Advice, encouragement for h.s. sophomore baseball player

Question
What causes high school coaches to pick a player for the team and then rarely
or never give him a chance to play? Just to fill our the roster and get the
sponsor money?
My son is a sophomore, one of 26 players to fill a JV and Varsity team. Yes,
he's limited because he's a lefty and there is a junior and senior ahead of him
who also play first base, I get that.
But both teams have lost all but two or three games they've played this year,
they're over-loaded with sophomores, they have a new varsity coach, they're
planning to move down a level in the next two years because the size of the
school has gone down -- so basically this could be seen as a building year.
A chance to see what all these boys can do and dole out some playing time as
an investment in future seasons. But is that not how a coach would ever look
at it?
And do high school coaches ever give any thought to the insecure teenagers
they are having such a huge impact on when they never give them a chance,
not a word of encouragement, nothing? How much of a demeaning,
humiliating experience like this can a child take and not have it affect their
overall sense of well-being and esteem? We would never want him to quit and
he hasn't suggested that, but what's the damage if night after night he comes
home feeling dejected and embarrassed?
We tell our son to hang in their, stay positive, hustle, work hard, blah blah --
and of course, we don't know what's really going on or how he's behaving,
but how can he be expected to keep his spirits up and attitude positive when
he sits through game after game? It's not like the rest of the players are so
amazing that he can understand that maybe he's over his head in terms of
talent. He's not!
Last night, probably because of our encouragement, he spoke up to the JV
coach and said, "Do you think I might get to play today?" All he would tell us
is that the coach said, "I don't know." He and one other Sophomore and one
9t grader sat through the whole game that they lost.
Is it breaking a cardinal rule to ask to play? We know that parents are not
allowed to say anything to the coaches, and we never have since he started
playing ball in rec, comp and all-star teams back in 3rd grade.
And he doesn't always even get a chance to practice full-out with the team to
even show the coaches he's trying hard.
Of course you don't know what the situation really is. But if we can believe
he's not an obnoxious kid, we know he's good friends with many kids on the
team and fits in, never misses a practice or game or shows up late, tries his
best -- what can we tell him to help him make sense of this? Is this just the
way it goes in high school sports? Maybe a kid who isn't as good gets to play
more because he also plays football and this is a school that focuses on
football? Or being a lefty who has throughout his playing years only played
first base, even though he's done amazing things there, will always be
limited?
How can he improve if he never has playing opportunities? They don't know
about his past incredible hitting or fielding, and he's up so infrequently he
doesn't get enough opportunities to prove himself. They put him in for one
at-bat the other day and he got hit in the leg -- and a base-runner took his
place at first. And that was the total of his playing time all week.
I actually worry that this will end up being such a negative experience that it
will affect his high school years, maybe even cause him to get off track in his
grades or good choices because of this treatment -- which is what really
matters to us.
Help.

Answer
Laurie,
This is a great question that many parent and players have.
         One of the things that goes on in high school is paying your dues.  I can relate to your son because when I was a Freshman in high school I was better than the varsity catcher.  I did not start because I did not have the experience and the catcher ahead of me started since his sophomore year.  As a former coach I can only guess why your son has not seen the field very much.  From your question your son only plays first base.  Your son is a lefty so he is limited to only a few positions.  As a young man on the team your son may have to play out of his primary position.  If he has limited himself to only playing first base be may be behind the more experienced players.  As a coach you can see this as a rebuilding year but you can also look at it if your son was a senior and in a rebuilding year.  What would you think if your son's senior team was in the same position and a sophomore player got some playing time ahead of your son.
         The sophomore year is the hardest year that any player has to go through.  You obviously cannot play freshman baseball anymore and you are trying to get on either the varsity or junior varsity team.  These teams are made by three grade levels with your son being at the lowest grade level for the teams.  I would suggest that your son hangs in there and things will turn around.  If the starting first baseman is not producing the coach will change and try someone new.  He does need to take advantage of the time he does get even in it is only pinch hitting.  Pinch hitting is the hardest part of baseball.  If you produce your a hero and if not you stay in your place.  
         The coaches in high school baseball are trying to win.  They will change if the team is not producing wins.  I would recommend your son to not ask about playing time but to ask for more practice time.  As the coach for extra batting practice and extra ground balls.  Show the coach that you want it more than the starting player.  If the coach does not want to help than he should not be in the position he has.  A good coach will help any player no matter the level the player is at.    
         If this doesn't work that use this time to prepare for the summer team.  When I was in my senior year of high school it was a catapult to college baseball.  This is not the case anymore.  Today I believe that more college coaches are looking to showcase camps like Perfect Game or Top 96 and American Legion or AAU teams for possible prospects.  Remind your son to take his lumps now work hard and prepare for his summer team.  Usually summer teams are more advanced that high school teams and they get more exposure than the high school team.  You said that the coach is new so after the season he may be looking at the summer teams to track his players for next season.  
         Over all hard work will beat anything.  As long as your son works hard and is committed to the team things will start to fall into place and your son will find his role on the team.

Thank You,
John Priest
Nokona Batman
www.nokonawreckingcrew.com