Infielddad,
Great post from an EXPERIENCED dad!
A coach's job is to see that younger players get a chance to develop to be able to compete in the BIG games. As a parent of a college player, I would expect mine to have his start, but he also knows, as a sophomore that he will not get the weekend start unless the more experienced players fail. If a coach has 5 players pretty much matched in ability, the more experienced players get the nod. I am ok with that. But if son was not given any opportunity to get that experience, I think he would be disappointed and as a parent I would be too. You don't learn by sitting on the bench, in any sport.
In another post we basically agreed, you learn the game by practicing. Why is it hard to accept that you have to learn by the experience also. The opportunity for a college pitcher comes by way of relief innings, for a position player as a sub. As your son moves up, you learn that very quickly there is a pecking order.
As Infielddad suggests, there are very FEW younger players at the college level who have the natural extinct and talent to go into the game and perform asap, on the college level. Most get that opportunity right away if it is a young team. And even if they do have better ability, if the older more experienced player is getting the job done, he will get the nod. I admire the coach with that attitude.
JBB asked a question. Honestly, if your son was the older more experienced player replaced by a younger inexperienced player who had more talent, would yuou accept that?