PITCH COUNTS?

{edited for stupidity...I didn't see the days after the # of pitches}

If MLB pitchers do not throw that many pitches on such little rest, how can you expecta 14 year old's arm to hold up?

That 14 yr old is being overused--- two games like that in 4 days is too much

Looks like a bit of overuse. Fairly typical of someone trying to compete in a tournament without enough pitching.

You'd think that with all the information available that this kind of thing would stop.

I saw a 12yo in our Dixie Tournament throw 157 pitches. I approached their coach at pitch 142 and made him aware of the boy's pitch count. He replied, "He can take it." to which I answered, "That's great coach, but he'll never see high school." Unbelievable.

Idiots on parade. Here's what I would have said:

"Hey Coach........"(click link)

Hate to say it - but I have seen worse when it comes tourney time - Its amazing what will be done for a plastic trophy.

Those numbers are freakin nuts. We are very lucky to have about 7 guy's that can throw for us and keep us competitive.
I'm glad my kid doesn't play for a guy like that.

Thanks for the input guys. And all that was for a 3rd place team trophy that will go on display at the school, so he can point to it as he walks by it everyday and say "see I'm a baseball coach" Both p1 & p2 told there fathers they wanted to quit. All the pitchers complain of sore arms. The coach got a talking to by some of the fathers, and we'll have to see how things go from here.
P1 threw 81 pitches this past thursday.{run ruled them}
P2 could only manage to get in 57 friday before losing control and being pulled.
P1 came back and pitched 83 saturday {we run ruled them}.
Off sunday back today with a doubleheader, p2 & p3 on the hill.

With less than a month to go, how would you handle this situation?

Also, does it bother any of you coaches out there to see a dad in the stands with a clicker?


Thanks Rob

RRR,

I have educated all my parents on arm care. I am OK with them counting pitches.

I have had several parents come to me and ask "how many pitches has he thrown?" I give them the count.

Here is what I had this past weekend:

P1...67 pitches (5 innings)...Sunday
p2...71 pitches (5 innings)...Sunday
P3...77 pitches (6 innings)...Sunday

While these numbers are a bit high for me, several factors were taken into consideration:

1. All 3 kept their mechanics and velocity.
2. All 3 were locating.
3. All 3 will not throw again until Thursday.
4. All 3 have muscle fatigue the day after...in lats and arm muscles...no soreness in any joints

We played in a little two day even last weekend. We only played three games losing in the semi's but as I completed my team total pitch charts, I noticed that no one pitcher threw more then 59 pitches. We had 7 kids that threw over all with two others throwing 49 pitches.

Keep in mind that pitch counts will vary with players in each age group as well as with each age group itself

One glove does not fit all

REDBIRD

When you say they will not throw again until Thursday does that mean in a game or not throw at all until then?

TR,

My kids will throw lightly on Tuesday and throw a 25 pitch bullpen on Thursday. On the weekend, they will have a 65 pitch limit whic can extend if they keep their mechanics, velocity and location.

This week we have a Tusday game but we will not use any of our pitchers from the weekend.

My 11u team has 10 players and all 10 of them pitch.

We're pretty careful with our 14U arms.

we've played 22 games and the most pitches one of our guys has thrown in a game is 67.

Most of them are transitioning to 60 foot mound from 55 (and 46 the year prior) so I think this age finds the most arm problems.

As careful as we are, still we get sore arms. And when a kid has one, he does not pitch at all, and depending on what he is complaining about, might only play 1st base.

Just tonight we sat our top pitcher because he complained this w/e of elbow pain. Played him 2 innings at first base (rule minimum). We were playing the top team in our league, and he was scheduled to start.

We ended up starting our #2, he went 4 innings (63 pitches) and filled it in with our middle releivers til we could get to our closer, who did his job and we won by three.

The moral is: no matter how careful you are with these young arms, you gotta err on the side of fewer rather than more pitches.

Kremer

Totally agree and if the boy says he has "discomfort" he does not pitch regardless of anything--he can DH

I don't go on strict pitch counts. I rely more on a feel for how a pitcher looks. We were playing a much better team to try to get into the semis of a tournament this last weekend. My son cruised through 3 innings, struggled with his control in the 4th and looked tired in the 5th so we pulled him after 5 with us down 2-1. Our next pitcher had thrown 2 innings the day before and he threw one good inning, we tied it and then lost it in the 7th when he tired. We pulled him with the score 4-2 and put in a much weaker pitcher who got bombed.

My son insisted that he could come back and throw the next day but we checked and he had thrown 75 pitches so we didn't let him throw the next day and then didn't let him throw for his Pony league team the following day even though we ended up being mercied in that one.