Does your pitcher only pitch?

We're north of NYC - smaller baseball market than some of the posters here.  Our HS is one of the bigger ones in the area with 1,400 students.  We had three primary starting pitchers of which one played both ways and hit every game.  He was our top hitter and one of the best players in the region - now in his first year at a D1 program in the NE.  The other two starters were Jrs and were PO (my son was one of them).  There were 2 lefties who pitched in relief and were PO and then several players who filled in when needed who also played in the field but none of the full time position players were also starting pitchers (except the one top player).

 

Most of the other schools in the region have their top pitchers also play the field and hit - my guess is that they don't have the numbers at those schools and knowing the players involved (most of them played travel against our summer teams since they were 9-10) they are also the best overall player on that team and it would be hard to replace their bat in the lineup - for point of reference several of these guys are 2016s and committed D1 as pitchers (including the other 2016 at our HS).  There is usually significant drop off pitching wise in the rotation after these guys but the teams are still pretty good. 

 

From what I've seen (coaching local town baseball and summer travel the last 7 years) there has been a big shift of players to lacrosse that is hurting numbers in baseball in this area.  It doesn't affect our HS as much because we have the numbers but other teams seem to have fewer players over all.  Whatever the reason we don't have teams with multiple pitchers throwing 90+ as described in the other threads going on. 

 

   

I have zero doubt they exist, I'm just saying what we have been experiencing and seeing.  No exaggeration we have teams in the Atlanta area offering PO positions to 9u kids, and many of the 14/15u kids are being asked to choose PO or Position Player. 

Think a lot depends on coach. 2017's HS is less than 1K students. Has over 30 on HS roster which is primarily Jr's & Sr's. 18-20 players each on Frosh & JV teams. Only have a couple of Varsity 2 way players. Coach has history of POing when the reach varsity level. Son was used sparingly in field Frosh year and PO Soph year. Wasn't happy about it but has accepted it. Played last two summers two way but starting in fall will PO, focus on pitching.

Think a lot depends on coach. 2017's HS is less than 1K students. Has over 30 on HS roster which is primarily Jr's & Sr's. 18-20 players each on Frosh & JV teams. Only have a couple of Varsity 2 way players. Coach has history of POing when the reach varsity level. Son was used sparingly in field Frosh year and PO Soph year. Wasn't happy about it but has accepted it. Played last two summers two way but starting in fall will PO, focus on pitching.

CaCO3Girl,

 

I don't doubt that is going on in places.  However, with all due respect, we have much more experience than you do. 

 

Baseball is baseball, if a team ever works out in the lower age groups, they see kids hit, catch, throw, run, etc. If there best hitter and fastest runner happens to be their best pitcher, what are they going to do?  No one knows whether that young boy will end up being a pitcher or a position player at a young age.  There are high school seniors that haven't defined their future.  In fact, the example I gave above is one of them.

 

What does a team of 12 year olds do when they have an outfielder with by far the best arm on the team?  I actually think most players have it figured out be the time they are in high school. I see POs on top travel teams that are 2way players on their high school team. But to think there are POs at 9 years old is very strange. Truth is the best young pitchers are also one of the best players on those teams.

 

Therefore if I had a young boy that could pitch and play a position, I would definitely shy away from anyone telling him he had to choose one or the other.  There will be plenty of time for that in the future.  The only thing to think about when doing both is being aware of arm injury.

 

Kids that are that young should be most interested in developing their skills.  We have seen way too many that pitched turn into position players and vise versa.  Why would anyone want to tie their son down if he showed ability at both.  In fact, if you have to decide on one or the other, the easy choice is be a position player first.  You can always become a pitcher later on and maybe one with a bit fresher arm.

 

You see a lot more position only guys turn into pitchers, than pitcher only guys turning into position players. Now if a coach or you are smart enough to know what your 9 year old will be best at when he is 18, do whatever you want.  I'm not one that is anywhere near that smart.

As for the 9u teams putting PO's on the roster, I would be very interested in how many kids they try to get on their roster to begin with (i.e. paying customers).  I've seen some teams (more in the 15u/16u range) that carry 20+ kids on the roster.  I have to believe that some teams (not one that I would want to be affiliated with) may have some profit motive.  You can probably get away with 10 PO's but two at SS is about the max.

I have to apologize as I read Nukes post as Caco's response. When I am wrong I am wrong.  This interface on a cell phone reads very poorly.

However, I still do not agree that many pitchers would not be playing if they were not pitchers only.  

My player became a pitcher only because he was the best pitcher on his HS team. He was also the best hitter and could field every position.  But as a sophmore and junior he was a PO.  There were a lot of reasons why he didnt hit those two years, some mentioned in PGs post. He never hit in any travel league in HS. Thats just how it is and probably in a lot of places as well.  Maybe, just maybe if pitchers were pitchers only in HS there would be less injury. I got a theory why NL and short relievers have less injuries.

 

If youwere to  ask any pitcher on a college roster if he ever hit or played position, you will get a yes. In fact, I would bet most of the position players pitched at one time or another, but they didnt develop into pitchers because of various reasons, mainly because they couldnt pitch!  

 

PGs post was spot on. Not sure I uderstand making 9 year olds pitchers only, this makes zero sense. Youth baseball is about development.  If that is what is happening in somewhere, shame on those organizations and those coaches.

Last year my GS's team went 16-0 in their conf. and quarterfinalist in their 6-6A TX region.

 

Their #1 P (SR RHP) also played 1B (Committed to TCU)

Their #2 P (JR LHP) also played 1B if #1 was pitching (Committed to KY)

Their #3 P (JR RHP) was a PO (Committed to TX Tech)