For all, Would you hit a kid with a pitch for having a great game against you ?

I would walk him after the 3rd home run.

If they are leading by more than 10 runs and its the 5th inning of the game and they send him up to bat, then I would throw my "curve ball" that got away and blame his "mope-of-a-coach" for letting him bat again and trying to embarrass my team!

Of course as with any at-bat, it depends on the situation. If the game is still in question, you just need to pitch as the situation dictates. If the game is no longer in doubt, there is nothing wrong with pitching to him again, or if you chose walk him. No one ever seems to think about a pitcher striking out a bunch of kids as embarrassing the opposition to the point something needs to be done, and I don't think that's any different than a hitter having a great day. The odds of a kid hitting a fourth homer are astonomical enough, and the possibilty of hitting five is even less likely. The kid doesn't need to be punished for having a great game, and a coach is not lacking class because he allows his hitter to try to do soemthing special. No pitcher should ever throw at a hitter in HS Baseball, and I don't think they are doing it either, not even in the vaunted SICA West. They don't even do it in the Major Leagues most of the time.

BTW....I'm pretty silent as I read these postings, but I think Been There has been a voice of reason and has been correct 99% of the time.......this is just one time he isn't!

As a pitcher, no. You can hit people for:

a) Hitting your pitcher with a pitch.
b) Watching a home run.
c) Running over your catcher.
d) If it's clearly intentional, hitting anyone on your team (you don't hit their pitcher, you just hit someone else on their team).

You never throw at the head. These are basic baseball unwritten rules.

Fast...A person unto mine own heart.

We should have a coke and a hot dog some day as we watch the kids play.

I'm wrong plenty of times, but I go back to the days of Don Russell and Father O'Malley, O.S.A. (May he rest in peace) while I was at St. Rita. Great experiences learning the game of baseball.

Be true to the game. Don't embarrass the game. Don't embarrass your teammates and your coaches.

Later...

if someone were to hit three homeruns off of me i would definently at least be coming high an very tight.... its just my personality but if a kid has ur number let him know ur there brush back or something like that and pitch around him you dont let a hitter get a chance to hit 4 homeruns

hitNrun,

tip you hat to him...........

hit him if you want to get hit the next time you are up..............

My mama told me not to mess with guys that hit four home runs off me......................

Don't hit him on purpose but I would call tight at the hands. I also would have to check how we are pitching him in the first place. Obviously, he is getting some good looks at the ball. I think I would pitch to him without pitching to him. Now, if the game were on the line, Mr. Umpire, please put this young man on first.

Both of my sons pitch and both have been known to dust a hitter or two. It generally happens for the reasons Mojo states. Most pitchers have a fairly agressive mind set and feel responsible for leading their team when their on the mound. My youngest was pitching the other day and got hit in his first at bat, later in the game he "accidentally" nailed their 3 hitter. The other team has to understand that if you shoot at us, we're gonna shoot back. Thats baseball. Your dreaming if you think that doesn't happen in SICA West or MLB all of the time.

I think when the idea of hitting a kid comes up, it is in the context of "within the game." Often what is overlooked is the damage that can be done to the kid that got hit. My 3rd baseman was hit this week. He is out. The pitch was up and he tried to get out of the way and, as luck would have it, as he fell/rotated away, the ball hit him in the elbow. I believe it was a brush back and not intended to hurt my kid. However, his year might be done. He has damage in the elbow with "stuff floating around." We should keep in mind that it is a kid getting hit and sometimes we can really hurt them. JMHO!

coach b25 has it right. no coach should instruct that to hit a kid is acceptable at any time except in extreme circumstances. IT IS DANGEROUS TO TEACH THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE. only if you are certain that the other guy (with the permission of his coach) has thrown intentionally at your batter is it ever a reason to retaliate. even then a coach should exaust his options (Umpire conferece and meet with opposing coach) before retaliating. and even then a coach must consider the personality and mental condition of his pitcher before ordering this course of action. THE PITCH IF DECIDED UPON MUST BE LOW. DEATHS ARE NOT AN OPTION IN BASEBALL.

He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.....HS Dad.....If your son is ever hurt via getting hit by a pitch intentionally or otherwise you have no beef. For the stakes these kids are playing for, that outcome (an injury) is completely unacceptable. Not to mention the idea of retaliation makes one think of what is going on in hockey these days..it has no palce here. It doesn't happen in the Major Leagues nearly as much as it used to, and the reason is that these guys don't want ot get hurt or hurt someone else, given the money they make. I know those of you down in the SICA west like to think you are playing in the bigs, but that mentality does no one any good.

Fast...No one thinks that the SICA West is the "bigs".

It is, however, likely the best conference top-to-bottom in the State. Add Providence and JCA and Homewood Flossmoor to the mix and you'll see why the best high school baseball is played in the South and Southwest suburbs of Chicagoland. Crete and TF South aren't bad, either.

Real simple. No one wants to hurt anyone. But, if you are trying to embarrass me or embarrass the game..."Houston, we have a problem"...with that.

Like a kid who bunts at a showcase when he specifically is told not to bunt before the showcase begins. Then, "he's surprised" when he gets drilled the next time at bat!

I'm sure Kenny Smalls and all of his wisdom on great coaching would tell you to drill the kid, but not coach Smedley or coach Genke, they just selectively pitched to the 4 home run kid at Huntley. Looks like the worst coach in the world just looked like a genius on Friday.

I would drill the kid if I only had Shawn Estes on the mound. He would send a message with a harmless brush forward pitch.

BTIL....No doubt there is good baseball being played down there, not so sure though that there isn't baseball being played just as well other places...example was the discusion a few weeks ago about Edwardsville HS which has proven over the years to be as good as anyone in the state, yet most here knew nothing about it. Yep there is good baseball down there, but no better than other places. I agree that when someone tries to embarrass another player or team there needs to be a consequence. I just don't think that having a great day at the plate embarrasses anyone.

Didn't Smedley coach at the All-Star game at Stevenson HS last year? If he did, he must be a pretty good coach, they don't bring in bad coaches for those All-Star games.

I'm a SICA West grad and it is a few steps below the MLB, J/K!

Let's get back to civility or I'll delete all of the posts.

Done.

Im pretty sure ive made my point on this, high and tight is fine, hitting a kid on purpose because he hit 4 HRs against you, cowardly. My advise, walk him after the 3rd, or get some pitching lessons.

TAR...Haven't received your pm.

Maybe because you are sending it from Florida! Send it again, please.

Or...new email: havecash@aol.com

I think it is a joke to think you should hit a kid b/c he is doing his best. In his fourth at bat should the kid try not to get a hit?? If you don't want to hit 4 home runs, pitch around him or find a better pitcher.

i'd throw at the hands and then a curveball at his knees...they usually chase