Should high school baseball have pitch count restrictions in Pennsylvania?

Should high school baseball have pitch count restrictions in Pennsylvania?

Short Answer: Yes.

And apparently other states are going this route. At least four states have pitch count rules in place and other states are about to institute their own rules in 2017.

Take a look at the current PIAA rules at this link:

http://www.tedsilary.com/archive/piaapitching.htm

And most states have/had similar rules, and of course there have been pitchers going down regularly with shoulder and elbow injuries. Several Lehigh Valley schools have seen pitchers over-used to the point where Tommy John surgery was necessary in the last decade, not to mention other various shoulder injuries. This is no surprise when you consider the latitude high school coaches have with these antiquated PIAA weekly innings rules. A pitcher can throw 160 pitches in a 7, 8 or 9-inning game and then is allowed to throw again after just three days rest.

Ridiculous, you say?

It happens more than you think.

It is just a matter of time before every state has pitch count rules implemented.

Here are the four states who have had these rules in place for the 2016 high school season:

Alabama: The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control unanimously approved a rule in October for the 2017 season. The rule requires a varsity pitcher to rest three calendar days after throwing 76-120 pitches in one day. Should a varsity pitcher throw 75 or less pitches in a day, two calendar days of rest are required. A pitcher can only return the next day if 25 pitches or less are thrown in one day. Junior-varsity pitchers are allowed to throw a maximum of 100 pitches and junior high pitchers are allowed 85.

Vermont: Varsity pitchers are allowed a maximum of 120 pitchers, while junior varsity is allowed 110 and middle school allowed 85. Should a varsity pitcher throw 76 or more pitchers, three days of rest are required. The same requirement applies to junior-varsity pitchers who throw 66 or more and middle-school pitchers who throw 56 or more.

Colorado: The rule allows a varsity to pitcher a maximum of 110 pitches. Three days of rest are required if 86 or more pitches are thrown. A pitcher is only allowed to return the next day if 35 or less pitches are thrown. Junior varsity pitchers are also limited to 85 pitches. No pitcher is allowed to throw more than 60 pitches over two days. If they throw 60, a day of rest is required.

Kentucky: Adopted in January, the mandate allows varsity pitchers a maximum of 120 pitches and junior-varsity pitchers 110. Three days of rest are required if a varsity pitchers throws 76 or more pitches and a junior-varsity pitcher throws 66 or more. Middle-school pitchers are limited to 85 pitchers, with 56 or more requiring three days of rest. The state also requires a designated pitch count recorder for each game. A violation results in an ineligible player and forfeiture of the game.

Here is a more detailed layout of the Kentucky rules via the (khsaa.org website):

KHSAA Pitching Limitation Rule (For all interscholastic play including scrimmages, regular season and all rounds of postseason) is based on the number of pitches thrown in a game with the following provisions:

1. The calendar rest begins on the day following the date on which the game began or a resumed game began regardless of the conclusion time of the game.
2. The pitch count is based on pitches thrown for strikes (including all foul balls); balls; balls in play and outs.
3. A pitcher at any level who reaches the pitch count limit in the middle of an at-bat will be allowed to finish that hitter.
4. Warm-up pitches allowed before each inning, warm up pitches allowed by the umpire in case of injury or game delay, and plays attempted against the batter-runner or any runner at first, second or third base do not count against the limit.
5. All NFHS Substitution and Pitching Rules must be followed.
6. The pitch count charts of both teams from prior contests are to be presented to the opposing coach BEFORE the game.
7. A Designated Pitch Count Recorder shall be designated by the home team (DPCR).
8. During the game, pitch counts will be recorded by the DPCR and are to be reviewed between innings. Any discrepancy shall be settled by the DPCR without umpire involvement and that record shall be considered final.
9. A protest over a discrepancy in pitch counts discovered in a later inning from an earlier inning in the game will not be permitted due to end of an inning verification.
10. At game’s conclusion, the KHSAA pitch count form will be signed by both head coaches or designated representatives.
11. Both schools have the responsibility to maintain every pitching chart form until the school season is complete.
12. Any discrepancy found after the game will be reported to the KHSAA and shall be treated as a potential eligibility issue to resolve.
13. For pitchers pitching multiple levels, the most restrictive rule shall apply when there is conflict.
14. The use of a pitcher not eligible to pitch by the pitch count restrictions shall constitute the use of an ineligible player and result in contest forfeiture and additional penalties per Bylaw 27.
15. A hard copy must be available upon KHSAA request at any point during and following the season.

DAILY LIMITATION
The limit on the number of pitches is based on the level of pitching. Specific rest periods are in place when a pitcher reaches a threshold of pitches delivered in a day. The rest periods required during the regular and postseason are listed below:

VARSITY LEVEL PITCHES THROWN IN ONE DAY REQUIRED REST
Maximum Pitches – 120
76 pitches or more – Three (3) calendar days of rest
51-75 – Two (2) calendar days of rest
26-50 – One (1) calendar day of rest
1-25 – No mandated rest

JUNIOR VARSITY/FRESHMAN LEVEL PITCHES THROWN IN ONE DAY REQUIRED REST
Maximum Pitches – 110
66 pitches or more – Three (3) calendar days of rest
41-65 – Two (2) calendar days of rest
26-40 – One (1) calendar day of rest
1-25 – No mandated rest

MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL RECOMMENDATION PITCHES THROWN IN ONE DAY REQUIRED REST
Maximum Pitches – 85
56 pitches or more – Three (3) calendar days of rest
36-55 – Two (2) calendar days of rest
20-35 – One (1) calendar day of rest
1-19 – No mandated rest

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Other states are getting on board, which is at least a step in the right direction.

Now do these rules do enough to protect high school pitchers' arms?

That is another discussion for another time.