Throwing at hitters

Cat coach, I agree. I must admit that I do mumble under my breath to plug a kid for showboating, especially on our field. I am not talkking about your program, did not want to give you the wrong idea.

 

I only threw at people I didn't like.

 

Is potentially injuring a 14-18 KID worth intentionally throwing at a hitter? I never want to see a kid injured! Hopefully the coach would have the decency not to allow his players to show up the opponent nor disrespect the game. Does it happen? Sure it does! It is talked about so much in professional baseball that everybody thinks it is acceptable, when over half of the things the "pros" do is not in the best interest of the game (showboating)... What if the high school pitcher does injure the KID? What if that KID has a head injury as a result of a high school pitcher not having the control of many pitchers at the major league level because somebody's ego was hurt? Get over the showboating and brush it off as ignorance and a total lack of class!

Bottom line, if as a coach you tell a HIGH SCHOOL pitcher to intentionally throw at a batter, would you be able to sleep if that KID was seriously injured? I know I wouldn't. What if that caused a significant brain injury as a result of a severe concussion....

Enough of my ranting, but that's how I feel!

 

I saw a coach call for his pitcher to hit the EM catcher in last weeks JV game. The coach had spent most of the previous inning complaining to the imps about the catcher putting a couple hard tags on his runners at plays at the plate. What the coach had failed to see was one of his players threw an elbow at the catcher earlier in the game.
It was just one of many classless things that this coach displayed during the game.

 

Dirty,
No offense taken at all!
I could agree on the showboating aspect penalty.
Still, at our level we can't afford the extra runner!
Does that speak badly of me that that is my main reason?

(Oh, and I do carry a scar out of my left ear from taking one in the head in HS. It was an ugly situation when it happened - but it ended up being my biggest moment from a very mediocre career! Still talked about in KVegas.)

 

Not ranting.
Good points.
In the end, we (coaches) should rise above and exhibit class and restraint - THOUGH IT AIN'T ALWAYS EASY! We all mess up. Me, like most, usually with my mouth. However, I can say I'm sorry after a verbal mistake. If I make a physical one (hit a kid), then all the "sorry" in the world may not ever make it right.

Serious, permanent effects on a kid is the trump card here. Even a fool should get the chance to grow up and out of his foolishness.

 

That's classic!!!! I love it

 

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/201...ch-intentionally-had-pitcher-throw-at-batter/ (How dare he!)

 

Back in the day I was often referred to as a "head hunter" ... I had to own the inside 3rd ( and some ) or I couldn't be successful.
Given the slop I served up it was my only chance for success, own it inside and win away. Fortunately I had some sturdy catchers
that never let the big boys get out to the mound...

Having said that...I don't think there's a place for intentionally hitting a kid in HS, in fact it's just dumb. We spend all this time preaching to kids the importance of 1st pitch strikes and minimizing walks, then we ask them to plunk a kid for showboating or popping off in the dugout ?
Come on now, really ?

The bigger issue to me is the way some coaches allow their teams to carry on during games ... the antics on the bench, the heckling/singing/etc...I think alot of the "non baseball" emotion can be avoided if coaches demand their kids to show some respect for
the game with a little more class on the field. Not naming teams, but their is a very good HS program in Charlotte that I have seen a
few times ... and to watch the way the staff let's ( encourages ? ) them to behave is just a disgrace to the game we all love.

However ... if a kid squares to bunt with a runner on 3rd....

 

The bat hurts more than the ball

In my day if you thought a pitcher hit you on purpose we would just turn loose of the bat. When a bat sounds like a helicopter coming at you it will stop you from throwing at hitters.I saw it happen a couple of times. The game was different then that what it is now. When i hit a home run I would watch it land.I knew when I got up the next time I was going to get some chin music.I thought this was what baseball was about.I mean if a pitcher wants to hit you then go to first base. Nothing like a good battle.Just make sure you didn't strike out! I guess this sounds a little cocky but a lot of guys played the game like that.