Pitchers as hitters

Coaches want to protect there top pitchers from getting injuried from base running, getting hit by a pitcher (sometimes intentional hit inorder to win a game) and getting to tired which can results in increase risk of injury or lowering of the pitchers preformance -Your coach probably believes that without your sons pitching the teams chances are greatly reduced- this what coaches are concerned about - they would pick a good pitcher over a good hitter every time--

My sons team is same way - he also gets few at bats at first half of the season but he kept on working batting after practice and took advantage of every opportunity to bat he was given and since district play started- he raised his batting ave to .588 - he became as valuable as a batter as he is a pitcher and he is batting in line up now in every game -- keep working at the batting because you don't know if you will lose your pitchers abilities or other positions open up to you in the future (example of this is Mark McGwire was drafted as pitcher switched after a few years in minors to position player with a great bat)

i agree totally with everything...the key is a lot of hs coaches try to play kids at a level way above hs....a kid in hs, if he is good enough to play...let him have fun and enjoy the game....hs is not competive compared to when your son is going to play college or pro ball....i honestly think the coach try to get fundamentals down, but if your kid is as good as you say let him produce....boot just like rya said about his son....if rya son is batting over .500 in hs that is quit a goal....i think your son has talent boot, maybe the coach doesnt see that...i agree though with rya about the whole "ill take a pitcher over a great hitter"....maybe the coach thinks that hes more valuable as a pitcher, but if your kid is as good as you say, then the coach is dumb to not play him in the lineup....good luck let me know what happens

Keep in mind one other factor-- by using the DH and sitting the pitcher when he pitches the HS coach can get 10 players in his lineup at the same time-- and it is usually not to protect the pitcher from injury but to have him concentrate completely on his pitching.

It also prepares the pitcher for college where he,in all probability, will not hit.

By the way we play in many showcase tournament events where the DH and EH can both be used--we use this situation to the utmost and have 11 players in the lineup including the pitcher who is not hitting-- it is great for getting maxiumum exposure for the players

Also most High school teams carry 15 to 20 or more players on a team -- this is one way to increase the playing time of the non-starters by letting them hit -- High school coaches are usually coaching for the total team comcept --and winning is important but other values the coach are teaching is important -- for most high schooler players -baseball is a learning experience that the coach is teaching (remember coaches are teachers 1st then baseball coaches second) and very few HS baseball players are going to play post HS baseball-- it is often difficult for the most talented players who are training to play post HS baseball -- the players goals and the coaches are not necessary the same -- remember HS baseball season is a few months a year -- while higher level baseball is available year round -who's main focus is on winning and playing the best players

Well,
My son's technically been a "Pitcher Only" since he his Freshman year when he joined a Connie Mack team.
This year he's hitting in school ball.
In Wednesday's game he went 4-4 w/ back to back HR's and 5 RBI.
I'd forgotten how fun it is when they hit too.

Against everyone's objections my son got tired of sitting on the bench for two years as the starter and is now playing 1B when not pitching and hitting the **** out of the ball! Most of all, he is really having fun hitting, sliding and trying to steal wo getting caught. Isn't that what HS baseball is all about?

This is interesting. My son did some hitting in high school, but that ended his senior year as well. He did not hit well when he was pitching ... so that was fine.

Also ... and he would admit this himself ... he is a wuss and said that the older he got, the harder the other pitchers threw, and the less he wanted to be at the wrong end of the 90 mph fastball. He was hit by pitches a lot in high school ... mostly in the rump ... and he was thrilled that he didn't have to (1) lose focus on his pitching when he worried about his batting and (2) worry about getting hit.

He likes sitting and his favorite position on his team ... the guy who DH's for him ...

Kansas City Royals experimented a little this spring, letting a very talented young lhp, Jimmy Gobble, the pride of John Battle High School, do a little hitting as he was a great hitter in high school before being drafted. He ended up with a slight injury, which seems to have healed as he's #4 in their rotation, but this may well be another reason they don't hit-risk of injury.

My personal opinion is that in high school, pitchers should hit-normally, successful pitchers are good athletes overall, and what may be a fair fastball for a pitcher could be considered a very good arm for a ss/2b/of, so why not keep options open?

I think it is too early to loose touch with your bat. Many players are pitchers in HS, but go on to play a different position in college. If they are good enough to hit on the team, let them. My son is usually more focused on the mound when he is having a good day at the plate - guess that could work in reverse, but it seems he gets real focused when he's not.

I just stumbled over to this thread...

Mine's a senior...small school...so he plays pitcher ....but on nights when not throwing, he's in center, left, and first...

oddly enough he's even batting better than he has in the past...I think it's because no pressure about the fall...as far as college search, and he's much more relaxed...

although he'll be the first to tell you when he's pitching he'd prefer to not bat...

but...I do like the action of seeing him run, bat and throw ....not near as much pressure when he's not on the mound...