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2014 L/L has always played outfield (and no other position) until this past fall. Bigger kid with below-average speed, so he made the transition to 1B with a new showcase team. During this spring, made the move to 1B from outfield with high school team. However, he had been working with his travel team coaches in the off season learning to pitch.

 

First showcase tournament this season he played 1st but also had two innings in one game as the closer, and two innings in another as middle relief. Stuff isn't great, probably tops out at 80 on the fastball, and is still working on command. Curve and changeup are both works in progress and he doesn't throw them much. It was kind of funny that the first time he ever really pitched, there were several college scouts sitting behind the plate with guns making notes. He did get hit, and did give up some runs, but finished the innings.

 

His primary position is first, and his mainstay has always been hitting. However, he has nowhere to go but up with the pitching. Kind of a strange work in progress leading into his senior year of high school and during the time when he is being looked at the most to make this transition.

Original Post

Stafford,

 

Its stories like that which make me believe the current way players are chosen to play the different positions has major flaws and could be done with a heck of a lot more efficiency.

 

Suppose your boy hadn’t changed teams, would he still have been given the opportunity to pitch? And let’s go back even further. Why hadn’t he been given the opportunity to pitch in the past?

 

To tell the truth, he’s very likely in a better position to continue on as a pitcher because his arm hasn’t been “wasted” throwing a lot of pitches in venues that no one cares about what a pitcher’s done other than his coach and his dad. IOW, his arm is fresh and he’s got a lot more baseball “savvy” than he’d have had as a little kid, so he understands a lot better why things happen.

 

I wish him well.

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