7xlpntxxtra/16etsustn7xlpntxxtra

 

 

 

Thanks. We do have a net that he throws into - although he throws so hard we have to weight it down now! We also used those 9 pocket pitching targets when we worked out at the training facility.

 

But using the net isn't the same as throwing to a catcher, especially when working on locating his pitches. The net and the target give the impression of a large strike zone area and target, while a catcher simulates game conditions. We still use the nets now and then, but prefer the catcher. I'm sure we'll find someone.

 

Back when we lived in the SC Upstate there was always a willing catcher at the facility where we worked out. But here in the SC Lowcountry we don't have any baseball academies or indoor workout facilities in our area. There are a few crappy batting cages with machines at 50 feet out, but no full batting cages or pitching facilities.

[Sam]

On 1/26/2021 at 8:49 PM, jimmyjoe said:

 

   ^^^  This, times a million!  ^^^                  jj

X3. The PT and then special workout routines for pitchers is what he needs to do after he is released from the doctor's care. 

 

Make sure he does what the doctor and PT guys say to do and do not rush the recovery. He can spend time reading and studying about how to play his position since baseball is a mind game.

 

If you live near a college that has a baseball team please ask their trainer and weight coach what exercises they suggest your son do to get ready for next year.

 

And also tell him that baseball is a year round sport. When you are not playing or during the off season that is the time for you to get stronger and work on your fundamentals.

 

All the best to him for a speedy and successful recovery.

 

 

[Jigfishn10]

Oh, man, what a bummer! I know much how he loves baseball. I too have separated my shoulder playing hockey and like @12poundbass I didn't exactly take care of it the way I should have. Like @jbsoonerfan, mentions in his post, take this year to rehab properly and work on getting stronger. Perhaps he can work on mobility/flexibility to the rest of his body as well as core work while the wing heals up? My son is a year older than yours and he is constantly working on mobility/flexibility, core and nutrition in addition to to weight training. He's got the 6 pack to show for it. I wish I had his tenacity at that age in my HS playing days.

 

Good luck. All you can do at this point is keep him positive.

[TnRiver46]

58 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Oh, man, what a bummer! I know much how he loves baseball. I too have separated my shoulder playing hockey and like @12poundbass I didn't exactly take care of it the way I should have. Like @jbsoonerfan, mentions in his post, take this year to rehab properly and work on getting stronger. Perhaps he can work on mobility/flexibility to the rest of his body as well as core work while the wing heals up? My son is a year older than yours and he is constantly working on mobility/flexibility, core and nutrition in addition to to weight training. He's got the 6 pack to show for it. I wish I had his tenacity at that age in my HS playing days.

 

Good luck. All you can do at this point is keep him positive.

You have a son? Lord help us all, now we will be laughing for the next 60 years If he has a sense of humor like Dad 

[Jigfishn10]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

You have a son? Lord help us all, now we will be laughing for the next 60 years 

60 years!? Thanks a lot,  I'm not that old!!

[TnRiver46]

20 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

60 years!? Thanks a lot,  I'm not that old!!

Ha! I figured your boy would keep us laughing for another 60

[TheGuy]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:54 AM, Koz said:

He lost last season due to COVID and he didn’t play summer ball for the same reason. With ballparks and academies closed his pitching workouts were limited. But his fastball now sits 80-82 and he finally honed his curve bay. It’s a real shame he’s sitting out again.

 

I just can’t catch him anymore. It stinks getting old. Plus I have to focus on the pitch and can’t focus on his mechanics.

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