Why Summer Baseball Schedules Burn Players Out

And What Parents and Pitchers Can Do to Stay Healthy and Develop

Every summer, I see the same thing happen:

Schedules get overloaded. Routines disappear. Players get worn out.

Summer baseball is supposed to be developmental—but the way it’s structured, it often leads to injury, fatigue, and stalled progress.

So let’s be honest:
What’s your plan to keep your athlete healthy, sharp, and improving when the schedule turns to chaos?

Drop your thoughts in the YouTube comments—especially if you’ve had to navigate a rainout-packed, burnout-heavy summer season.

Step 1: Understand the Real Problem with Summer Ball

In high school or college, there’s structure.

Morning class. Afternoon practice. Games are on set days. Recovery is planned.

But in the summer?
That all goes out the window.

Most summer leagues over-schedule games because they know they’ll get rained out. So they stack the calendar, double-book weekends, and run doubleheaders at odd hours—two 7-inning games instead of one 9, and makeups thrown in at the last second.

There’s no rhythm.

No plan.

Just survival.

Step 2: Pitchers Are Taking the Biggest Hit

This mess affects everyone—but pitchers? They pay the highest price.

Here’s what happens:

One week they’re throwing off 3 days rest.
The next, they sit for 7 days straight.
Then tournament time rolls around, and relievers are being thrown back-to-back-to-back—sometimes for 2 or even 3 days in a row.

That should never happen.

Not in high school.
Not in college.
Not if development and health are the goals.

It’s not just about the number of outings—it’s about how many pitches you’re throwing and how your body is recovering.

If you had a 15-pitch outing followed by a 40-pitch day the next? That’s a red flag. And it happens all the time in summer ball.

Step 3: Use Your Voice—or Use Your Parents

You don’t have to overexpose yourself to stay on the team.
You don’t have to pitch when your arm isn’t ready.
You don’t have to play every day to show you care.

If you need rest, ask for a day off.

Say you’ve got work. Say you’ve got a family obligation.
They’ll be coaching summer ball for the next 10 years—you only get five seasons to play four.

And if you’re not comfortable speaking up, lean on your parents. Let them take the blame.
Have Mom or Dad tell the coach you’ve got to be out Saturday. It’s that simple. In summer ball, that’s not a problem. Coaches hear it all the time.

It’s not weakness. It’s strategy.
You’re protecting your season, your arm, and your future.

You’re Not Going to Make a Leap in 8 Weeks

Don’t fall for the trap.

You’re not going from .200 to .800 in two months.
You’re not adding 5 MPH in eight weeks.
And you’re not going to develop in chaos.

Development is incremental, not explosive.
It’s about creating small gains by maintaining consistency—even when the schedule won’t help you do it.

That’s the real challenge of summer ball.
And that’s why structure still matters—even when the season feels out of control.

Want a System That Keeps You on Track?

If your goal is to become a more complete hitter this summer, don’t rely on games alone. Use a system that gives you structured reps, measurable progress, and long-term development.

📕 BASS: Barrel Accuracy and Swing Strength – The Path to Elite Level Hitting
👉 Visit: www.luposbaseball.com

Disclaimer:
The content shared is for informational purposes only. This is not a judgment of any person or program mentioned. All names and events are discussed from personal memory and are not meant to accuse or endorse. The goal is to share insight from lived experience.

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