How many pitches??????

Ugh.

This is one of the few cases in HS where I think its ok for parents to step in.

Well let us not bash the coach, kid or the parents just yet. Let us assume for a moment that this kid really wants to be a dentist and has no interest in playing baseball beyond high school. What does it really matter then how many pitches he throws? Maybe this will be his one baseball memory or his last. If he has college potential then yes it is abuse but if this is his day in the sun let it go.

deldad - I do agree with that. Good point.

I'm not a big pitch-count guy, but having said that kids are notorious for wanting to be a dentist one day and being a Peace Corp Volunteer to Uganda the next.

Why not keep one's options open?

if he keeps throwing that many pitches he might have one less option.

I don't know about you guys, but my dentist uses both of his arms, elbow and shoulder included!

Having said that, I've heard LOTS of things at h.s. games that later turned out to be slightly exxagerated... maybe that's the case here? Even if the game went to 9 innings, that's still 19 or 20 pitches per inning (24 if it's a regular 7 inning game). After a few innings of that, you'd think the coach would WANT to pull him!

Not quite as bad but was at a JV doubleheader over the weekend that was even more meaningless than most JV games as they weren't league games and they have 3 league games coming up this week.

The 15yo starter in the first game was a kid the coach doesn't like. He hadn't pitched more than an inning since their last weekend doubleheader about 3 or 4 weeks ago. He threw 3 surprisingly good innings but was clearly tired at the end of 3. He came back out for the 4th and was hammered. The coach got someone up in the pen but stuck with this kid once there were 2 outs. He brought the kid back out for the 5th. At this point the kid was throwing pitches in the dirt that were obviously going there because he was too tired to throw it properly. He gutted it out and was finally pulled with 2 outs after reaching 95 pitches. He played center field the entire second game.

The starter for the second game who also hadn't thrown but an inning or so in the last 3 or 4 weeks played the entire first game in left field. This is a kid who hasn't performed that well but has real potential throwing 80+ and having a nasty curve as a 15yo soph. He was obviously tired before he ever got on the mound. It showed as he struggled through 4 long innings throwing 88 pitches.

Son, sophmore on JV team. His team is in first place and last week he pitched against the second place team. He is the #1 pitcher and this was a very important game. He did very well and it was a close game. In the 6th inning with one out he was at 87 pitches and showing signs of being tiered and gave up a solid base hit. The coach asked me what I thought. I told the coach he should pull him due to the high pitch count. Oh, my son was upset with the decission to pull him. He wanted to finish the game. It was good to see him being so competative. After he cooled down he knew it was the correct choice. To finish the game would have been a great memory. To take a chance of hurting himself at that game or at a later date due to over use just for a memory is not worth the possibility or pain, surgery and PT not to mention the $$$$. Even if had no intention of playing at the next level it would not be worth it. We lost the game 5 to 4. We face the team 2 more times and son will get one more chance at them.

quote:

Originally posted by gimages:
To take a chance of hurting himself at that game or at a later date due to over use just for a memory is not worth the possibility or pain, surgery and PT not to mention the $$$$. Even if had no intention of playing at the next level it would not be worth it.

Ditto.

You need your arm for a lot of things in life.

Once I told my (RHP) son that I was worried about his arm getting hurt from pitching so much, and I said, "I want you to be able to lift up your children some day!" and he immediately shot back, "I'll lift them with my left arm".

Sometimes, the kids themselves don't want to come off that mound

quote:

Originally posted by play baseball:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by gimages:
To take a chance of hurting himself at that game or at a later date due to over use just for a memory is not worth the possibility or pain, surgery and PT not to mention the $$$$. Even if had no intention of playing at the next level it would not be worth it.

You have to look out for your son's arm if the coaches are not going to.

My son's last three games:
4/05 Started, threw 106 pitches.I shut him down as he threw 68 on 4/03.He was tired as he fielded 60-75 grounders on SS in practice on 4/04 (I found out later from a good source)
Easter break No practice from 4/06 - 4/16.Nothing!11 days off.
4/17 Son gets start ..3 Inn. 42 pitches. A little rusty but no runs allowed.
4/20 Son starts again....5 1/3 Inn. 72 pitches.He is cruising 14 k's,0 bb, 1 hit.Coach asks during the 6th about our predetermined 70 pitch limit.It is enforced.
They would ride him into the ground if they
were allowed.

3up-3down. Enjoy the authority while you have it; wait til they get to college .

quote:

Originally posted by 3up-3down:

Easter break No practice from 4/06 - 4/16.Nothing!11 days off.

11 Days off???? In the middle of the season????


Shocking!!!!!