It is the parents responsibility to protect the health of the player. I have told all my sons that if you do not feel "healthy" and ready to go out of the bullpen then you do not pitch. If you feel during the game that you are fatigued out and need to come out, call for a mound visit. Of go over your pitch counts with the PC between innings.
As far as the coaches are concerned, most know when the player is "losing" his stuff. For my sons, when they start losing their off speed control I can tell it will not be long. I wonder if the stories I hear about kids throwing 100+ pitches are pitchers from smaller schools with limited roster size? We generally carry enough pitchers so no one gets worn out.
2018 has been told he will get varisty innings this season. He is crusing 85 and hitting 87 I have already had a "hey what are you planning for 2018 this season" talk with the HC... Now this might be easier for me having had three others come through the program.. Some might think that I should not talk to the HC about his plans, but he's my son, he gets one shot, and he is very talented. If I felt the HC did not have my sons best interest at heart we would play elsewhere.
I think you are correct about the smaller schools. Last year we had 4 pitchers, including my son, that could keep the games close. This year we are down to 2 pitchers with 4 others that can throw strikes but will need more defense to keep glames close.
So are there other high schools nearby where you could bring your son if you felt your son's pitching health was in danger? And would your son have to wait a year because of UIL rules to get back on varsity at another school?
I will post an update after I have a "what are you planning for my son this season" talk with the HC.
Let me also say that I did not approach the coach. He told 2018 that he wanted to talk to me and that lead to me asking him about his plans for him. Also, I never talked about how much, where or when in regards to playing time etc.... We did talk about going back and forth from jv to varsity and how he sees that working...Again its my 4th son with this coach.
To answer your question about being able to attend other schools if I did not feel comfortable with the HC , it would be very easy to move schools and not sit out. If you have not been rostered on a varsity roster you can move anywhere in the county. our county has open enrollement... if you are rostered on a varsity roster, then you need to cahnge classification levels, or move one zone over from where you are curently zoned. Not to mention the private schools that allow scholarships. We live he a decent Metro area, plenty of schools. While needing to move is not the case here, I would not hesitate to do so to protect the health and well being of my child. For baseball reasons, academic reasons, bullying whatever the case might be. I find this no different the parent who moves their kid from public to private school. This would be a family decision and is none of the schools districts business.
I would also mention that 'PLAYING TIME' and "PARENTS GETTING THEIR WAY" is not the same as having a players "BEST INTEREST AT HEART"
I cannot remember one of my sons playing for a coach that threw him too much. One game in the state semi's , 2014 threw 110... and that's the worst of it...
Only a idiot would throw a middle school / high school pitcher too much... If fact I can only remember seeing abuse maybe 1-2 times in 500+ games. I really do not think if happens to often... NOW pitching without rest in between is likely to happen more often.