Injury Epidemic In Youth Baseball

Jerry Bowen Reports Young Athletes Throwing Too Many Pitches

(CBS)  House warns his students against throwing too much, against overuse.

"You can prepare kids not to get hurt," he says.

In Los Angeles, the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic is in the midst of a long-term study to determine which pitching motions are best for young athletes whose bodies and muscles are still developing.

Back in Long Beach, Victor's grandmother may have an answer. Like a growing number of little league parents, she counts his pitches. Sixty is a recommended limit for a 12-year-old to avoid injuries.

So what's the lesson in all this for coaches and for parents?

"Read the signs," says Victor's father. "Be able to recognize that maybe a little soreness may not be OK."

Victor says kids need to be honest about when they're hurting too.

"You have a long way ahead of you if you have dreams," he says. "If you mess it up here this is just little league. This is just the first stage."

And Victor still has big league dreams.