meads posted:Chico Escuela posted:Congrats to meads and PitchingFan! Sounds like your boys are off to great starts to the spring.
Chico Jr's HS team is playing to expectations--weren't supposed to contend for a title, but should be pretty good. They have won the games they were expected to; lost some close ones to teams that were supposed to beat them; only been blown out once.
My son's team has a strong pitching staff, which is all seniors plus him (a junior). He (and the coaches) expected he would be a starter and he was on track for that very early on, but has not looked good in his last couple of appearances and, for now at least, is a middle reliever. Unfortunately, he has never pitched well in relief going all the way back to Little League (but he hasn't earned another start). Jr isn't giving up many hits except a few seeing-eye grounders, but when you load the bases with walks and HBP, a single means a couple of runs... He seems ticked off rather than discouraged, which I suppose it good. His dad is a little concerned, but is a worrier by nature.
For whatever its worth- my son has had his struggles this season. First HS team, lots of great talent. Coaches who play the best and sit the rest. His first game was crap, to put it nicely. When he didn't play game 2, it felt more like a punishment. I told him he has to go out there and give it his all, but he was still playing it too safe, afraid to take a chance and make a mistake and get benched again. So we had a chat and I told him wherever and whenever the coaches put you in, you have a job to do. Just DO YOUR JOB and everything will fall in line. The last 2 games he played an inning here and there but he DID HIS JOB and played well. Last night he was starting pitcher and completed the game- I told him, DO YOUR JOB, trust your teammates and if the coach yells at you, don't let him get in your head, your know your pitches and if it doesn't feel right its between you and your catcher.
Now, he will never admit that I give good advice,
but I think our chats are finally sinking in and paying off!
Congrats. Huge change in less than a week.