Mandatory Pitch Counts Implemented for High School Baseball Pitchers

Dane Saucier has been a high school baseball coach at Wimberley High School in Wimberley, Texas for 22 years. Saucier said he has always viewed pitch counts as an important strategy to coaching and taking care of his pitchers. “Coaches like myself have always watched pitch counts closely and made sure that our best pitchers get rest,” Saucier said. “I always have to keep an eye on their count.”

For many coaches like Saucier, the implementation of mandatory pitch counts for high school baseball pitchers this season will only affirm their commitment to player safety.

Last summer, the National Federation of State High School Associations announced that each member state association would be required to develop its own pitch count policy for the upcoming 2017 high school baseball season. That policy, according to the NFHS, would be based upon the number of pitches thrown during a game to give pitchers the proper rest they need in between outings. The revised policy was approved by the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee last summer.

Elliot Hopkins, who serves as the director of sports and student services for the NFHS, has been working in baseball for almost 20 years. Hopkins said the reason for the rule changes is a result of arm injuries in baseball, most notably those which lead to Tommy John surgery, becoming more prevalent.

“We have to put our fingers on the pulse and trends of what’s going on in sports today,” Hopkins said. “We had to do something more definitive to address this issue.” According to Hopkins, feedback from member organizations so far on the new rules has been very positive.

Along with protecting pitchers, Hopkins believes that this new rule gives more students the opportunity to play baseball in high school. “We think this policy is really good for schools because coaches are going to have to develop more pitchers,” Hopkins said. “If coaches have to develop more pitchers, they need more players on the team.”

While it won’t change his coaching gameplan, Saucier believes that the new pitch count rules will change how coaches manage their pitchers in weekday games. “You’re gonna see teams use multiple arms now during the week,” said Saucier, who also serves as the president of the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. “That’s a big change from the past. But coaches will have to do it to preserve guys for weekend games.”

According to Saucier, the maximum number of pitches a high school pitcher can throw in a game in Texas is 110 pitches. If they reach 110 pitches during an at-bat, the at-bat can be finished but the pitcher then must be immediately removed from the game. If a pitcher throws 110 pitches in a game, he must rest for four days before pitching again. The number of rest days depends upon the number of pitches thrown. Each coach will be required to monitor the pitch count of both his team and the opponent. However, each home team will be required to be provide an independent, third-party person to keep track of pitch count if there is a dispute between the two coaches.

Saucier said that’s going to bring a big change to games now. “When the game is over, it’s our responsibility to make sure that the pitch counts are accurate and correct,” Saucier said. “It’s an accountability issue.”

Saucier acknowledged that this rule benefits larger high schools, given that they have more pitchers on their teams. But he believes that this new rule will force teams both big and small to develop more pitchers and do a better job at teaching proper pitching mechanics.

“This rule is going to show the depth of your pitching rotation,” Saucier said. “If you’re going to be a championship-winning team, you need multiple arms to win a series.”

Saucier feels that overuse of the arm from a young age is what’s causing so many injuries in baseball today. “Kids are starting really young and throwing so much in youth ball,” Saucier said. “They’re playing on all these different teams all the time.”

Dr. Timothy Kremchek, who serves as the team doctor for the Cincinnati Reds, also believes that fatigue of the arm from pitching year-round is what’s behind the increase in arm injuries in baseball. “Kids are putting too much stress on the elbow and shoulder when they throw,” said Dr. Kremchek. “Pitchers are being taught to throw too hard and they’re not being taught well enough how to properly pitch.”

According to Dr. Kremchek, pitchers have a 200% chance of injuring their arms if they continually throw a baseball over 90 miles per hour. “These kids aren’t physically built to throw 90 miles per hour all the time,” Dr. Kremchek said. “But implementing these pitch counts is definitely a step in the right direction.”

But not all high school coaches believe that mandatory pitch counts is the solution to the problem. One of these coaches is Todd Fitz-Gerald, who coaches at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Fitz-Gerald, who coached his varsity team to the 2016 high school baseball national championship, says the new rules go against his coaching philosophy.

“I’m a high stress, high inning guy,” Fitz-Gerald said. “I’ve never been a pitch count guy. I don’t like it.”

Fitz-Gerald agrees that kids are pitching too much and overusing their arms, but he doesn’t believe that pitch counts are the problem. “The problem today is kids aren’t conditioning themselves well enough,” Fitz-Gerald said. “They’re only conditioned nowadays to be baseball players, not athletes. These kids need to take a break from baseball.”

Fitz-Gerald admits that he hasn’t even looked at the high school pitch count rules for Florida. He also said that it’s not his job to be responsible for the opponent’s pitch count in a game. “I’m not going to police other teams pitch counts,” Fitz-Gerald said. “My job is to monitor my team and coach my players in a game. It’s ridiculous.”

Scott Manahan, head baseball coach at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio, agrees with much of what Fitzgerald said. A coach for 31 years, Manahan feels that high school baseball is not where mandatory pitch counts are necessary.

“High school coaches aren’t the problem,” Manahan said. “The problem is travel baseball coaches. It’s not fair to us that we’re getting punished for their problems.”

Outside of the high school baseball season in the spring, it is common for many players to compete on travel baseball teams. But there are no regulated pitch counts in travel baseball leagues, and many coaches like Manahan say that it is in these leagues where mandatory pitch counts need to be implemented to prevent arm injuries.

“The wrong rules are being put on the wrong guys,” Manahan said. “It’s driving me crazy and I’m frustrated about it.”

Overall, Saucier believes that the concept of mandatory pitch counts is good. “Being more aware of pitch counts and the kids’ well-being is really positive,” Saucier said. “In the long run, it’s going to pay off.”