Pitch Counts

[CWSGuy406]

Alright - this has been on my chest for a while, so I'm just gonna throw it out there. If you like it, you can just take it and run with it, and if you don't, just throw it right back (Anchorman ).

 

Anyways - I wanted to talk about pitch counts. Usually, the range from pitch counts goes from 100-125, right in that area. Now - is the problem with pitchers, is that they just plain shouldn't be pitching into the 140s, or is the problem that they aren't trained/prepared to do it? I ask this because I see Jason Schmidt, who is constantly going into the 140s, 130s, and everyone says that it will hurt him, yet I see no signs of it. He's so friggin' amazing, yet I think that has to do with how his managers have handled him (Baker/Alou).

 

So I ask - should pitchers be throwing into pitch counts that late, in hopes of building up arm strength? Or is it just plain wrong? IMO, I think pitchers are meant to only go so long - but if you have a guy like Jason Schmidt, an absolute horse like him, then you use him to his capabilities. I just wanted to get your guys' thoughts on it.

[Rowand44]

Alright - this has been on my chest for a while, so I'm just gonna throw it out there.  If you like it, you can just take it and run with it, and if you don't, just throw it right back (Anchorman  ).

 

Anyways - I wanted to talk about pitch counts.  Usually, the range from pitch counts goes from 100-125, right in that area.  Now - is the problem with pitchers, is that they just plain shouldn't be pitching into the 140s, or is the problem that they aren't trained/prepared to do it?  I ask this because I see Jason Schmidt, who is constantly going into the 140s, 130s, and everyone says that it will hurt him, yet I see no signs of it.  He's so friggin' amazing, yet I think that has to do with how his managers have handled him (Baker/Alou).

 

So I ask - should pitchers be throwing into pitch counts that late, in hopes of building up arm strength?  Or is it just plain wrong?  IMO, I think pitchers are meant to only go so long - but if you have a guy like Jason Schmidt, an absolute horse like him, then you use him to his capabilities.  I just wanted to get your guys' thoughts on it.

It's that they aren't trained to pitch that much. If they trained to throw that many pitches they'd be able to get way up there in pitch counts, imo.

[The Critic]

I think it's a hard thing to figure out precisely.

A lot of variables go into it, such as how you were developed as a pitcher, your genetics, and other things.

I think pitch counts have become gospel and that's understandable, since so much money is invested in players now. Every team gets guys for specific situations like middle relief, lefty specialists, closer, etc., so the starters are geared for 6 innings now. Even the "quality start" stat is geared to a 6-inning start.