quote:
Originally posted by Doughnutman:
I am out of ideas.
My son is going to be a pitcher only. He hates it. The coach saw his arm and put him in the PO spot next year as a sophomore on JV. No way around it.
Now for the questions. Is there any other way to approach a coach for a player or parent if the player wants to play other positions? I have tried everything I can think of including talking to the coach and nothing matters. He lit it up this year on JV. 500+ave. 5 hr's 31 hits in 15 games including 17 extra base hits. I know I am a Dad with a Dad's perspective, but he is far and away the best defensive player at any position except catcher on JV or V. I can't afford to move and my son loves everything about the school except the coach. How bad will it look if he skips baseball in HS and just plays in the summer? My son is that desperate.
First off, I would never reccomend a parent trying to talk to the HS Coach... This is a bad idea. Your son in in HS now it's time for him to be proactive, and if he does not like something, or wants to play other positions he should tell the coach. What's the worst he can say? No? Second I was basically a PO in High School, I was a DH the days I did not pitch, but primarily I was just a PO. And there is nothing wrong with that. If your son is a PO, he now has less he has to work on, and can focus just on pitching, and improve himself in that area every day. What do you think is going to happen when he goes to college? Very rarely do you have 2 way players in college.
Not playing at all is going to hurt your son more than help him. What does that show to college coaches if they ask why your son did not play high school ball and your answer is "Well because he did not want to be just a pitcher"..
If the coach abuses arms, your son does not have to be on that list. He is free to say no at anytime. I know if I was looking at a college education and playing college baseball I would not sacrifice myself like that to win a HS Game. And he will only be hurting himself by going out there, not only physically but when his mechanics get sloppy, velocity drops, and the other teams are having a merry go round on the bases, it is not going to look to good to college coaches.
Now my last advice is this. As a parent you have can not get involved in this, this is up to your son to handle this. He is turning into a man, so its time he handles things like a man and voices his own opinion.