Main purpose of fall hs games?

My son's HS never had a fall team, so I'm just speculating.  But, I would think it could serve several purposes depending on the program and the kid.  Coach can use it to evaluate new players or track the progression of current players who may be on the bubble.  If you are a new or borderline player, use it to impress the coach.  If you are an established player, use it to up your game and work on new pitches or a new batting approach or whatever.  Winning shouldn't really matter.  Fall doesn't count for anything in HS ball, but players and coaches should take the opportunity to use it for evaluation,impressing and improvement.  

Passion, three of your last four topics posted in the past month ask almost the same questions.  Either you are becoming forgetful like the rest of us old farts or you are having some serious struggles with the whole fall ball thing.  I'm already bald, by the way.

 While developing a winning culture is important, it is certainly not the primary objective of off-season ball.  I think you will find that as you develop your program, even though you are working on specific off-season stuff and playing multiple players at different positions, your team will still compete and often "win".  You will become more wise with funneling your competitive nature into useful coaching functions such as getting the most out of each player.  Create an atmosphere where each player is competing to be the best they can be for the team and competing for that starting spot.  Create goals for improvement and reward them.  Fall ball is opportunity.  For you and for each player that is able to be a part of it.  More teaching.  More learning.  More gelling.  More experience.  Sure, some key players may be playing football.  Some may be burned out just coming off of summer club.  But you probably know what you have with those players.  Who is going to round out your club or be your nucleus a year or two from now?  Who is going to step in or slide over when the inevitable injury or ineligible player issue comes up?

Regarding pitchers, each presents a different set of circumstances.  Your proven vet may be working on a new pitch, better movement or better locating (or just need to rest his arm).  Your new kid may just need to face more live batters and compete to the best of his abilities.  And, of course, you never want to put a kid on the bump if his arm isn't in pitching-ready condition, no matter how good he is or how much you can use another good arm to get through the week.

Fall Ball.  Develop.  Teach.  Observe.  Inspire.  Provide opportunity.  Set expectations.

Now, you did mention previously that fall ball ends with a tourney. Depending on the situation, this may be the time to crank things up a bit.  Perhaps take a step toward what they can expect come spring.

Random thoughts on Fall Ball

Get young pitchers on the hill...see if you have a break out Soph. or find that 3rd/4th arm you'll need in spring.

See how the better JV players handle better pitching.  Can they make the jump from high 70's FB to 83-84.  What about a curve that is a strike?

Position competition.  Have two open OF slots...get the 4 players going for them the most amount of time possible.

Make sure returning players are living up to expectations.  Did they spend the summer in the gym and cages or at the lake chasing Betty Sue.  If so ...maybe scare'em a little with some competition.

IMO don't like them. Depends on how much kids played, esp pitchers in Summer. If they pitched in HS, then on travel teams every weekend, which many do, then they should take a break and just have HS practices on field. P need to work on flat ground during Off season. They can still keep arm in condition and ready for Spring.  Have seen too many fall injuries where I am from overuse. Some kids have been known to play on more than one Summer team, filling in on friends team when they can. Crazy. 

IMO they should get good jump on academics, get grades up, because during baseball season it gets tougher to do. Work on drills few days after school to keep in shape and call it a day. 

Just my two cents.

Back up SS, new transfer SS, and JV SS all want to be the starting SS.  Without games how do you decide who plays?  Also, if you are moving a kid to a new position how do you see if they can make the adjustment?

My son's high school had a fall ball team. He played the fall before the spring he was likely to make varsity. His fall play made spring tryouts a formality. Other years he showed up if it didn't interfere with his travel team. He would coach a base or pinch hit. He was there to show some team leadership. The kids used fall ball like a tryout to make varsity or to work on technique like a new pitch or changing a swing.

The year my son "played" the team was on the verge of changing from a doormat to a conference champion due to the new coach. He had most of the varsity team there. He also emphasized winning to build a competitive environment.

I've seen county rules limit a coaches interaction players at the school, so he enlisted a few community coaches to coach the kids who wanted to sign up and used it as a fundraiser. Our school doesn't require fall ball and for those who do, i assume it's prep for spring tryouts etc.

Through drills at practice and scrimmage. If u have  3 SS to see in game what happens if best one has bad game and misses one? Or what happens if they only get one or two balls hit to them all game?  Your going to have to look at them again during tryouts anyway. What if #2 guy gets lessons or works out over winter and is better by Spring. 

My guess is all 3 of these guys played Summer ball. I'm saying P need a break and should stop playing games for awhile. 

So scrimmage is ok but a fall ball isn't?  Strange to me since they are both games.  I agree that pitchers need a rest.  However if we don't play they are going to play anyway and at least we can limit their innings when we play.  Pitchers throw no more that 45 pitches. 

My son played one year fall ball going into HS (freshman fall).  Sophmore fall he took off after a busy summer, junior fall/winter was for tournaments and by senior fall he was signed and after a busy senior summer shut down.

For a pitcher, one should consider this as a rest period, if he pitched a lot in spring/summer. Fall is an excellent time for conditioning for pitchers/rest. IMO

For position players, at bats maybe important.

The decision should be based on the individual but to answer the question I don't think that if a player does well it means he will have a better spring.

So what I hear you saying fall,is about the individual and not the program or the team?

Thats my opinion but maybe someone else might feel differently. It also depends on the coaches philosophy and what he is trying to achieve.

I was going by the question asked by the OP. If a player needs innings or at bats, go for it, but if the player had a really busy summer, than maybe another option (rest, conditioning, instruction) might be more logical.

Resting P in Fall is helping the team.  Players can dev through practices, no need  to abuse arms that have been going since Feb, through Summer. I esp agree w not playing and resting if kid  has signed. His job is to stay healthy, continue to condition smartly, and be ready for Spring. Kids need instruction to fix problems. Many times schools get into playing games and never have time to practice in Fall to work on Correcting what goes wrong in games. 

Kids can also be going to instructors outside school so just because they r not playing tourn doesn't mean they are not working on baseball.

My son  also used time during Jr Fall season to hit college showcases of schools he was interested in.  He was "expected" to play on school fall team after Fr yr, and at first sign of tired arm we shut him down as P, and he played another position.  Didn't get much out of it really.