Why we need some kind of pitch/inning count in softball!

[Tazman]

Would bet many, many thousands of dollars that the percentage of girls who stop pitching because of serious overuse injuries before they reach high school is nowhere near 30%. That's a massive number, and it certainly doesn't align with anything I've seen or heard about.

Most of them stop pitching because pitching is hard and it takes an insane amount of work to just be adequate and it's way more fun to play other positions.

Through high school includes high school. It's also not just the injury itself that pulls them out of the game, it's the 6 months or a year of lost practice from rest, surgery, or rehab and the associated lost rhythm. Pitching is indeed a many year journey. So, while I'd like to take your money, since we are both pulling numbers out of rear ends, I'll have to settle for agreeing with myself. And yes, many stop because pitching is an insane amount of work. My 2 daughter's would tell you, despite that, it's way more fun than other positions because the ball is in your hand every single out and the hard work is a fun part of the journey.

 

[Traps71]

It's also our fault we are in this situation in the first place. Most of the time I see coaches riding one pitcher into the ground it is because the drop off to number 2 or 3 is significant*. I've been on this forum for years and I can't tell you how many times I've seen people post about their pitcher DD and how she isn't getting much time in the circle when almost every reply is, "If she isn't #1 or #2 then you need to find another team". Now instead of 1 team with 3-4 good pitchers battling for circle time, we've created 2-3 bad to mediocre teams with 1-2 good pitchers each. Then we wonder why there are so many mediocre teams struggling to find pitchers. And we also wonder why coaches are relying so heavily on their #1 pitcher all weekend.

Think you’ve made a very important point here. My DD left a team for exactly this reason. No question and no problem that the #1 was the #1. My daughter battled with another girl between the #2 and #3. We also had a #4 who was solid. Coach used the #1 all the time even though everyone was paying the same freight and putting in the work. Nope. Team was good regional team, but could have been even better with a different approach. The girl my daughter battled with also left that team. And I agree, overall, that the pitching on the team we are now on is not as strong because we don’t have a true #1.

 

[Vertigo]

Agree with many of the previous posters. Just do a quick Google search on “softball pitching” and “injury” and you’ll find a lot of articles and info listed by orthopedic specialists. Just odd to think overuse in SB pitchers isn’t a thing.

 

[_MIA_]

Agree with many of the previous posters. Just do a quick Google search on “softball pitching” and “injury” and you’ll find a lot of articles and info listed by orthopedic specialists. Just odd to think overuse in SB pitchers isn’t a thing.

Kid from OU had two labrum tears last year and had to retire. Local kid, 14, who was a workhouse in 10U/12U just had both of her hip labrums repaired, probably won't pitch again. Now I guess you can't prove that those are from overuse but I don't think hip labrum injuries are normal for teenage females..Also yes, proper pitching mechanics will likely reduce the odds of injury but at the current time those kids will probably throw a lot more pitches (since they will likely be more effective) so it might be a wash (since you are still inducing stress, which over time can cause an injury, proper mechanics or not)

The one thing I will say is that if some sort of pitch limit is introduced, tournament ball as we know it will likely go down the tubes (until teams are equipped with at least 5 or 6 adequate pitchers)

 

[_MIA_]

The other thing to consider about proper mechanics (and its effect on injury prevention) is that in baseball, a contributing factor to all the Tommy John surgeries nowadays is that kid's mechanics are so good (in the age of Driveline, etc) that it allows them to throw so hard that it just overstresses the arm, especially at young ages. Back in the day guys like Clemens were throwing 90 in HS and as he got older and his body matured (along with his mechanics), he would gain speed. Now you got kids in HS throwing high 90's (or mid nineties on the guns that were used for Clemens.. ) ..(and yes I know OH throwing is different but higher velocity will induce more stress regardless of whether the throw is OH or UH..)

Now one might argue that back in the day (in both softball and baseball) people would throw a lot more pitches and not get hurt (maybe..or maybe they just pitched though it eg Sandy Koufax until he decided he had had enough in a year where he won 27 games and had a 1-something ERA). Well there are always going to be genetic freaks who can take huge workloads. Back then it was probably a survival of the fittest deal. The kid who pitched every inning in the WCWS without issue won the genetic lottery, just like Nolan Ryan. The question is, is the game better with staffs or one genetic anomaly getting all the innings. If you think the answer is the former, than some thought has to be given to keeping those less genetically gifted healthy. That could be pitch counts or just better awareness. The top teams have staffs now but as you go down the pecking order it becomes less common. A more competitive game, with a more even playing field, will require more pitchers.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

If you think a kid pitching 600+ pitches in one day is ok. You are part of the problem. Overuse injuries more than likely won’t show up until a few years down the road.

What I am saying, is that we do not need a rule for pitch count in softball.

 

[rslaubaugh]

Part of the problem is we glorify strikeouts, preach that velocity is king, and brag about kids that can throw 6 movement pitches. If you arent teaching pitchers to be efficient and pitch to weak contact you are doing them a disservice. Problem IMO is that there is so much dilution with so many travel teams at the mid age levels that they cant get out of innings unless they have dominant pitching. A good defense will get a pitcher out of the circle quickly every inning. If you go on facebook boards you will see at minimum 20 teams in our area advertising tryouts with pitchers and MI needed.... Strongly agree with the statement above that 600 pitches in a day is child abuse at any age!

 

[_MIA_]

What I am saying, is that we do not need a rule for pitch count in softball.

If we could count on everybody to use their heads, I would agree with this. Maybe that 600 pitch kid is a genetic anomaly...problem is you cannot possibly know that at 10U..I don't remember any kids getting chronic injuries in 10U..

 

[GunnerShotgun]

1000% GARBAGE
The sooner we rid of overuse denial the better

Treating healthy players like unhealthy players also harms those players. No need to punish the players with proper training and common sense.

This of course is why they are pushing back in baseball. Pitch counts are arbitrary and unfounded.

 

[Vertigo]

Treating healthy players like unhealthy players also harms those players. No need to punish the players with proper training and common sense.

What is harming the healthy players? Pitch counts?