Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL

Pitchers, catchers report

By Gary Hawkins ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

Cony's Jake Beland and Hall-Dale's Lindsay LaChance aren't yet in midseason pitching form, but the two seniors appeared well ahead of schedule Monday when pitchers and catchers reported to their high school teams.

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Cony High School pitcher Charlie Partridge delivers a pitch during practice Monday at Cony High School in Augusta.

GARY HAWKINS

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In baseball, a maximum of eight pitchers and two catchers are eligible to report a week before their teammates join them next Monday, according to Maine Principals' Association rules. Baseball pitchers historically need extra time to get their arms in shape for the season. This is less true of softball pitchers because the underhand motion they employ puts far less strain on their shoulder and elbow so MPA rules allow a total of 10 pitchers and catchers.

LaChance pitches three days a week during the winter months at a training facility in Skowhegan and increases that load to four or five times a week as the season approaches.

"I'm working mostly on a curveball right now," LaChance said. "That's basically what I'm going to utilize this time for."

Although LaChance will pitch nearly every game for the Bulldogs this season, Hall-Dale coach Dave Kaplan had five pitchers and five catchers working out in the gym Monday. Some of them will play at the junior varsity level, but as Kaplan pointed out, "They get their work in and they're more ready for the season."

Baseball arms are far more fragile. Beland worked out twice a week during the offseason and threw 60 pitches in a session last week, although he was limited to 30 on Monday.

"I'm not 100 percent speedy but I'm hitting my spots pretty good right now," he said.

Trainer Jill Haskell was on hand Monday in the Cony gym, putting pitchers through a series of exercises, some with cables, designed to stretch and strengthen arms and legs.

"This is a Thrower's 10 program that works on rotator cuff strengthening and strengthening around the shoulder joint," she said.

Once the players get on the field, pitching programs are monitored by the coaches although Haskell will check them out in case of injuries or sore arms. She's worked nine years as various schools in helping pitchers get ready for the season

"Initially when I started, we didn't do this," she said of the Thrower's 10 program. "Once we started doing this we saw the number of shoulder injuries decrease."

First-year Cony coach Don Plourde ran both pitchers and catchers through drills affecting their positions. Some pitchers threw 20 pitches off portable mounds while those who have been working out threw 30.

"Obviously kids who have been throwing all winter long are at a different level," he said. "I'm not going to bring them right back down to ground zero, but I'm certainly going to be cautious."

Once the season begins pitchers will generally throw one game and two bullpen sessions a week, although that varies somewhat with relievers.

Each pitcher has an individual plan tailored to his needs. This time of the year, pitchers generally throw every other day often with weekends off as coaches build pitch counts and arm strength. Plourde doesn't ignore pitch counts but he's not married to them either.

"Having the luxury of guys that just pitch is nice, too," he said. "When you're talking about positional players, then obviously you're really concerned about pitch counts. I will say this, sometimes we worry too much about guys overthrowing and we don't throw them enough."

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com