HS Situtation

The parent stays out of it. The player reports to the team the coach decides is in the best interest of the program. It's only twenty something games. Then the player gets himself on the best summer team he can make to develop the other aspects of his game.

The high school coaches job is to put the players he has in the best posistions and roles to help his teams win. Be happy that your son is considered a player that is capable of being one of those pieces. Parents should not get worked up about coaching decisions and concern themselves with these type of decisions. Its the coaches job to make these decisions and its the players job to accept their role and help the team win.

High School baseball is only one small part of a baseball players development and baseball experience at this level. Its only four months out of the year and only around 25 games. Your son has 8 other months to develop his skills and enhance his opportunities. He has 8 other months to play on other teams.

What would happen to any high school team if every player got to decide what their role would be , where they would play , what team they would play on , etc? Sit back relax and let your son enjoy his high school baseball. Encourage him to take on what ever role the coach decides is best for the team. And encourage him to continue to work hard and help his team win anyway he can.

If a baseball player is solely relying on hs baseball to develop him into the best player he can be then he better be exceptionally talented. And even then he will never develop into the player he can ultimately be. The work that players do in the off season determines what they are capable of doing during the season in many many cases. Spend those 8 months working on the things you listed above and then let the cards fall where they fall.

Good luck

Welcome to the hsbbweb BlueRidgeBandit!

This topic comes up here often on the hsbbweb. Many parents feel their kids will not be used or developed properly by the high school coach. Sometimes you have to put yourselves into the shoes of other players, coaches, and parents however. Every moment yours is developing some skill out on the mound, someone elses is sitting and watching.

Perhaps the best thing a high school player can develop is the tenacity and pereverance to work on his own deficiencies while waiting for the opportunity to perform. The way a player is used is not up to the player or worries of his parents however. Let that burden go. Encourage him no matter what the role. Encourage him to be mentally tough to perform when called and to never hang his head.

Focus on those things that are in his control rather than things that are not. Coaching decisions are out of his control no matter how much worrying a parent may do or how many strings parents think they are pulling behind the scenes.

Encourage your son to develop his abilities, be the hardest worker, be the best teammate, and let the chips fall where they may. Even if they use him in the relief role, if he has the proper arttitude, you might be surprised how much the relief experience will help him in the future. Most college pitchers start their careers as relievers so it is a good skill to develop.

Nice post CD. Its very hard to develop those intangibles when your spending your time worrying about the things you can not control. Focus on what you can control so when you get an opportunity you are ready.

Every minute your spending on things you can not control is a minute waisted that could have been spent working on what you can. And that can be the difference in success or failure when its all said and done. Most players are happy with their role and how things are going until someone they trust starts telling them they shouldnt be. Support and encourage and let the coaches do the coaching. Like I said take care of business when no one is watching so you can when everyone is.

By the way welcome BlueRidgeBandit I see you are from the Old North State!

Don't rely on the high school team for his experience and growth. I speak from experience in this because we did and it hurt my son. He is similar to your son in that he is late blooming pitcher, etc. While we did the right thing by not second guessing his high school coach, we did the wrong thing by not helping him develop outside the high school team. We finally woke up his Junior year and got him on a travel team. It was not a good team and at first we thought that was a mistake but it ended up being the best thing for him. On the high school team he sat on the bench often but came early and stayed late and strove to be the hardest worker at every practice. He never actually sat in the dugout, always cheering his teammates on. On the travel team, he was their starting pitcher and the experiences he got from being on that team helped turn him from a sometimes reliever on the varsity high school team to one of their best pitchers.

He needs more experience on the mound. It's not the coach's responsibility to make that happen...he's got an entire team and record to manage. But you and your son can manage his experiences outside the high school team.

Coach May - as usual we are speaking the same language!

Many coaches are smart like foxes although it may not be apparent to the participants. Sometimes, the one with the greater ability is forced by a good coach to battle his way on to the field or into a desired "role" while one of lessor ability or lessor upside gets the first opportunity. Its called coaching and the object is to get the very best individually out of the players and most importantly collectively for the team. Some kids who are fine players in their own right are developed into great players when the coach makes them earn it. He in essence coaches it out of them. It doesn't happen by being nice to them or being their friends imho. He forces them to compete for those things they desire most. I believe in the end the player and the coach often develop a lifetime of admiration and respect for one another.

In the present case, the head coach may already see the starting role for the young man in question. It's kind of like polishing off a fine diamond. Making a kid earn something can end up producing a priceless gem for a lifetime.

Good post sandlotmom. The high school coach has an entire team and program to worry about. And his job is to develop not only his players but his team and program. A parent has one kid or his kids to worry about. So your post is so true imo. Sometimes the experience that a kid gets in the summer and fall not only helps the player become much better it also helps the hs team as well. I encourage all of our players to spend those 8 months working at the things that will make them a better player and us a better team come spring. Nice post.

CD I just wait to see what you are going to say and then I make sure I agree with you! Because I know you know your stuff.

That last post was outstanding and so true.

quote:

next year the coach will definetly make him a full-time pitcher

If this is the case, one positive aspect of your son playing on the varsity squad this spring is that he will be able to observe how the starting pitchers handle various situations. Also, when he does get time on the mound, he will be able to face better hitters, thus giving him terrific preparation for the 2011 season. In addition, you never know when there will be an injury and your son will be needed to start.

My son, a gifted middle-infielder, was slotted by his high school coach at 3B -- a position he had never played before -- and we were pretty upset that he was being under-utilized. Before the high school playoff games began, he probably had a dozen or fewer balls hit to him, way less than the shortstop or 2nd baseman. But this gave him experience at a new position, which came in very handy a year later when the starting 3rd baseman on his college team got injured and my son was chosen to start.

"Curses" can turn into blessings. There are many ways in which your son's situation can turn out for the best. Enjoy the ride and tell your son to be ready, because opportunities may sneak up on him quicker than he thinks.

Best wishes!

BRB,

Welcome to HSBBW...

You have been given good advice...

As hard as it is dad, you have to sit back and let the coaches make their decisions without complaint from you. It's time to support your son's team while working with your son to become a better pitcher, OFer and person.

Thanks Guy's and Gal's for all the feedback. I really have no intenions of taking the situtation up with the coaches, only looking for insight to pass along to my son and prep him for whatever happens. he actually wants to play JV so he can hit and play OF, But I know that playing Varsity this year will give him a better shot at playing on a quality TB program this summer, which is really the bigger picture, if baseball is anything like softball. I have been down this road with DD and know that being seen over the summer is more important than what happens during the spring. Now that DD is in college I have turned my focus to son in hopes of getting him a D-1 scholy as well. Hope to learn alot from ya'lls experience and knowledge.

Good advice given, my son was in varsity his sophmore year and he never knew when he would pitch and it usually was as a relief guy and yes he would have had much more playing time in JV. It didn't make a difference.

Just some advice, try within the next year to make that slurve a curve and by senior year begin working on a true slider. The slurve doesn't work so well in the college game, trust me on that one.

Blueridge...welcome to HSBBW.

I read every post and you were given sound advise. The most important was teaching your son THIS year to learn how to be a role player if he does play varsity. Support him. Enjoy these last 3 years cause they will fly by.

IMHO, a slider is the worse pitch on an arm than any other pitch in baseball. Most high school pitchers are successful with 2 pitches - FB and curve. Add a change and he will be untouchable.

Good luck.

YGD

YGD,
Actually the slurve is a slider with a wide break and debated it can be harmful to the arm. That is why I suggested he begin learning a true curve and save the slider for later.
You rarely see slurve balls thrown in college, it gets less effective as you move up levels.

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St. Louie Slurve!



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GOTWOOD strikes again! is that better.

Woody,
Yup that wide brake can hurt you!

Drillerman Driller Man,
It's GOTwood, got it.

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Maybe Driller Man was born in Manitoba, eh?



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CD...CM...all...very good advice. Develop as a team guy, keep your head down and work hard. Things will work out!

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
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St. Louie Slurve!



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Gee GW, I know how they feel thar in St Louie...we are always battling icy roads in AZ while we are avoiding rattlers, scorpions and roadrunners...It's a rough time of year out here...

Check it out

BRb,

Be a team player with your high school. However find a travel team for the competition, development and playing time. Some of the things you are talking about developing at the jv or varsity level such as pickoff move, holding runners on, command and changeup should all be part of your off season work outside of the high school season imo.

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"...we are always battling icy roads in AZ'

What? Some of that super-heated ice that Al Gore is always talking about?



He invented the stuff...right?




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Actually...the roads are slippery because our tires are always melting and it makes it tough to stay on the road!

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That? Oh that's nothing. We're getting close to Phoenix...it's rush hour.





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I'm sure this is a topic for another thread but since it came up, I guess I'll explain my definition of his slurve, His coach calls it a Clemson curve, because it breaks so hard and because he throws it so fast, not your typical 12-6 break, more of a 2-7 break due to his low 3/4 arm slot, it really is a nasty pitch that he throws harder than what I see alot of traditional cruves thrown. The coach has told him to keep throwing it hard like a slider because he gets such good rotation throwing it that way compared to trying to get that 12-6 break, thus my term a slurve. Coach says his curve is best on team and when he gets command of it the skys the limit. This past summer was his first season throwing a cruve and maybe threw it 25-30 times in game situations, still learning the pitch. I would not let him throw a cruve before 16yrs old, but coach encouraged learning a breaking / offspeed pitch to go with fastball. Last season in JV he was closer only, so he was able to get away with one pitch, now needs two to start. His mechanics look alot like AJ Burnett's with a simular arm slot and even the inward hip rotation, don't know if that will be a concern with this type of pitch, but if there is a red flag here please advise.

GW, That thar is funny!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by BlueRidgeBandit:
I'm sure this is a topic for another thread but since it came up, I guess I'll explain my definition of his slurve, His coach calls it a Clemson curve, because it breaks so hard and because he throws it so fast, not your typical 12-6 break, more of a 2-7 break due to his low 3/4 arm slot, it really is a nasty pitch that he throws harder than what I see alot of traditional cruves thrown. The coach has told him to keep throwing it hard like a slider because he gets such good rotation throwing it that way compared to trying to get that 12-6 break, thus my term a slurve. Coach says his curve is best on team and when he gets command of it the skys the limit. This past summer was his first season throwing a cruve and maybe threw it 25-30 times in game situations, still learning the pitch. I would not let him throw a cruve before 16yrs old, but coach encouraged learning a breaking / offspeed pitch to go with fastball. Last season in JV he was closer only, so he was able to get away with one pitch, now needs two to start. His mechanics look alot like AJ Burnett's with a simular arm slot and even the inward hip rotation, don't know if that will be a concern with this type of pitch, but if there is a red flag here please advise.

My question would be does the coach genuinely understand pitching to know whether or not his mechanics is placing too much stress on his arm. Sometimes when high school coaches don't know pitching they mistake success with good mechanics.

Back in 14U we had a kid with a nasty 3/4 delivery curve. But we could see it was going to destroy his arm. Our pitching coach wouldn't call it. He worked on changing the kid's mechanics. The kid left the team at the end of the season, did it his way and blew out his arm by sixteen. He did have a great freshman year on the mound. Now he's done pitching.

Why does he call it the Clemson curve? I never heard of that term.

Driller Man was born in here..He's a countryboy!

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
Why does he call it the Clemson curve? I never heard of that term.

Simple, because you can never get a straight answer from anyone who are related to a graduate from Clemson.

quote:

Originally posted by BOF:

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
Why does he call it the Clemson curve? I never heard of that term.

Simple, because you can never get a straight answer from anyone who are related to a graduate from Clemson.

Finally got my Avatar back...borrowed it not a good idea.

BTW I agree with TPM on the slurve sounds like a slider to me. Would have it checked out by a good pitching instructor. No offense to the HS coaches here but many are not that informed on pitching.(or too busy doing other things...like running a team)

Not sure where the term Clemson curve comes from but I think that it has something to do with the way they teach it at Clemson. Coach attended some of Clemsons camps back a few years ago when his sons were in HS and thats just what he calls my sons curveball. Coach has one son that pitches in minor leagues that is home for winter and has been watching my son pitch and he's very impressed with his curveball, and has even tweaked his mechanics a bit, more about pulling down with elbow to take stress off arm. I am trusting that they know better than I about pitching mechanics. Might have to learn how to send a video of this to the pitching thread for so more insight, just really inexperienced at tech stuff.

quote:

Not sure where the term Clemson curve comes from but I think that it has something to do with the way they teach it at Clemson.

TPM's son pitched for Clemson. He's now in the Cards system.

quote:

... has even tweaked his mechanics a bit, more about pulling down with elbow to take stress off arm.

Good. It sounded like the kid we had who wouldn't listen and blew out his arm. But don't assume just because a guy is a pro pitcher he can analyze mechanics and instruct.

Here's a place you can send a pitching video and have it analyzed inexpensively. The video will be returned with analysis and critique of what he's going right and wrong. Anything wrong will include instruction on what to do correctly. They worked with my son and increased his velocity with improved mechanics. He's now working with one of their pitching coaches.

PBT

I've seen it work both ways but I've seen more injuries result from staying back and getting over used. Since he's a sophmore I'd definitely recommend letting the coach decide. Your son is in a very positive situation and getting exposure to varsity ball will most likely be a positive.

Not sure what the Clemson way was but got some explanation.
The true curve thrown at the 12/6 is very difficult for most young pitchers to get strikes, moving over 12/7 for a 3/4 slot creates more movement for them to get hitters out. Staying on top of the ball and back determines if it becomes a true slider or not.

Success with it should never replace the development of the FB or the CU.

Gents,

This subject if different from the original post but thought maybe y'all could provide some feedback.

My son (freshman this year) attended his high school baseball camp last summer. He had a great camp.

Also, the school is endorsing some "unofficial" winter camps to prepare the athletes for this season.

My question: Do y'all think they already have list of kids (from camp performances) that will most likely make the team?

To be truthful the list may not be for those "who make the team" but it certainly is for those who will attend camps

We started running a camp for the kids in the community a few years back. And we also had several from other communities attend as well. The did it for several reasons.

#1 We wanted to make some money for the dug out club.
#2 We wanted to instil some solid fundementals in the young players in our community.
#3 We wanted to identify some young players that would be entering our program in the near future.

We accomplished all of this and more and it has grown every year since. We do not charge current players to attend. We dont think its fair to charge our players to recieve instruction from their hs coaches. Many of our upper classman work the camp along with former players , other hs coaches , former pro players etc.

This can be very beneficial for an incoming player. First of all the player gets to know the coaches. He gets a head start on what is going to be expected of him not only in fielding throwing and hitting mechanics but everything else as well. The coaches get to know the players as well.

But what will determine making the team , playing time etc will be determine during the tryouts and practices leading up to the season and the ones during the season plus game performance. We have fall workouts after school for all of our players. We have winter work outs as well. We do not charge our kids that are already in our program for instruction.

Do coaches already have a list of kids that will most likely make the team? Well we have a list of all returning players. And we have a list of all we have seen that we believe will show up for tryouts. Then it is up to them to do what they have to do to make the team. We do go out to the middle school and talk to the 8th graders before school is let out for the summer and tell them about our off season program and invite them to participate.

It you see an 8th grader in camp before hs practices or workouts start and he is very talented you do notice him. You do look forward to seeing him at tryouts. But what you do before you get to tryouts will have no bearing on making the team or playing time. What you do at tryouts , practices , games once you are there will be the determining factor.