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Pitcher/center fielder

Hirrel 13Hirrel 13100+ posts
All- my son he's a pitcher/centerfielder,all his little leauge life he pitched, if he was not pitching he was playing the outfield.(center) now keep in mind, this was in little leauge up to age 16, now high school comes around and he try's out for the varsity team and he makes it as a freshman, but the varsity coach will like him to play for the jayvee team to pitch only, and to play center field for the varsity team, when the jv team had no games, or when varsity had leauge games he will play with them. this is his freshman year.now comes his sophomore year on varsity only,the coach says to him he will like for him to pitch this year, but he also will like him to play centerfield so he did both this time on one team (varsity).now comes this year he's a junior. should the kid continue to do what the coach has been doing in the past years or should he try to concentrate on one position, when playing in centerfield his batting avg is much higher then when he is pitching. but if he's to pitch he'll be the #2 starter and then his bat avg is down for some reason
" Failure is not an option"
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CM Coach May1,000+ posts
He does what the coach wants him to do. Plays CF and pitches. Obviously the coach wants to win and thinks that he can help them win doing both. Im sure your son wants to win too so Im sure that he is willing to do whatever he can to achieve this goal. If he has plans on playing at the next level it gives coaches an opportunity to see him play the field as well as pitch. All of our players that have been posistion players as well as pitchers have hit much better when they were not pitching.
C crollss100+ posts
quote:
when playing in centerfield his batting avg is much higher then when he is pitching. but if he's to pitch he'll be the #2 starter and then his bat avg is down for some reason


Hirrel-The following has been my experience:
My son is an 05 going through the recruitment process. Not one coach or scout has once asked about my sons stats. In fact he is a 4 year varsity SS that has never pitched a HS inning. He is being recruited mostly heavily as a pitcher.

It sounds like your son is an important part of the team. He should play where the coach wants him to play and his tools will speak louder than his batting average-IMO.

Best of luck and have a great season!
TPMTPMHSBaseballweb Member since 2003
My son pitched and played other positions (SS,CF,3rd, 1st) until his sophomore and junior years, then he was strictly a pitcher.
As a senior he pitched and played first, had the highest BA on the team.
You always tell your son to do what ever the coaches want him to do, sometimes it will work out in his best interests.
Last edited by TPM
Coach KnightCoach Knight500+ posts
Hirrel-
Simple: He does what the team needs him to do. His team needs him in CF, he plays CF. They need him to pitch, he pitches. Pretty simple, really. It is important for kids at that age to realize that they must sacrifice themselves for the team...they will be asked to do it often in the "real world", as we all know. Team MUST come before individual...as long as the coach isn't putting him in danger of being injured.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
Coach

You must have the same weather situations out your way as we have here--many rain/snow outs which cause weeks of 4,5 or 6 games, If the boy poitches game sone of the week and goes 7 where does he play the next day? Do you put him in centerfield after 100 plus pitchers in 40 degree weather?

PS--did you get my message on your cell?
Last edited by TRhit
Hirrel 13Hirrel 13100+ posts
Coach-Knight
I understand he does what the team and the coach's need him to do,but thats in high school. now lets just say he's off to college and he gets some type of a free ride, because a coach from a college see him working in the outfield only, yet another see him working from the mound. now before he chooses a college to attend should'nt he choose what position he is best at and work on that one position, before he picks the school he will attend. to him this would be the start of the real world and he needs to find out what he will be playing best at. with all due respect to you Coach.
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
The High School season is only four out of 12 months in a year. Having to play some c/f or pitch some should not inhibit him from getting better at anyone of these posistions. During the HS season it is about winning games and trying to win a championship not showcaseing an individual. He has the other 8 months out of the year to do that. I have always looked at the year of baseball this way. From Feb to May you play for your school and do whatever you can to help it win games. From June to Nov you play with your summer and fall teams and work on your individual game. Then from Dec to Jan you prepare for the upcoming HS season. Dont get caught up in the individual stuff when its the HS season or you wont have one at least not here.
W windmill100+ posts
Coach May/Knight are right on, especially Coach May's last post. Just becasue he hits 100 pts less when he pitches [which probably equates to 25 points overall on his average] is not a reason to not pitch, otherwise, the rest of the rotation moves up [#3 becomes #2, #4 becomes #3} thus weakening the team. Those couple points on his average when he pitches will not make or break whatever future he has as a ballplayer beyond HS.
B Blackheart500+ posts
IF your son is recruited. IF he decides on a school. He MAY not play a position that he played in HS. His college coach MAY put him in a position he has never played that WILL benefit the TEAM. One of the main purposes of a HS Baseball Coach is to make out each games roster to keep the Booster Club execs and other Mommy/Daddy's from killing each other. Razz
catamount36catamount36100+ posts
hirel,
99.9% of all highschool pitchers play another position. most of them are the better athletes on the team. why in the world would you want him to concentrate on just one position??? this would be extremely selfish in my opinion. " i don't want to pitch (and help my team out) because it drops my batting average by a few points". i know many coaches would personally have a hard time promoting a player with that attitude to a college coach. it would be different if the coach was asking your son to do something that would be harmful or dangerous to your son's health etc.

hope this doesn't seem too harsh
Hirrel 13Hirrel 13100+ posts
Cat- no it doesn't sound harsh to me and thank you. so what your telling me is if his best position is pitching he should'nt concentrate on just that one, and to work harder on it. and out of that 99.9% how many are fulltime pitchers, if it's that .1% i bet he's their ace pitcher, iam NOT trying to be a wise guy i'm just trying to find out if he (my son)should be concentrating on his best position to play.thanks

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