The reality is that a lot of HS lineups have 2-4 guys whose on base average is in the .250 range or lower. Meaning, if you leave them to their own devices, you have a 75+% chance of them getting out. Worse, a lot of those outs are K's. So all too often it's an out where the runners go nowhere. I would rather have that kid do something that might actually help lead to a score.
Now, if I have David Ortiz up there, he can swing away no matter what. Easy decision. But that's not what we're talking about.
And if you're talking HS ball, where fielding is always iffy, you're not playing smart if you don't force the other side to make plays. So often, they just don't make the plays.
Plus, why not make the corner guys play in, so that your sharp grounder then gets past them?
BTW this kind of baseball is especially valuable if you run into a team that has a big horse on the mound. If you see one of those rare 95 mph guys, and you think you're going to put 10 hits on the board, good luck to you. You either make things happen or you end up sucking wind.
What I really want is a team that knows how to do both things, so that the defense has to always wonder what's coming next, and so that you can attack in whatever way most exploits the other team's vulnerabilities. Closing yourself off to one option just makes things that much easier on your opponent.