Pitch count strategy in Little League

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by kylejt

As for the pitch count rule, I worked in one league that used it, and it worked out great. Umpires had nothing do with it, the scorekeeper dealt with it soley. I've seen plenty of kids hurt by throwing lots of pitches. It makes the managers really manage their pitching staff, and develop more players.

What about those leagues that are so poorly staffed they can't put independent scorekeepers on their games? You're going to dump this new chore on the mom who's already making a mockery of the scorebook?

Anecdotal statements like "I've seen plenty of kids hurt by throwing lots of pitches" are unhelpful. What is "hurt" - they had to take Tylenol the next day for a sore arm? What is "lots of pitches?" What if I say "I've seen lots of kids throw what you think are lots of pitches and they were fine." Is the argument a tie?

And Dave, as for documentation to prove that 100+ pitches is more injurious than 60, um, is common sense not good enough? 100>60. This is LL, and I've seen 70 pitch innings, and lots of clueless managers. It's to protect the kids against these morons.

Well, 60>50, let's go to 50. 50>40, let's go to 40. Hey - let's require no more than 20 pitches in a game, and that way every kid can pitch in the game! That's the ticket!

Where are these 13 yearold invalids moping around in the "Convalescent Home for Little League Pitchers who Threw Too Many Pitches" you guys are so anxious to save? If you're going to base your argument on anecdotal "common sense" arguments, then I will counter it with the same - I've seen hundreds of kids go through Little League pitching within existing pitching limitations, and they went on to play higher levels, including high school, where the coaches were free to REALLY abuse their arms, and they all lived happily ever after. So there.

Little League isn't citing any injury statistics to support this rule change because there aren't any, plain and simple. It just sounds like a good rule to pass. It's cheap too - all you have to pay for to implement it are a few of those cheap little clickers.

Judging from last night's LLWS game, Little League needs an HBP limit rule worse than they need a pitch-count limit. You want a REAL safety rule to get behind? How about mandatory facemasks on batting helmets? We were a fraction of an inch away from catastrophe, live on national TV, in a LLWS game this weekend that would have been averted had the batter been wearing a helmet with a facemask.

But that one would cost some money to implement, wouldn't it?