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Former Colorado Rockies Pitcher Jason Hirsh, radio personality Andy Lindahl on youth baseball coaching, sport specialization

By Daniel Wettstein II

A coach speaks with a boy as he practices baseball skills at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2018. - On a searing hot summer's day in Washington, a group of children are playing baseball in a pristine park that stands at odds with its surroundings in the city's rough-and-tumble southeast.Parents and grandparents shout encouragement from the stands as they chow down on hot dogs, some seeking shelter under the shade of a blue tent. This quintessential scene is taking place in little leagues across the United States -- and would be unremarkable if it weren't for the stark color divide in the stands: one section is entirely white and the other all black, reflected in the players on the field.Currently batting are an African American youth team of 12-year-olds representing the Mamie Johnson league of southeast DC. (Photo by Issam AHMED / AFP) (Photo credit should read ISSAM AHMED/AFP via Getty Images)
A coach speaks with a boy as he practices baseball skills at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2018. - On a searing hot summer's day in Washington, a group of children are playing baseball in a pristine park that stands at odds with its surroundings in the city's rough-and-tumble southeast.Parents and grandparents shout encouragement from the stands as they chow down on hot dogs, some seeking shelter under the shade of a blue tent. This quintessential scene is taking place in little leagues across the United States -- and would be unremarkable if it weren't for the stark color divide in the stands: one section is entirely white and the other all black, reflected in the players on the field.Currently batting are an African American youth team of 12-year-olds representing the Mamie Johnson league of southeast DC. (Photo by Issam AHMED / AFP) (Photo credit should read ISSAM AHMED/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Ryan McMahon and Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 16: Ryan McMahon #24 and Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies on August 16, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Even USA Baseball agrees with the benefits of playing multiple sports, such as avoiding burnout and reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Now, that being said with a caveat as stated by Hirsh. “Once you get into high school, you need to start honing your skills,” said Hirsh.

He went on to expand by stating if you’re wanting to focus on baseball, for instance, you need to play other sports that are more an extension of your training program than one that has no correlation to your sport of choice, such as track for conditioning and flexibility that correlates to speed, reaction time and leaping ability if you are an outfielder/middle infielder (see Dexter Fowler).

Or football for core/arm/lower body strength, speed, and toughness for really any position on the field, bonus of arm strength without the overuse of pitching/throwing year-round if you are a QB (e.g. Ryan McMahon).

A lot of other people I have heard arguments that you MUST specialize your child in a sport if you ever want them to get that full-ride scholarship.

Jason Hirsh warned when asked if there was any validity to that, he flat-panned “[n]ot at all.” He continued, “[u]nless you are a freak of nature, you are not getting a full ride. If you are looking for a full-ride scholarship, and you’re not a freak of nature, like a Mike Trout, you chose the wrong sport.”

He went on to explain that in today’s college landscape, academics are as important, if not more important than athletics. As Hirsh noted, “Tommy Try Hard” is going to need to either have academic scholarships to offset the cost, or a family that can foot the bill as they work through college.

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