Pitching On Short Rest

quote:

Originally posted by Nicholas25:
I know this topic has been covered over and over. My question is this, in MLB a pitcher comes back on three days rest only a few times, if ever, in their entire career. In high school baseball pitchers start on three days rest often, and in tournament baseball they may come back and start on two days rest. Why is three days the magic number in big league baseball? Is two days in high school one day too soon? What factor does age play?

You’re kinda answering your own question. If the best pitchers, in the best physical condition, with the best nutrition, access to the best medical advice available, and who get paid more money than most people can even conceive of don’t throw on only 3 days rest, what makes you believe what you see in HS is a better way to go?

The main reason what you see in HS is taking place, is because in general HS coaches only have 1 or 2, and in some cases 3 pitchers they think won’t get battered into oblivion when they pitch. Along with that, ML managers have 12 or 13 pitchers on the roster, with access to hundreds more in the minors or though trades. HS coaches have maybe 8 pitchers who get to throw on the roster, and while they have access to the JV and/or Fr pitchers, its not the same thing as a ML manager having access to the pitchers he does.

quote:

Originally posted by Nicholas25:
I know this topic has been covered over and over. My question is this, in MLB a pitcher comes back on three days rest only a few times, if ever, in their entire career. In high school baseball pitchers start on three days rest often, and in tournament baseball they may come back and start on two days rest. Why is three days the magic number in big league baseball? Is two days in high school one day too soon? What factor does age play?

In the good ol days, MLB used four man rotations.
Starters threw complete games. A game every day brought three days between starts.

Today, with five man rotations with games every day from mid-May, four days between starts. With middle relief, setup and closer roles, starter goes five-six innings.