Should there be High School Pitch Count
Restrictions?
Staff
Four years ago at a high school varsity play-off game a team’s Senior starting
pitcher threw over 170 pitches. The coach for the college he committed to was at
the game and was absolutely furious. In an article last year a high school coach was
asked about the 130+ pitches his starting pitcher threw and his response was that
he “Didn’t realize he had thrown that many”. That same pitcher had also thrown two
days prior. Another pitcher in the course of three days had thrown just under 200
pitches. Yet in all of these situations the pitchers were within the guidelines of their
states inning requirements. This might seem like extreme examples but it isn’t.
These were DI teams (large high schools). As you get to smaller schools – with a
smaller pool of potential pitchers - it’s just as bad.
Recently the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Baseball Committee
announced they are strongly considering implementing pitch count restrictions in
both JV and Varsity baseball but it came with some resistance.
“Our pitching recommendations are reflective of a great deal of research that
included input from baseball doctors, trainers, high school coaches and even
major league players.” CHSAA
Colorado is considering restrictions similar to the one already in place in Vermont.
Vermont pitch count restrictions/ rule states:
A pitcher who throws 76 or more pitches in a game cannot pitch for three
calendar days. At 51-75 pitches, a pitcher must sit out two calendar days; at
26-50 pitches, one calendar day; no days of rest are required for anything
below 26. The maximum number for an outing is 120 pitches.
Maine has this advisory:
A coach who has the best interest of a player in mind will remove that player
once a total of 90-100 pitches have been thrown. But it’s an advisory. All
other states use the number of innings vs. number of pitches.
In 1990, the NFHS (National Federation of
State High School Associations) ruled that
all high school programs must have pitching
restrictions. This rule is still in place but pitch
counts are not included nor suggested.
It’s obvious that the intent for the rule was for
the safety and physical health of the players.
But only using innings pitched is “false safety”