Are some kids cut short by parents insistence on being 2-way?

Yes. And it happens a lot.

Sometimes it hard to know for sure where their best opportunity lies. It's also hard to know when to commit fully to one or the other.

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Originally posted by Coach_May:
Yes. And it happens a lot.

Spot on, money... as usual. GED10DaD

Good points there JB--
I tried my best to stay out of the way of on the field decisions. Son was always a good hitter, but coach always got to make the call on how he would be used. Good coaches always do better jobs evaluating than good parents.
It seems we hear more Joe Nathan stories than Rick Ankiel types. There is a common notion that once you put down a bat you'll never get to pick one up again. Maybe that's got more to do with what ends many pitching careers.

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Hello Spizzle!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!



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Have run across my fair share of parents and players who have an idea in their head that they they are destined to play a specific position. The truth is that the person or persons actaully making that decision, is not always going to be them. I believe it is important to have an open mind so that when the time comes that someone else gets to decide(and the time will come), not only where you play, but if you play, options are available.

Young players are way too often labeled into certain positions simply in the pursuit of getting a victory. I have observed that often times a players development as an athlete, and as a young man(or woman), put last on the list of priorities. The "victory" means everything.

Younger players should be given the opportunity to experience every position, including pitching. By the time they reach HS age limitations on where they are able to play, or willing to play, will limit a coaches decision on whether they even make a roster. I think this will ultimately effect the possibility of playing a a higher level.

It is not unusual to see college levels players and professional players selected not only for their ability to play the game but also to play multiple positions. I realize at the college and pro levels that often pitchers are pitchers and maybe nothing else, but it was their willingness and experience in earlier years that gave them the opportunity in the first place. How many major league pitchers are there now who refused to even give pitching a chance at younger levels.

Probably making a bigger deal out of this than I should but thought I would throw my two cents worth in. Just think it's foolish to limit opportunities in that way.

[quote]...but parents didn't want them to pitch or......

Ok here goes an old timer but it is christmas time so bear with me

maybe I should have asked the parents where their kid should play or not play. maybe I should have asked where they should hit in the lineup. Sarcasm? i just can not help it. I always thought you put your players where they not only could be successful but where they best can help the team to win. do parents now tell the coaches where their kid should play. I do not know. never happened to me. I was always tinkering with the lineup and putting kids into different positions during practice. Kids got a strong arm? maybe he could pitch? I remember one time telling a player to go take some ground balls at third base during practice. He said "I never played third base" I asked him are you a baseball player he said yes. Is third base a position on a baseball team? he said yes. WELL. NO PROBLEM.

my son is a true catcher utility and I think it really helps him now and will help him even more in the future but its really hard being a pitcher as well. Every team he has ever played on needs him there however but I worry about his arm. He once threw 140 pitches in a MS game... because his team needed him.

There are two sides to this argument about demanding kids/parents and coaches always getting a pass simply b/c they are the coach.

Will - The way I've seen it play out is that parents do seem to be able to say, "Coach, I don't want my son to pitch...I want to protect his arm" and coaches honor that request. After all, what coach wants to be accused of hurting a kid's arm? Especially at the youth ages.

The purpose of the request is often that the parent prefers to see their son hit...but its usually not put that way.

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I always thought you put your players where they not only could be successful but where they best can help the team to win.

That is exactly right. Every player should be proficient at every postition 1-9. This should be done in their youth so that the player can fit in on EVERY team he EVER plays on.

I dont see as much insistence by parents of their child being a "two-way" guy as much as I see parents totally insulted if Johnny is asked to move from the 6 position to anywhere else for the benefit of the team.

Some parents may not wish to travel the path of the injured arm in high school. We see a lot of high school pitchers pretty much maxed out by senior year. It seems an easy decision to avoid the path to arm injury and multiple elbow or shoulder surguries.

Parents ultimately have that decision.

Coaches will have to accept that the kid with sore knees will not catch.

Many high school coaches show little to no regard to the health of their players, especially pitchers.
When a pitcher comes up lame, all you get from the coach is a 'Who me?' look.

Players who are position players play the game to play the game, not sit the bench. I would rather see a player make a move to a better opportunity than accept a bench role or a year of chasing foul balls.

I've seen some good coaches who accept that a kid has a desired position that they have always played and I have seen coaches who will put that player anywhere but the position that the player expresses to have an interest in.

It is one thing for a good coach to try to fill the needs of the team, but too often I have come acros egotistical coaches who try to lord over the players who are trying out to play.

Parents have the final word in my view.

My son moved over to 2B from SS/3B/P due to growth plate issues at age 12-14. Concentrated on hitting and became a very good 2B and has stayed there ever since. We never demanded anything either way, but were always told that because he'd probably top out at less that 6', pitching probably wasn't in his future at the next level.

Now at age 17, 5'10", pitched a little to help both the HS and travel team, did surprisingly well, and what do you know. He'll play 2B and pitch at the next level. Probably not pitching all those years helped to keep his arm healthy. Pitching in college probably won't last long, but he's looking forward to it because he loves it.

Here is a good story about David Cales who is in the Cubs minor league system.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl...ey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

He was from Chcago and went to Missouri to play a position. The head coach wanted him to pitch. As it turns out he got all upset about it and tranfered out so he could play the field. Turns out the coaches knew what they were talking about. A lot of times coaches can see things the players and parents cant see.

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That is exactly right. Every player should be proficient at every postition 1-9. This should be done in their youth so that the player can fit in on EVERY team he EVER plays on

playfair,

You know not every player has the tools to play all of the postions. Some can, but many have limitations, even at the youth level.

We've seen a couple strong armed two way kids we know go into pro ball insisting on being position players. I'd have said they made the right choice going in but neither one has hit all that well so far.

It's an interesting question. 4thGen was recruited by some schools as a pitcher, by others as a position players and by a couple as a two-way player. The pro scouts that saw him told him to concentrate on being a position player until someone proved he couldn't hit at the next level. His school had a need at SS so that's were he played.

From what he saw last season and his results in the summer where he was a two way player, he knows he could be a starting pitcher for his team. What he can't do is pitch and play short. He wants to contribute any way that helps the program the most and he does not have any regrets. I support that attitude.

If you knew for sure at lets say 15YO that someday your two way player would bust 90 the decision would be a lot easier. But you can't know that.

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playfair,

You know not every player has the tools to play all of the postions. Some can, but many have limitations, even at the youth level.

Well, I dont know about the youth level but higher up yes, ofcourse I know this. But, players still need to know how to play them. During high school my son played every position at least once. This is not a brag. Sometimes situations dictate that you move around. Now he is a much better catcher than he is a shortstop but he can play it. We just firmly believe that the coach gets to decide where the player best fits in. We wanted our kids to fit in everywhere so we taught all our kids where to back up, cut, throw, etc. from every position.


This year in college my son expects to pitch a bit. Guess what he is working on this offseason.

Baseball is a contribution sport. You have to be able to contribute when you are asked where you are asked.

The way I see it, it depends on the age of the kid, and the validity of the coach. I agree that every "kid" should be given opportunity to succeed at positions 1-9.

That means a couple of tries (not just one error and you're out) and it also means looking for a natural physical match to position. (Maybe the big guy at 1B doesn't need much time at short or center -- but rounds at 3B are a good idea).

Additionally, and really no offense to Dad's who coach youth leagues, coaches who are serious, knowledgeable, experienced and looking to provide opportunity for the player at the next level are the coaches that I look to for guidance on whether my kid plays a position or pitches.

In our experience, the HS coach needs him to play both ways. The summer coach gave him priority as a pitcher, and the college coach sees him as a position player first and a pitcher second for now.

It's about trusting the people who make the decisions for your kid.