Riding a Pitcher Early in the Season

Our JV HC rode a pitcher hard this year...ended up causing him to miss the last 6 games of the season....2 outings over 115 and 2 outings over 130.....he is a new HC to JC, clueless to managing a team and a staff, V HC doesn't say anything.  I told the V HC that the kids arm was sore and that he should shut him down the rest of the year before he got hurt...his response was.."well, what did the doctor say?"   Well...he found out the hard way, at the kids expense.  Hopefully the kid bounces back for summer

BTW I should mention that this is at the HS frosh level.

I had a "plan" for those early season games and shared that plan with my pitching staff.  They knew before their first pitch the number of pitches, give or take a pitch here and there, exactly how many pitches that they were going to throw before they took the mound.  In that way, I checked myself and helped them understand the "whys" of how they were being pitched.  This early, (4 or 5 game scenario) they would have been limited to 75.

One other thing I think coaches should think about early in the year, but also might apply later is creating a "two headed monster."  We had two pitchers who's "style" complimented each other so well that we pitched them as a tandem.  We learned this by accident in the early spring.  One was 90 mph, not such good control so he always had high pitch counts and absolutely fearless.  He scared the hitters to death because he was so wild.  The other was sitting 84-85, great curve and change.  So, they became our "two headed monster."  It helped that they were best friends and loved doing this.  It also helped that neither cared about who got the victory and who started.  

joes87:  so this was a Freshman game, not varsity team?

Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.  BFS, Jr.'s team faced a team a few weeks back, where he pitched through 5 innings, and coach pulled him after 85 pitch count and a 3-0 lead against a team that at the time we were tied with in district..both were undefeated.  The opposing team had just played a game the previous Friday, where the pitcher threw 120 pitches, and came back in our game on Tuesday, and again threw over 130 pitches.  On their school website they post results of games, and a link to the Gamechanger page, so the stats are there for all to see.  I have looked at the games he has pitched in so far this season, and they are all similar in pitch counts, and often he will have the Friday / Tuesday starts.

Not a good idea to begin with this early, but it happens a lot across the country.  Doesn't seem to matter whether its HS ball or summer travel ball in many cases.

The worst thing is having done that at the HS frosh level.  This should be a level where the HS is trying to develop kids, not win games at the expense of kids.  Winning games are nice, of course, but the HS will be better served overall by using more  pitchers and giving them a chance to develop.Parent of kid needs to talk to the coach.  I once tried this as an opposing coach and got nowhere.  Especially when the kid's mom told me to mind my own business.  That particular kid, very talented, never really pitched again at any higher level.  His coaches overused him time and time again in travel tournaments.  No idea if that was the reason he pooped out or not?  But I doubt it helped.

My sons coach has told him that they are going to shut pitchers down around 60 pitches this early in the season (give or take a few pitches).  First thing my son said to me as he entered the car after the game was <opposing coach> was nuts pitching a kid that many pitches this early in the season.  

I'll never cease to be amazed at coaches of teenagers that allow such a thing to happen. Major Leaguers, who are fully grown men with world class athleticism and access to the best training regimens from the best experts on the planet, rarely eclipse totals such as this. What could possibly be OK about letting a kid throw that many pitches?

Sounds like your son is really smart!  

I have to give it to our pitching coach, He worked the boys all winter (December forward). Lengthening their pitch count little at a time. He has pitch counts for each boy based off where they are. One of the pitchers who will / should be #2, did not work out all winter because of a winter sport he played. He is at 50 pitches count. My son and 3 others are at 90 because they worked out during winter. 2 games into season (YEP THAT IS ALL!!!!). My son threw 86 in his first outing (they said he would never be more than 95 one day a week and 30 on 2nd day, which would normally be his bullpen day). The #2 pitcher started the next game, they shut him down at 48 pitches. He can do that twice a week and will be building up pretty fast I am sure but I like the individualized plan

Some high school coaches just haven't educated themselves on pitching. My son's high school coach rode starters until the wheels fell off. Fortunately my son was a closer. He almost never came in to start an inning. He was usually coming from his position with the tying run in scoring position.

My son would throw on the sidelines between innings late in games he thought he might be called on. One time a blow out stopped being a blow out due to heavy wind . Pops and flies were a circus. Son caught a ball behind short that went up in foul territory. The coach asked my son to come from his position on a 20 degree wind chill day and no warm up. When my son asked to be pulled from the game for one batter to warm up and then reenter the coach got really ticked. 

When teams are pitching thin, riding the best option is commonplace regardless of the weather or whether it's V, JV or F ball. If a player is experiencing arm trouble, he has to communicate it to the coach. He's doing a disservice by not talking with the coach. I suspect coaches don't want outsiders such as parents giving a status report on the condition of his arms unless it comes directly from the player. If the player don't say anything and blows his arm, then it's the player's fault for not being straight up.