High school baseball pitch limits to replace inning limits
MECHANICSBURG – The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association plans to limit the number of pitches high school baseball players can throw in line with a national organization’s directive. The National Federation of State High School Associations is changing the rule to protect teens from overusing their arms.
Each state will be allowed to establish its own pitch-count rules.
Currently, pitchers in the PIAA, which follows the national group’s rules, are limited by innings pitched rather than pitch counts, according to rules established in 1990. One pitch constituted an inning.
The reaction from some coaches were generally positive.
“I think it’s a good rule,” said Peters Township head coach Joe Maize. “Some teams we’ve played against had their pitcher throw 130 pitches in a game in 45-degree weather. That’s asking for an injury. We have to keep pitch counts to protect our kids’ arms.”
Maize says he tries to develop more than one pitcher on his team, going as far a five or six deep.
“It’s still early, but there are some questions,” he said of the new procedure. “As a coach, you have to think about if your pitcher has only 12 pitches left, do you let him go out and hope for a quick inning or get someone ready in the bullpen before that inning.”
Maize wonders whether the changes would require coaches to post each box scores on such sites as MaxPreps or GameChanger so teams can track pitch counts.
Washington coach Rocky Plassio also is concerned with how the pitch count total will be policed.
“My concern is what’s going to happen each game. Is it going to be the individual team to track pitches?” he said. “At what point is someone going to sacrifice the integrity of what the count is as opposed to gaining a competitive advantage? Also, is the pitch count going to be predicated on number of days rest in between starts?”
Plassio wonders whether the caps on pitches are for a week’s time or for each appearance.
“From a defensive standpoint, knowing what your opponent pitch count is, will that information be shared prior to the game?” he said. “It could affect your strategy.”
PIAA officials said new rules to take effect next season will be recommended to the association’s board of directors, which must approve such changes. Pitch-count restrictions might also be instituted for junior varsity and junior high teams.