creating pitchers success stories

it does happen, my son played basketball with a kid that was always taller/bigger for his age and played baseball as a 3rd sport.  He thought he was going to play big time football as a tight end or forward in basketball.  In the 8th grade I spoke with him and his mom about his potential being better as a pitcher than on the hardwood or football field.  I was totally honest only b/c I had known him and his mom whom was doing the best she could as a single parent. We took him on our team at the time as a project.  Fast forward to last month to shorten the story, he committed to a DI in the MoValley as a 6'7" 210lb RHP.  More upside to come if maturity can be managed.  It can happen........

Joliet, our HS program is basically the same way on numbers. Last year we were able to get enough to come out for the first time in 4 or 5 years to actually make cuts, I think there were 3 cut...lol.  I have tried to do the same thing, recruit from other athletic programs within the school.  It's tough when your biggest opposition is the baseball coaching staff.  They are not big fans of actually trying to develop talent, they would prefer to  polish a kid that already shows skills.  I have seen a couple of JV quarter backs and a few others around the campus that I would love to have the opportunity to work with for a few weeks/months just to show thenm their own potential.

Look up the story on Kenny Rogers. Played one year of HS baseball as an outfielder. Think it was a Rangers scout (there to see other players) that saw him at a Legion game. Still didn't pitch but saw his arm strength and drafted as a pitcher in the very late rounds. Guy had a pretty good career.

       
       
truer words...  You are preaching to the choir on this one.  I am an older coach actually getting back in.  When I first started teaching and coaching it was almost 30 years ago.  And I was in a baseball hotbed.  Sometimes upward of 100 kids trying out freshman year.  The school I attended and coached at first probably averages 1 to 1.5 kids a year that get drafted.  The next school I coached at not quite that high but close.  I have come out of coaching retirement the last couple years to a whole new experience.   When you are swimming in talent I guess you can afford to turn your nose up at those who do not warmly embrace your sport.  And you couldn't be more correct some coaches even in our situation take a 'screw them' approach if a kid doesn't initially want to play.  I think we have to adjust to the times and adjust to our situations.  I am willing to do about whatever it takes to get these kids to at least give it a try.  What do we have to lose?  I think we have to be a lot more open to pitcher only players at the high school level.  Perhaps even be flexible with their practice schedules to attract them in.

I know of a three sport star in high school... Football, Basketball, and Track.

 

He wanted to go out for baseball, but the coach told him he would be wasting his time because he had starters coming back at nearly every position.

 

So he played Legion Baseball in the summer.  Ended up getting drafted and played (pitched) in the pirates organization for several years.  In other words, he was the most talented baseball player at that high school, but never played.

Thanks for everyone's input once again on this site.  Really bolsters me to go forward.  Honestly some are kind of snickering at me.  But I really believe that we should leave no stone unturned!

In a small school you have to do what ever you can. It was many years ago but my senior year we got the best athlete in the school to come out for baseball. He was an all state point guard since his freshman year. Never played anything but basketball. He never pitched but ended up starting at short stop. We won the district that year for the first time in school history. I remember the coach laughing when we told him we had talked the kid into playing and saying that boys never played baseball in his life. At the sports banquet the coach told that story and apologized to the kid lol.

A few years ago a that same school they had another basketball only player (kid was 6'9" and extreemly athletic) that came out his senior year. The kid couldn't hit could barley catch but threw pretty good. He was a PO and wasn't great but took the pitching staff from 3 to 4 which made a huge difference over the corse of the season. They don't always have to be great just usable.