Frustration

CITIGUY,

If your son is only 14 and on the varsity, you would hope the coach realizes he is probably temporarily overmatched by older, more experienced pitchers. The coach probably sees that there will be better things to come as he gets older.
If he is on the JV or Freshman team, then maybe the fact that the coach hasn't PH for him in those situations tells you that the coach still has belief in him and his work ethic. Keep doing the extra work. Many, many big league hitters struggled in their first exposure to more experienced pitching--Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, Jason Morneau.

Thanks, btw, he's on the freshman team

In my mind, the freshman team should be more about developement than winning every game so as long as the coach is seeing work ethic and 100% effort, I think he will be fine. It may take until later in the season for things to start to come together for him as a hitter. You are doing the right things with extra work but keep it relaxed and confident between you and he. If he sees you're losing confidence in his ability it will affect him. Perhaps having an instructor such as a former pro or college guy look at his swing and approach might tell if there are mechanical issues. Sometimes just working with a guy like that might build his confidence mentally. Good Luck and be patient!

I would second the Hitting Instructor idea, but find a good one that can develop a real relationship with your son. Try to avoid too young a instructor, but find a seasoned pro, if possible.

quote:

I would second the Hitting Instructor idea,

Make it a unanimous three. A "Good" instructor is like striking Gold. Put him in the weight room also!

Thanks,
He's been seeing an instructor for a couple of years (a former minor league pro).

How often and to what end? If he is seeing a Hitting Instructor that is competent, you should be seeing results. If not, it may be time to find a different one...