If the leap is allowed.....

[MattM]

Agree. Pitcher use is entirely dependent on team need and not pitcher’s health.

For some teams this pretty much captures it. I don't think the coach wants to do it but its like the other pitcher is out this week or they just have one good pitcher.

What if every Game Changer posted the total daily pitch count for the highest count pitcher for every game. Or the tournament posts the highest daily pitch count that was in the circle and the players name with the tournament results. It might raise some eyebrows and change behavior. Most people including pitchers parents let alone non pitchers parents are completely oblivious of the whole issue.

 

[JayW]

We haven’t had a problem because because DD throws mostly drop balls resulting in groundballs and popups. Some of the strikeout pitchers throw 150 pitches in a 5 inning game.

 

[_MIA_]

For some teams this pretty much captures it. I don't think the coach wants to do it but its like the other pitcher is out this week or they just have one good pitcher.

What if every Game Changer posted the total daily pitch count for the highest count pitcher for every game. Or the tournament posts the highest daily pitch count that was in the circle and the players name with the tournament results. It might raise some eyebrows and change behavior. Most people including pitchers parents let alone non pitchers parents are completely oblivious of the whole issue.

I saw on GC 2 13 YO on a team a few weeks ago each throw right around 275 pitches in one day.

 

[MaddieDad]

I don’t think pitch count in baseball is reasonable. Too restrictive IMO. But I have always said improper mechanics doesn’t matter pitch counts you will still get hurt. Same even more so in softball.

My DD has never complained of arm fatigue but more tired legs. But that is in practice sessions when she pitches 90 minutes. She has never seen over 200 pitches in games.


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[MattM]

I saw on GC 2 13 YO on a team a few weeks ago each throw right around 275 pitches in one day.

I have seen similar stats. I will have to say that I see it less now that DD is playing in 16U. It may be a function of less experienced coaches at the younger ages. Sometimes witnessed those kind of numbers being pitched by the coach's own daughter.

 

[Tazman]

I've seen a number of kids shred their arms pitching 4,5,6 games in a weekend and I have a stiff daughter who lost 1.5 years of playing (back) on far less than that. This is not a problem in rec and I see no major need for pitch counts there.

I limit my other daughter in travel despite excellent mechanics and we've lost a number of tournaments we probably would have won as a result. I'm OK with this (playing the long game), but often ask myself where the line should be. The university of florida guidelines are all I have to go on and those are conservative for my daughter with good mechanics.

The problem without a rule is it puts the coach in the position of choosing a likely loss against a low probability (that day) of an injury given P1 is usually so much better than P2. This is not a situation that is going to lead to good decisions for the girls.

The problem is twofold. 1. There aren't enough good pitchers to support the number of teams given the massive time commitment to develop pitching skills and the number of teams. 2. Any reasonable pitch count (probably circa 100/day at younger ages and circa 175 at older ages) leaves the organization instituting with potential legal liability where perversely no regulation leaves them protected. It also leaves them at a competitive disadvantage if there are competing rule setting bodies. As others have pointed out this is also too much for girls with bad mechanics and possibly too little for girls with good mechanics.

And so it goes.

 

[tomorrow]

I have seen similar stats. I will have to say that I see it less now that DD is playing in 16U. It may be a function of less experienced coaches at the younger ages. Sometimes witnessed those kind of numbers being pitched by the coach's own daughter.

I have seen this most with the coaches own daughter, on teams that are struggling and the coach has few other pitching options.