Elder...lol. Thanks, I will remember that.
What is 80+ anyway? There are lots of kids that throw hard, that DOES NOT make them a pitcher. Seems like he wants to be a catcher, but there is a big possibility he will turn pitcher. If the coach says you will pitch, he will, but that is not the discussion, its whether too much throwing is any good for anyone, no matter which position they will end up playing some day.
One of my sons teammates in college came as a position player. He left as a pitcher, he hated it, so did his parents. But he wasn't going to get drafted very high as a position player with a lose arm than a hitter with speed who couldn't hit. He was a pitcher for the Yankees, in ML.
Whats your point anyway?
I think her point is (not meaning neessarily to speak for her) that 15yo freshman throwing 80mph is going to be pressured to pitch and just saying tell the coach "no is easy advise to give, but might not be that simple. I expect to hear back from posters that, yes, it is that simple. Not for a 15yo.
Who said that the player should say no?
I agree it is not that simple. All circumstances are different. Most likely almost everyone of ours sons have been told at one time that they need to play another position other than the ONE they LOVE. And yes I support the coach that tells the player he will make the team, but not at the position he LOVES. What I dont support is a coach or coaches that makes a player play stressful positions all at one time, which would be pitcher, catcher, ss.
If you come on a team that already has a catcher, and you are going to have to do bull pen duty, there are one of three things you can do, turn down another opportunity to stay in teh game, be a bull pne catcher and work on what you have to get better, or go find another team to play on. How many players play one position in travel but another in HS?
And yes if you tell the coach no just because you dont like that position you are a spoiled brat, but if you say no because of injury issues than what is there to discuss?
My point is not to worry about this stuff until it happens, but do have concerns if there is a health issue, for sure.
My opinion is that for any player, if you really LOVE the game, you will do anything to stay in it. And at some point, there may be someone who really sees better opportunity for you. I am grateful that son had good people who steered him in the right direction.
Ok so not to go backwards but for mine it was really really hard for him to be told that his future would be as a PO. That's quite a bitter pill to swallow when you played just about every position and could hit the ball better than most (very slow though..lol). He was 16 at the time.