Comments on: LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL TRIES TO FIX THE PITCH-COUNT RULE IN 2008 BUT COMES UP SHORT

By: fred gonzales

fred gonzales — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:38:45 +0000

I personally don’t like the pitch count rule. It gives “old established ” coaches to much leverage to take forfeits from first year coaches when the 1st year coach is winning a game. I coach in an inner city league where parental participation is negligible. It makes to much paper work & overloads the coach. Why not limit the pitchers to the number of batters they can face? Little League are always used by opportunist coaching to take games that are normally lost. Little Leagues rules are often used unfairly, which I thought was what rules were to prevent. This rule complicates things when what is needed is simplicity. fred g

By: Coach Dave

Coach Dave — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:04:53 +0000

You want more pitch count regulation?!? Any crtitical reading of the recommendations of the report proposed by Dr. Andrews states that seasonal overuse is the biggest cause of shoulder and elbow injuries. Dr. Andrews empasized that this occurs due to overlapping seasons and playing on more than one team. Little League does not prohibit playing travel ball during the primary LL season, becasue at the local level, most LL board members are also travel team coaches. These pitch count rules have ravaged baseball below the LL “Major” level. The games have become walk fests as ineffective pitchers try their hardest to throw an accurate pitch 46 feet. Meanwhile infielders play with dirt awaiting enough walks to meet the max run amount, so they can go sit down. Coaches advise hitters NOT to swing under you have 2 strikes to increase the chance of walks or increase the pitch count on a descent pitcher, so he has to leave the game. Flesig’s report is based on poor statistical analysis and seems more to get ANSI’s name in the paper more than devotion to hard science. There is more evidence out there supporting the ban on aluminium bats and LL is getting sued in a very public case of a brain damaged LL pitcher.

PARENTS!! monitor your on kids work. This percieved increase in arm injuries is tied more to playing baseball from FEB to NOV on more than one team then playing LL for three months in the spring.

Please, before local leagues start running to Ripken League or Dixie Youth, stop this insanity.

By: Coach Keith

Coach Keith — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:43:15 +0000

Mr. Kallas,

You hit the ball out of the park on this one. Your article speaks volumes about the abuse of young arms in Little League today. The goal for some is to win at all costs. But the real coaches out there know it’s best to preserve these young arms so these players can pitch in High School and beyond. Rules like these only enhance the old phrase, “Little league Star – High School Bust”. Parents beware and stay on top of your child’s pitch-count. It’s not worth risking your child’s baseball future over Little League. Little League is supposed to be where they learn the foundation of the game, so they may enjoy playing it for a long time. It is my wish for my son, good luck with all of yours.