How would you handle it?

[rkbenn]

Had a game last night in Majors LL, and the score was 0-0 in the 3rd against the best team, by far in the league. They've played 7 games and 10 run rule everyone. They had their best pitcher throwing 70+ gas and no one could manage a hit.

In the 3rd inning there was a hit to the 1st baseman that is one of the more reliable players on the team and instead of the ball staying down it hopped up and went into right, where the right fielder let it get by him and the runner went to 2nd. Right after that there was a hit and the SS bobbled it and threw it to 1st even though the runner was going to be safe. The ball was a bit high and the ball went off the top of the 1st baseman's glove as he was stretching out and rolled past him, and both the runners advanced.

The coach from the team in the field called timeout and told the 1st baseman to go to center and have the center fielder go to 1st right in the middle of the game. Right after that the new 1st baseman made an error on a catch.

In the game our team made a number of errors. The 2nd baseman made 5 errors alone Granted it was about 45 degrees and the kids wanted to not play and get warm.

I think the coach thought they had a shot in this game, lost his cool and replacing the 1st baseman during the inning was uncalled for. This kid has been, like I said very reliable. To replace him, IMO was uncalled for and embaressing. What do you guys think? We're talking about 10-12 y/o's.

[Rufus67]

I don't think I would do something like that during an inning, just doesn't seem right. Their parents paid their money, the kid is trying hard, get over it and realize it's baseball. Like I tell my kids, if you want assured outcomes go into accounting. I could maybe see this in a travel ball situation where winning is something more it's a consideration, but I'm not sure even there.

The only time I may consider it is if the kid is just phoning it in and not giving any effort at all. We've all got 1 or 2 kids like this on our teams (talking rec level here) and you can't yank them all the time, but that's really the only time I could imagine even thinking about pulling a non-pitcher in the middle of an inning.

[4pointDoc]

I think the coach was dead wrong for doing that. We have told our boys that they won't get benched or moved for "physical" errors -- trying to make a play on the ball. What we have been struggling with is mental errors, which we have begun to institute a "you sit if your not aware of what to do with the ball" error rule. But we would not make that change in the middle of an inning unless the kid made several mental errors in a row in the same inning.

If a kid is usually reliable, you have to play the odds, esp in the middle of a game. He he wasn't giving a good effort, I would make the change after the inning. At this age, I would be very careful in making swaps in the middle of an inning b/c of what it can do to the kid's attitude and self esteem. No need to have everyone in the stands and on the team looking at him as if he were the only one to make a mistake.

[All-StarLF1713]

i wouldve made a mound visit, and called in the infield. i wouldve given them a pep talk, said you guys are doing good offensively, but you need to concentrate on d. we can beat these guys if we cut down the errors. tell them to forget about the errors that they already made. and not move the 1b

[Jake Patterson]

The coach was wrong. Moving players around as a result of an injury or pitching change is one thing, replacing a player as a result of an error is another.

[g-mac]

It appears that everyone is on the same page here. There's more to being a coach than moving players around. As All-StarLF previously said, the coach should have took the opportunity to bring the infield in on the mound and get everyone back in the right mindset.
Errors are going to happen whether it's LL or MLB. Pulling a player over an error is not helping anyone.

[azmatsfan]

I've only subbed for players in the middle of an inning twice. Once was for an OF who was hopping around and told me he had to use the bathroom. The other was for a kid who had been bugging me to catch in a game. Two of the first 4 pitches flew straight past his glove into the umps chest, so I pulled him. The ump thanked me after the inning.

[crash_davis]

Nothing like embarrassing a kid who is playing hard. A couple years ago Frank Robinson pulled his catcher in the middle of an inning due to the fact he gave up 7 stolen bases and committed a 2 or 3 errors. I remember this because the HOFer was devastated at the press conference after the game and was actually brought to tears. He felt horrible doing it and he is paid to win ballgames. No reason to do that in little league over 2 errors.

[rkbenn]

I didn't think it was right at all. He did'nt pull the 2nd baseman after his 3rd error in an inning. He didn't pull the SS after he missed a grounder, then was not standing on 2nd base for the easy force.

I think at the time he thought he had a chance to win, so he did what he did. In reality, they had no chance to win, and did a horrible thing to a kid that shows up to practice everyday, and gives his all. His coach moves him around to all positions and does well. The kid didn't think nothing of the switch in the end.

I don't know what I would do if he did that to my kid, hell, I usually stay out of my kids sports and let them handle it.

[rkbenn]

Nothing like embarrassing a kid who is playing hard. A couple years ago Frank Robinson pulled his catcher in the middle of an inning due to the fact he gave up 7 stolen bases and committed a 2 or 3 errors. I remember this because the HOFer was devastated at the press conference after the game and was actually brought to tears. He felt horrible doing it and he is paid to win ballgames. No reason to do that in little league over 2 errors.

I remember that, that was a big deal.

[DukeK]

I moved a kid during an inning - ONCE, and only ONCE. Taught me a lesson.

We were playing a 5th grade CYO game and a loss would knock us out of the playoff race. During the 2nd or 3rd (?) the other team hit 2 or 3 shots over my outfielders head, all hit to left center. Neither my left or center fielder had very good wheels and weren't getting a good jump on the ball. I felt all 3 balls were catchable So, I switched the center fielder to 2nd base and my son from 2nd base to center field.

Can we guess where the next ball was hit?

Yup, straight at the 2nd baseman, through his legs like a croquet wicket and into right field, 2 runs scored. The kid I moved to 2nd base usually does a nice job there, oh well...... We ended up losing the game.

Never switched a kid again during an inning, wouldn't even think of it. :)

The coach my son played for 2 years ago did switch kids during innings a few times after a kid committed a couple of errors in the same inning.

[skipper5]

Not acceptable at any level.
The first time the coach himself commits a couple of coaching gaffes, I assume he will be consistent with his beliefs and vacate the field and go home.
Ditto his third base coach.
On the other hand, the boy gets the last laugh. Twenty years from now when he sees the no-good #$@## on the street, he can ignore him and say to his wife, "That's the old creep I told you about who coached me in little league."

[Rajun Cajun]

You are their coach, not their friend. If you think it will motivate him the next game then don't be afraid to make the move. Just do it right and be posiive when you do it. If you bench him or move him out to right field with a snarl on your face or throw a fit the kid will lose respect for you as well as the team.

This is a team sport until the ball is hit to you, then it is all on the individual. If the individual is having a bad night, it might get worse when the opponet figures it out. It might embarass him, the team, and cost you a game. The score doesn't matter much at the little league level. But I try and teach:

We put out max effort on every play, every pitch, every swing.

If a kid isn't giving you a maximum mental or physical effort he is letting the team down. If you want him to learn to put out some effort for his boss one day when he has a real job, you will be doing a favor to him by figuring out what motivates him.

Everyone has a downer game once in a while. If you know the kid really well, and this is his downer game, let him get it out of his system and leave him be at First. If he is mentally out of it tonight, do him a favor and sit him so he doesn't get himself hurt. The bench is a great place to learn. I think it is a highly underrated position on the team. It can teach and motivate simultaneously while giving a kid a rest who may be having an off night.

[Ursa Major]

Rajun, it was the first baseman who was pulled, so how would the other team have exploited his "poor game" -- decided to hit grounders on the assumption that he'd drop other throws?

Nah, a bad move all the way around, and it just signals to the team that the coach panics.

The only time I'd make an exception is if you have a kid with some pronounced medical or (more likely, at that age) ADD issues who's just not tracking that day. But that's really more a safety issue.

Had a coach in our league's 9-10 y/o division who would never let his worst players play infield. That's bad enough, right? Well, he'd put the absolute worst kid in right field and, when a lefty came up, he'd stop the game and yell at the kid to switch with the left fielder, then they'd switch back after the at-bat. Now that's nasty!

[Jake Patterson]

Rajun, it was the first baseman who was pulled, so how would the other team have exploited his "poor game" -- decided to hit grounders on the assumption that he'd drop other throws?

Nah, a bad move all the way around, and it just signals to the team that the coach panics.

The only time I'd make an exception is if you have a kid with some pronounced medical or (more likely, at that age) ADD issues who's just not tracking that day. But that's really more a safety issue.

Had a coach in our league's 9-10 y/o division who would never let his worst players play infield. That's bad enough, right? Well, he'd put the absolute worst kid in right field and, when a lefty came up, he'd stop the game and yell at the kid to switch with the left fielder, then they'd switch back after the at-bat. Now that's nasty!
I don't think it's anything more than a coach doing the wrong thing the wrong way. He was trying to win the game at the players expense. I do not feel at this age there is a whole bunch of exploitation that can happen.

[rkbenn]

You are their coach, not their friend. If you think it will motivate him the next game then don't be afraid to make the move. Just do it right and be posiive when you do it. If you bench him or move him out to right field with a snarl on your face or throw a fit the kid will lose respect for you as well as the team.

This is a team sport until the ball is hit to you, then it is all on the individual. If the individual is having a bad night, it might get worse when the opponet figures it out. It might embarass him, the team, and cost you a game. The score doesn't matter much at the little league level. But I try and teach:

We put out max effort on every play, every pitch, every swing.

If a kid isn't giving you a maximum mental or physical effort he is letting the team down. If you want him to learn to put out some effort for his boss one day when he has a real job, you will be doing a favor to him by figuring out what motivates him.

Everyone has a downer game once in a while. If you know the kid really well, and this is his downer game, let him get it out of his system and leave him be at First. If he is mentally out of it tonight, do him a favor and sit him so he doesn't get himself hurt. The bench is a great place to learn. I think it is a highly underrated position on the team. It can teach and motivate simultaneously while giving a kid a rest who may be having an off night.

The hop he got jumped up on him, and the throw went off the top of his glove as he was stretched out. He does give very good effort. Right before that he made a nice play on a grounder. The whole team was exposed that game, not just this player. This player happened to get singled out.

It's not up to his coach to teach him how to be a man and teach him lifes lessons, it's up to his parents.

[hawkiirock]

was the kid pouting or moping around after the miscues? If not than i agree with the others that the coach messed up. Probably got lost in the heat of the moment trying to beat the better team. Sometimes we all get a little too intense and don't think clearly

[skipper5]

You guys are going way to0 easy on the LL coach. Sure, it's important to maintain the decorum of this site, but that man should be roundly condemned, in strong language.

It is never OK to switch a defensive player mid-inning because of a miscue. Coaching-by-humilation is not acceptable.

It's not only wrong, it's very bad baseball from a competitive standpoint because the coach sent a message loud-and-clear to his entire team. From now on, when they have stone hands, or don't want any part of even getting near a tough high-pop in the seam, the coach himself will be responsible for their playing scared, tentative defense.

Many, if not most, youth coaches are clueless. They base their coaching on watching MLB on the tube. They don't realize that errors are a huge part of amateur baseball. Our very good JV team played an equally good arch-rival yesterday. Our 3B (who is a darned good ballplayer) made three glove errors, and their slugging first baseman made two glove errors and launched a throw 5 ft. over their catchers' head. That's not out of the realm of normal.

Neither player got replaced or re-located, nor should they have.

[mudvnine]

It's not up to his coach to teach him how to be a man and teach him lifes lessons, it's up to his parents.

I disagree, it is up to us as coaches to teach life's lessons through baseball when appropriate. It's just important that we teach the right ones . . . in this case, the coach did not.

[rkbenn]

I disagree, it is up to us as coaches to teach life's lessons through baseball when appropriate. It's just important that we teach the right ones . . . in this case, the coach did not.

Maybe, but I'm not going to tell him if you do things half as@ed in this game, it's going to carry over to real life. Not my call as a coach.

[skipper5]

Baseball is the most perfect sport ever devised, except for the assinine concept of errors.

Try to picture football if they assigned an error every time an assignment was missed, or an open receiver dropped a ball. Same with basketball, hockey. Ridiculous.

Because I deny the validity of the concept of both physical and mental errors, the teams I coach make fewer than the other guys almost every season, and seem much less prone to making them in bunches.

My defenders want the ball. That's my claim to fame.

[mudvnine]

Maybe, but I'm not going to tell him if you do things half as@ed in this game, it's going to carry over to real life. Not my call as a coach.

Where did ANYONE say ANYTHING about doing "things half as@ed"? I thought you said the kid "does give very good effort", now you've got me really confused. :crazy :banghead:

[rkbenn]

Where did ANYONE say ANYTHING about doing "things half as@ed"? I thought you said the kid "does give very good effort", now you've got me really confused. :crazy :banghead:

I responded to Cajuns, and you responded to me. Cajun was talking about a lifes lesson. For me, I didn't want my coach to teach me lessons, that's what my mom and dad is for.

[Rufus67]

I responded to Cajuns, and you responded to me. Cajun was talking about a lifes lesson. For me, I didn't want my coach to teach me lessons, that's what my mom and dad is for.

I've got to disagree with you on this one RK. Most of the kids who play baseball at the youth level are not going to continue to play baseball in HS or beyond. While learning the skills of the game, how to perform under pressure, and enjoying the team atmosphere are all good things the game of baseball is not that antiseptic. As a coach I have, rightly or wrongly, and influence on the kids each and every time I open my mouth or react to a play. That's a huge responsibility and one I don't take lightly (my wife would say I take it too seriously, but that's an argument for a different day).

I try to set an example for the kids. I don't chew tobacco, drink, smoke, or cuss while I'm coaching (or while not coaching for that matter - just when you think you can safely let loose with a stream of invective in a store or someplace I can guarantee your starting SS will be standing behind you). I try to respect the officials, parents, and opposing team in words and actions. I don't always succeed but will always let them know when I think I've messed up and then point out what I should have done.

Sorry, don't mean to lecture. I started coaching only after making sure I had a working knowledge of the game only to realize afterward that knowledge of the game is the bare-minimum requirement for effective coaching.

[rkbenn]

I've got to disagree with you on this one RK. Most of the kids who play baseball at the youth level are not going to continue to play baseball in HS or beyond. While learning the skills of the game, how to perform under pressure, and enjoying the team atmosphere are all good things the game of baseball is not that antiseptic. As a coach I have, rightly or wrongly, and influence on the kids each and every time I open my mouth or react to a play. That's a huge responsibility and one I don't take lightly (my wife would say I take it too seriously, but that's an argument for a different day).

I try to set an example for the kids. I don't chew tobacco, drink, smoke, or cuss while I'm coaching (or while not coaching for that matter - just when you think you can safely let loose with a stream of invective in a store or someplace I can guarantee your starting SS will be standing behind you). I try to respect the officials, parents, and opposing team in words and actions. I don't always succeed but will always let them know when I think I've messed up and then point out what I should have done.

Sorry, don't mean to lecture. I started coaching only after making sure I had a working knowledge of the game only to realize afterward that knowledge of the game is the bare-minimum requirement for effective coaching.

Ruf, it wouldn't be the first time someone had disagreed with me, or the last.

I believe that coaches should be a positive influence. The game puts you in situations that teaches you lessons, like dealing with people, being a part of a team, working hard, and keeping a positive attitude.

I apply sports situations to my kids and apply them to real life. It's not the coaches role to do these things. He can tell him why he pulled him and be emphathic. But to try to apply it to real life situation is not the coaches role. That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying kids can't be influences by coaches, but there is a fine line between influencing and parenting in some cases. You can run into problems as a coach if you cross that line.

[shake-n-bake]

To the point of coaches owning a responsibility to teach beyond baseball skills, I see it to some degree. I like to see coaches exhibiting sportsmanship themselves and encouraging/demanding it from their players. One thing in particular that I like to see is coaches encouraging and congratulating kids on the opposing team. Not to mention that youth sports is a small world where these kids and coaches for the most part all know each other, I just think it shows a lot of class and exhibits sportsmanship that his kids usually pick up on.

We played a team last night and had a similar situation in a majors LL game. The opposing coach pulled his catcher with 2 outs in the first inning for not making a play on a runner stealing 3rd. That was especially harsh because it took time for the kid (who was visually upset) to get the gear off, make the defensive changes, and the new catcher to get the gear on. The entire mood surrounding the game went from first inning excitement to people whispering to one another their thoughts on his actions.

I thought it was a bad move. MHO is that first and foremost you've got to support your kids. You support them and more often than not they'll support each other. That team we played had a lot of kids pointing fingers at each other. I hate seeing that. Such a wasted opportunity for these kids to build a really special relationship with each other.

[scorekeeper]

Baseball is the most perfect sport ever devised, except for the assinine concept of errors.

Try to picture football if they assigned an error every time an assignment was missed, or an open receiver dropped a ball. Same with basketball, hockey. Ridiculous.

Because I deny the validity of the concept of both physical and mental errors, the teams I coach make fewer than the other guys almost every season, and seem much less prone to making them in bunches.

My defenders want the ball. That's my claim to fame.

Interesting. Although they aren’t exactly the same, it seems to me that there are similar paradigms in almost every sport. They’re called penalties. ;)

But its neither here nor there. The difference in baseball is, the rules define errors, however poorly, and require that certain statistics be kept, then define what those statistics are. Errors fall into that category.

I really believe that much of the problem with errors is, so few people really understand what they are. On top of that, with all the different rule sets, the definition of what an error is, changes, and that becomes truly confusing. All they really are, are a metric by which fielders can be measured against each other, by which its possible to differentiate how hitters reach base safely, not giving them credit for what they don’t deserve, and by which pitchers can be measured against each other by being charged only the runs they were responsible for allowing to reach base safely. Baseball puts no CONNOTATION on errors, people do. Its people who make them a BAD thing, because they reduce player’s measure against their peers.

I’ve never allowed it to get me down, one way or the other because I have the capacity to think a teeny bit outside the box, plus I’ve lived through a generation that has found other metrics by which to measure players that are more accurate and less subjective.

Here’s an example of why I believe errors cause problems. Right now there’s a coach on our team who wants to have a heart-2-heart discussion with me about his son’s stats, especially his batting average. He believes the reason he boy is only batting .237 is because I’m such a harsh and unfair scorer.

Well, I’ve never denied I was harsher than most, but I won’t agree that the way I score is unfair. That’s 2 different animals. So, what I do is provide facts the person believing its my fault that li’l Joey’s BA is lower than it should be, can use to more accurately assess whether the problem is me, or Joey’s.

What I do is account for every plate appearance, and treat every time a player reaches 1st as a positive. That way I get a Reached Base Average by PA’s, rather than a pure batting average. By doing that, every player is queued the same way, by how often he reaches base safely.

I add hits, Walks, HBP’s, Reached on Errors, and Reached on Fielder’s choices together, then divide them by the number of plate appearances to get an average. So, while he’s the 9th highest regular with his .237 BA, he has the 7th highest RBA with .447. His totals are 9 hits, 4 BB’s, 2 ROE’s, and 2 ROFC’s in 42 PA’s.

What’s really funny to me is, he’s reached on an error twice this season, a number that’s tied with 7 other players for being the most on the team. So, even if I was 100% wrong and changed all the ROEs to hits, he wouldn’t move any higher up the ladder! But I’m gonna guess that Dad’s not gonna be satisfied.

Yesireesir. I’m betting that dad isn’t gonna be able to see that even if I changed his ROE’s to hits, his BA is still only gonna go from .237 to .290, which is gonna be pretty far from the magic .400 that most parents feel their boys should be hitting in HS.

Oh well, I’ve been here before and I’ll be here again. LOL!

[scorekeeper]

To the point of coaches owning a responsibility to teach beyond baseball skills, I see it to some degree. I like to see coaches exhibiting sportsmanship themselves and encouraging/demanding it from their players. One thing in particular that I like to see is coaches encouraging and congratulating kids on the opposing team. Not to mention that youth sports is a small world where these kids and coaches for the most part all know each other, I just think it shows a lot of class and exhibits sportsmanship that his kids usually pick up on.

…

I hate seeing that. Such a wasted opportunity for these kids to build a really special relationship with each other.

Ya know what I hate? I hate hearing anyone hollering DROP IT, MISS IT, THROW IT AWAY, or any other similar things that encourage an opponent to fail miserably. And I really hate it when a coach doesn’t discipline a player who does it, but it turns my stomach when parents do it, hoping an opponent fails so their child can succeed.

Sure, if it happens, its part of the game and should be taken advantage of if possible. But what does it say for anyone who does that? For all the blather about sportsmanship, life lessons, and character building, plus the hate for socialistic behavior, what could be worse than not wanting to succeed because of excellence, but rather because of someone else’s failure?

[Jake Patterson]

I've got to disagree with you on this one RK. Most of the kids who play baseball at the youth level are not going to continue to play baseball in HS or beyond. Absolutely true.

[Rajun Cajun]

I have a lefty kid that is very powerful. He is the 10U version of "wild thing." Sometimes I never know where the ball is going when he throws it. He hit a homer out to center field a few weeks ago. But, defensively he doesn't seem to be there. Same in practice, or when he is pitching with me in the bull pen. In games the balls just fall right out of his glove, weahter it is hit to him, or it is thown to him. He pitches very hard, 58 MPH as a 10 U player. He throws 55% strikes in practice, not bad; I am looking for 65-70%. He is wild thogh. He also has an awesome pitching instructor. The same one my son uses and many kids in our part of town love him. His pitching fundamentals are sound. He has never made it past 1 and a third innings. due to walks. In a game I have a rule, walk 2 batters in one inning and we have to make a change. Mound visits don't work. He sees things other than the catchers mitt during practice and games, he looks around, stares at the clouds, at the people in the stands, at the birds in the trees.

I don't think it is fair to the rest of the kids who are paying full attention for him to get extra opportunities to make errors, but on the other hand, I want him to learn, I believe he can do it, so I leave him in longer than I should. The other parents ask "why is so and so out there when he can't pay attention?"

I also train dogs. If I have a retriever who is not putting out, I put him on a leash, or in the kennel, and make him watch (honor the other dog). The dog retrieves because he wants to please his master. So, after a few days of this, I let the dog off the leash and you should see what he does. It is like magic. So, I want to try this on him. Put the fella on the bench a bit and let him "want it." If he really wants to play, he will pay attention and be chomping at the bit (i hope).

I don't know if it is ADD, lack of desire, or inability to focus. But, I now have him reading the word "mizuno" on my cathers mitt before he is allowed to throw a pitch in the bullpen. Another words, I am forcing his eyes to see a smaller target, smaller than just the mitt, and aim small (hopefully to miss small), and force his eyes to transmit the informaiton to his brain as to where and how small the target it. All I want him to do is see the mitt and hit the mitt. It worked last night. Best practice session he has ever had. Much fewer wild pitches.

[skipper5]

"He has never made it past 1 and a third innings. due to walks."

"he looks around, stares at the clouds, at the people in the stands, at the birds in the trees.

"I don't think it is fair to the rest of the kids who are paying full attention... but on the other hand, I want him to learn, I believe he can do it, so I leave him in longer than I should."

I don't know if it is ADD, lack of desire, or inability to focus"

Cajun, you have a 10 yr old with a MAJOR inability to focus on a ball-field....but you're trying to perform a miracle while your other players are wondering why that boy gets so much slack and attention from you. Why are you doing this?

IMO, you're doing it for the wrong reasons: you're hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and win more games by taming the wild thing.

Stop torturing the poor kid with your dog-training techniques. Put him in right field, give him equal playing time, applaud his successes, and start doing the right thing by your other players.

[Rajun Cajun]

It is hard because you have to deal with the parents. You know what I mean, Johny can do it, Johny is better than so and so. He is getting more opportuniities because of the parental pressures. So, I am trying to make the parents happy. The negative vibes in the gallery abound if 'johny' isn't out there. Dealing with the parents is always the tough issue.

[AgentX]

It is hard because you have to deal with the parents. You know what I mean, Johny can do it, Johny is better than so and so. He is getting more opportuniities because of the parental pressures. So, I am trying to make the parents happy. The negative vibes in the gallery abound if 'johny' isn't out there. Dealing with the parents is always the tough issue.

You aren't there for the parents.

If they don't know that, then you need to make that explicitly clear to them.

Do the right thing by all of the kids and the parents will have nothing to say.

[Rajun Cajun]

Thanks, I needed to hear that. I need to keep that in focus and always come back to that.

[Jake Patterson]

It is hard because you have to deal with the parents. You know what I mean, Johny can do it, Johny is better than so and so. He is getting more opportuniities because of the parental pressures. So, I am trying to make the parents happy. The negative vibes in the gallery abound if 'johny' isn't out there. Dealing with the parents is always the tough issue.I found that communicating to parents that I would not discuss playing time or lineup decisions has served me well over the years. This aspect of the game gets worse fast if you do not establish yourself early. The parents will always push the envelope. I agree with Agent X you are there for the players - ALL the players. Discussion playing time and positions with the pushy parent is not fair to the parents and players who keep their mouth shut and do their jobs. JMHO

[Ursa Major]

Rajun, I honor your efforts to work with the kid. Yes, you have to be sensitive to the efforts of other kids, but nor is it fair to abruptly penalize a kid for factors that, for medical reasons, may well be beyond his control.

What makes it tough is that you may well have kids on your team with attention issues where the parents are in denial, but you have to deal with the product of their denial and failure to address the problem.

I think where the line needs to be drawn is where the kid is genuinely showing an effort to be part of the team and contribute to its successes. If he is, the other kids will tolerate your giving him some slack. If he he disses his teammates -- and that can happen with kids with attention issues who often are the brunt of snide remarks by their teammates -- you really can't tolerate so much. The reward comes when a good kid actually manages to catch that lightning for an inning or two and his teammates celebrate his successes. That's when you've done something that the kid will remember 20 years later.

[shake-n-bake]

I have a lefty kid that is very powerful. He is the 10U version of "wild thing." Sometimes I never know where the ball is going when he throws it.

He sees things other than the catchers mitt during practice and games, he looks around, stares at the clouds, at the people in the stands, at the birds in the trees.

He pitches very hard, 58 MPH as a 10 U player.

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Yes, you have to be sensitive to the efforts of other kids, but nor is it fair to abruptly penalize a kid for factors that, for medical reasons, may well be beyond his control.

Sometimes this place reminds me of the twilight zone. If you've got a kid throwing 58 legitimately with some learning or other handicap that makes you lack confidence in where the ball will end up, and you pitch him, and he hurts someone, YOU should be held personally responsible.

This is one of my greatest peeves. It ain't the Durham Bulls here folks. Just because the kid can bring it, it ain't funny when he hits the mascot. If they cannot throw strikes, they shouldn't be out there - period. Coaches get so enamored with a kid that can throw it hard that they go into this state of denial that the kid can throw a strike and the opposing kids end up paying for it.

[Rajun Cajun]

I think you missed the point. I know he can throw hard. Even if the threw 15 MPH slower I would still work him as long as his fundamentals are sound. Compromisng safety is not a part of my game. I merely characterized some of his better attributes. He can also bunt nicely and hit well. He just happens to be a 10U version of wild thing. He has never hit a batter. He might throw it over the umpire though. His pitching coach is a former American League All star and I wouldn't give him any time on the mound if I didn't talk to his instructor once a week. Sometimes it is really special to watch him work when he is paying attention. His whole game would get better if he saw the whole field as well as the target he is throwing at. I can't work on base-runner awareness, and holding runners until I can get 65% strikes, just so he can get some confidence. Confidence plus concentration would really give him some success. Anyway, I am doing my best, and I am conscious of safety at all times.

[scorekeeper]

… I can't work on base-runner awareness, and holding runners until I can get 65% strikes, just so he can get some confidence. Confidence plus concentration would really give him some success. Anyway, I am doing my best, and I am conscious of safety at all times.

I don’t doubt that you’re doing your best, and for the right reasons. Keep it up!

But, I do question the 65% number. Where did you get that? I’ve scored well over 200 HS games, have had 12 pitchers on the teams I scored for who threw more than 30 innings, and have only had 1 pitcher among those 12 throw 65% strikes.

While many people believe its easy to throw strikes, 65% strikes is a really bodacious number, even for only a relatively small number of batters. For all the HS games I’ve scored, there were 11,776 batters, 40,659 total pitches and 24,940 strikes for a percentage of 61.3%. I know it looks like that 3.7% is no big deal, but believe me, it’s a freaking killer, and I don’t believe it would be any easier for kids 12YO, let alone 10YO.

What I’m trying to do is give you a good reason to back off on your expectations for the boy. And heck, it may well be that he doesn’t GET IT until he’s 15 or 16, if he gets it at all. Its no big deal. There’s been lots of guys with guns who couldn’t pitch. He might just be one of them.