On the surface, it’s a great idea. Pitch counts. It would ensure health and limit future injuries.
Pitching is an unnatural motion that puts strain on the elbow. It creates injuries in the major leagues and college, let alone high school.
Two New York City Councilmen – Oliver Koppell and Lewis Fidler – are pushing through legislation for every high-school league in the city to have limits on pitches one may throw. They introduced a bill in the Committee on Youth Services that would call for pitch count limits, depending on the age of the player and his grade.
I applaud them.
But this will have to be more than just legislation that is passed. Coaches need to be fully on board, which is unlikely considering there are 138 PSAL baseball teams in the city.
Rules will need to be enforced to mandate it. The PSAL instituted coaches putting up pitch counts this spring on their PSAL.org boxscores, in response to the two politicians, and said it will review it after the season. While there are some coaches that do in fact put up accurate numbers, there are plenty more that do not.
I’ve seen pitchers go seven innings, strike out double digits, walk a handful of batters, yet the website says he threw close to 80 pitches. That’s basically mathematically impossible. There are some who don’t even count and create a number afterward and others who haven’t complied at all.
“I’m willing to do whatever they want, but I don’t think there are many coaches that abuse kids’ arms,” Monroe coach Mike Turo said. “Get a Yankees pitching coach, bring him in, let him sit with all the coaches and do a clinic. I think education is more important.”
Said Francis Lewis coach Ian Millman: “You’re also punishing coaches and kids who do it the right way.’
According to PSAL coaches, the Councilmen suggested a meeting at the plate between both coaches and the umpires after every inning to make sure accurate pitch counts are being held. But what if the two coaches are on different pages, separated by a few pitches?
“We’re gonna have a problem,” Turo said.
It’s a fine idea, in its simplest form, except umpires are going to be keeping pitch counts now? There is hardly enough daylight to get in seven-inning games, and this will only add to it. Teams that play in Central Park routinely are forced off the field after five innings because of permit limitations. We’re going to be playing four-inning games now? Plus, sources have said the umpires are against the idea.
“The concept is good because [there are guys] abusing kids’ arms, but the implementation is wrong,” James Madison coach Vinny Caiazza said. “They are looking at it from a Little League point of view.”
Perhaps the Councilmen just take a look at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. They have utilized an innings cap on a weekly basis for more than 20 years. Pitchers are limited to no more than 10 innings in a four-day period and any pitcher who tosses more than six innings must receive three days’ rest. Turo suggested a mandated number of days off.
Of course, there are ways to get around this, too. Teams like George Washington and Monroe play arguably their most important games against non-PSAL opponents before the playoffs. Will non-league games be factored in? How will they be accurate? There are teams who play up to seven games in a week. Many of these kids practice with their summer-league teams on the weekend.
There are plenty of issues here, issues the councilmen have overlooked in their desire to rush this legislation. That isn’t saying that something doesn’t need to be done. There are coaches who let their kids throw complete games in April, explaining that they have built up enough arm strength by throwing side sessions in warm gymnasiums.
Others are responsible, slowly building up pitch counts, from 30 to 45 to 60. It also depends on the pitcher. Some can throw up to 100 pitches, maybe more, while others 90 is their limit.
My suggestion?
The city should create a panel to oversee pitchers’ health. They would attend games, in league and out of it, speak with coaches and their players. Only then should a pitch count or innings limit be set. Let’s have a basis for this before enforcing rules.
“They should research this a lot more,” Turo said.
