Stupid rule...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Look at anything long enough and eventually you will find something wrong or "dangerous" about it.

I don't think the issue with softball is the same as baseball.

In baseball, the issue is more about the motion used which is no where near as "natural" as an underhanded pitch. In softball, it is more of an issue of overuse.

Even the best made products suffer from wear and tear. Running and jogging is supposed to be healthy events, yet continue to run/jog without proper rest/recovery time and the ankles, knees and hips will eventually begin to deteriorate.

And I think that may be softball's sin. A coach gets a good pitcher and hangs not only his hat on her, but damn near an entire season. And that cannot be good for the pitcher's arm as often as these girls play and practice.

[Skahtboi]

The article seems to support my original statement:

Why can some pitchers handle lots of innings and others can't? Much of it has to do with their preparation: their preseason training, their mechanics.

And:

The conventional wisdom appears to be true: The underhand pitching motion of fast-pitch softball, though whip-like and vigorous, is far more natural than the overhand baseball pitch and puts less strain on the elbow and shoulder.

Please note that I didn't say injuries to the arm were impossible, that would be absurd. What I was discussing was the lack of necessity for a pitch count rule to be put into softball based on the fact that injuries of the type which they are made to prevent are less likely in softball, with proper coaching and proper mechanics.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

...In softball, it is more of an issue of overuse...

In May, one of the best young pitchers here in AZ and probably the country was hospitalized with what was diagnosed as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

From what I understand, the muscles in her upper arm had developed so much from all of her pitching, that blood flow to her arm was restricted. She ended up in the hospital for 12 days and at least one major surgery.