by Richard Todd, WebBall founder

Over my years of coaching I have seen so many promising young pitchers become potential stars by age 12, yet by 15 they are done - no longer able to excel on the mound, and in the worst cases no longer able to throw at all.

When one such protégé fails, it's unfortunate. But when many flame out early, it's a trend - and trends have causes. Here's a compilation of several common causes of pitching "careers" ruined way too early.

1 Bad Warm-Up Habits 

When a kid is 7, 8 or 9, his muscles are lean, light, and take very little time to be as loose and stretched as they need to be. Picking up a ball and throwing is pretty much all that's generally required.

Unfortunately, by the age range of 10-12, growth spurts start creating problems. Then with puberty, muscle development gets underway seriously. Through 16 or 17 there may still be growth plate issues at the ends of long bones. Plus along the way, joints get tighter, more locked in, less flexible.

In other words, there comes a time when a proper warm-up is crucial to a healthy arm. That warm-up should including a tubing routine, arm circles, leg and core sequences, and some wind sprints - all before picking up a baseball. The best advice is to make sure there is a mild sweat by the end of the warm-up routine (a literal warming of the whole body and all muscles).

This routine is much easier to stick to at, say, age 14, if it's introduced before necessary - by age 9 or 10 (perhaps earlier). The short-term benefit is discipline; the longer term benefit is a future in baseball.

2 Always Throwing Hard 

Kids grow at different rates and there will always be a real disparity in younger ages between early developers and late bloomers.

Generally what happens is the pitchers who get taller early (before age 12) easily become dominating pitchers - they can throw faster than batters can react.  What happens is an early reliance on the fastball. Good hard heat is all it takes to succeed.

Eventually fastballs down the pike are not enough. Batters will catch up, their timing and tracking will improve, and straight heat will not get past them.

Of course he only knows one thing. He has learned only that more bat speed must be countered by more pitch speed. But the harder he tries to throw, the worse his results. He tries to deliver every pitch at 100% effort - no reserve in the tank. His grip gets too tight, he overthrows, and wears out his arm.

Finesse is required - changes in location, movement, break, and speed. These are teachable, learnable skills. But not overnight.  By the time that realization dawns on the former fastball-only star, he has wasted seasons, and may not have time to figure it all out.

The solution - start early explaining how batter's model pitches, how they can be fooled. For batter deception, the best pitch could be a simple change-up. And to that some movement on almost every pitch - just as long as the hitter expects to make contact some where, but the pitch arrives somewhere else - as well as "somewhen" else.

3 The Wrong Breaking Pitches 

Point 2 mentions "movement" which to some readers might suggest early learning of curveballs. First, there is such a thing as a safe curveball for younger ages - a locked wrist, tomahawk-chop style curve. But unless you understand the finer points of the grip and release, it should not be taught or tried.

So how do you get movement? Finger pressure. This is the real secret of advanced pitching, and while few young pitchers will master it, they can at least try - with far less risk than bending wrists or straining forearms.

A cutter is a fastball held off-center with different pressure on the two fingers atop the ball. And the difference between a 4-seam and 2-seam fastball (or even a "3-seamer") is how the fingers fit on - or off- the seams, and how much pressure each applies.

We can't cover all the variations here - we don't need to. What's important is that you understand that finger pressure and seam angle can create movement without strain. All you have to do now is try different configurations and throw everything with your normally easy fastball body/arm action. Some pitches may fail, some may surprise you. And somewhere in the experiment may be your own personal "out" pitch.

4 Blind Coaches 

You can interpret this mistake anyway you want: coaches who turn a blind eye to young pitchers when their arms are sore; coaches who refuse to learn anything more than what they were taught 20 years ago;  coaches who think every pitcher on their team is the same; coaches who treat pitch-count rules like highway speed limits - they have to be reached, you can't go slower or pitch less.

Such coaching ignorance - and the trust that young pitchers put in those coaches - is perhaps the greatest cause of arm failure and shortened careers.

Many have suggested that all coaches, especially pitching coaches, need credentials. I'd agree, as long as prior experience as a pitcher is not considered as valid. In truth, former pitchers are among the most blind of all coaches - knowing only what worked for them and not seeing how different their new young charges are - from a former pro, or from each other.

While some jurisdictions do have certification requirements, I have encountered few such courses in which what is taught on pitching is adequate. I really think it comes down to personal education. Learn everything you can - as a coach, parent, player - from as many sources as you can. Filter these tips (or trust a resource that filters for you) and never stop asking "why". Asking questions is your best defense against ignorance, and your best chance for a longer pitching career - at any age.