The ole "bait and switch'?

I am curious to know how you know for certain this is true.  A coach who has multiple potential D1 kids is usually quite aware that pulling such a stunt intentionally would be very damaging to his own reputation among the college coaches and thus seriously hinder his ability to help kids get looks in the future - something he would avoid doing at all costs.

 

As far as the player goes... if he has been in contact with 3 of the top 25 programs, he is very likely already a known commodity and this probably won't take him out of anyone's mix.  The college coaches would not blame the player for the schedule change - not in his control.

Did the HS coach know the College guys were coming?  It almost sounds like the HS coach may not have known.

Several thoughts:

 

• High school coaches should be moving pitchers to get wins; not to have his pitchers seen.
• From what I understand (at least in our area) college coaches are not to request to have the line up adjusted for their benefit. 
• It is up to the player, not the hs coach, to notify the  college coaches when they are playing, and any changes that arise.  A quick email by the player (or text, if that info has been given to the player)  gets this done.  

 

 

At our HS the pitchers are not told (any position, really) that they are pitching until about 30 minutes before a game if they're the starter.  Relief pitchers aren't told until they are sent to warm up and even then aren't used sometimes.  College guys seem to know this about our coach and they have all asked son for his summer team schedule without him having to say a word about HS schedule.

This is totally ridiculous - and par for the course. How hard is it to set the week's starting pitching rotation? When I coached HS we had it planned out for 2 weeks with contigencies listed if the starter got bombed and guys needed to be moved around. And that was a public city freshman team. What is your job as a coach if you can't even do this?

That's ridiculous. How is a young pitcher to prepare? What if he threw a side bullpen yesterday? Or took a lesson to work on something yesterday? Or went on a 2 mile jog in the morning? Or did any conditioning to better himself as an athlete? And then oh by the way with 30 minutes notice you are pitching today. How does one plan ahead to take care of their arm under such coaching nonsense?

 

My son pitched at middle school and now high school. The teams knew every starting pitcher assignment on Friday for the next week. So they could plan ahead and be physically be ready to throw their best. Relievers were told to target a certain gameday but remain ready for an inning or two at moments notice.

 

If the coach attitude is that I don't cater to what scouts want......that is not the point. How about actually coach to help your players be the best prepared they can be. And be responsibly proactive on arm care.

My son knows when he is pitching.

I agree, it's rediculous.  But he's a junior and just deals with it.  Probably one of the reasons we are pretty low ranked.  This is why he loves his well ranked summer team

       
       
Can't completely agree with this.  Getting kids recruited and signed is a MAJOR part of a high school coaches job.  If it wasn't an arm health situation I would gladly move a guys start so some scouts could be there. And if for some unforeseen reason the schedule were to change as a caoch I would communicate that with the scouts.   Of course if it were the state tournament it may be different.  But what is more important,  to get your kids scholarships or win one random regular season game.  And by the way are you saying none of your other pitchers can win a game?  And the hitters can feel free to hit the ball and win that way too.

Our starting pitchers are set first and foremost by what's best for the team, no doubt. Has to be that way.

 

That being said, there's always flexibility on our end, and the college guys end. A lot of times a coach will ask when he's throwing and make it work. If he can't make it I'd definitely consider changing when he throws if it wasn't a big impact on the team. Hasn't really been an issue with us.

 

Common sense just has to dictate the whole thing to me.

 

I have had a pro scout show up and ask for me to throw a certain player.  This was a non conference game he showed up to and the young man was my #1.  We played the other team tied for conference lead 2 days later.  I could not make the change.  To do so would have put a conference championship in danger while at the same time, we didn't have any guarantee that this "scout" really had the power to do much for the draft.  As you know, cross checkers etc. would still be in the equation.  Mom and dad didn't like my choice.  Team over individual. 

       
       
Certainly the scout could have called ahead to figure something out.  That having been said this is a huge opportunity for the kid.  And of course this is a case by case situation also.  I went to school with a couple guys who were big time draft choices.  Bonus babies.  Didn't matter if any one particular scout saw them.  But maybe if a kid is borderline this represents an important opportunity.   In this case showcase the kid and go beat.the #2 team with somebody else on the mound.

Not a coach and ours works with the scouts/cross checkers so no problems there. My son was asked by a scout if he could pitch on a Monday as he would potentially be up against a big local southpaw. Due to scheduled to throw the Friday before in a region game, could not make that change. Instead of his normal friday to friday rotation, he threw Wednesday and they came out to watch. I will also add he had throwm a CG that Friday...103 pitches i believe so the scout only wanted and requested that he throw 60 in the Wednesday region game. 

 

His line: 5I 0ER 7Ks 3BB 83TP 51 Strikes

 

92 mph FB

78 CB

 

His legs went in that 5th and the scout was texting me..like he's done ,g et him outta there, why isnt anyone up in the pen? All very valid....he got out of the 5th with a no no going and was done.

The scout probably knows that this is all too common in high school.  

 

I sound like a broken record but until the UIL adopts stringent pitch counts in each state there will be a risk of pitcher injuries. 

 

This is the rule in Texas:

A pitcher may pitch one game each day in an unlimited number of innings. If he pitches in more than one game during a day, he will be limited to a total of ten innings each day. It is strongly recommended that a player who has pitched a full game the previous day not be used as a pitcher the following day.

This isn't much of a rule. 

 

There is some attention being given.  http://www.nfhs.org/articles/f...igh-school-baseball/

 

 

Yes. Not much of a rule.

 

I have an issue with the scout limiting him to potentially 60. I'm glad the coach didn't. 

But the "scout" was ok with him throwing 100 and coming back a few days later and going 60 since it was convenient for him? Obviously a guru of sorts.