Rules - Pitch Limits
Midwest Ohio Baseball League Pitch Limit Program
(Please read this carefully)
After considerable input from the membership of the Midwest Ohio Baseball League, other leagues including the Southwest Ohio League and national bodies, it has been made abundantly clear that the overwhelming number of teams are already utilizing pitch counts and are in favor of pitch limit RULES (not guidelines) during the upcoming season. These are per day limits to take into consideration doubleheaders and tournament play.
We will be emailing all the teams the USA Baseball Medical Advisory Committee’s statement on pitcher abuse. In addition, we will be providing statements by Dr Henry Stiene, of Beacon Orthopedic.. Teams are encouraged to examine those statements and follow their spirit and intent. They speak of ages at which it is appropriate to begin throwing specific pitches as well as how many pitches should be thrown in a season, as well as in a year (thus including their school and fall seasons). Because we have no ability or authority to police activities outside the regular MWOBL season, we will focus entirely on our summer season activities. Enforcement was a major concern and after significant consultation the following is being adopted.
PROCEDURE AND PENALTIES:
Because the purpose of pitch limits is to protect kids and not gain a cheap win, the
following procedures have been adopted. It is vital, if this thing is going to work, that teams follow these procedures
precisely.
- Prior to the start of each game, communicate with the opposing team as to who is eligible to pitch and how much. A checks and balances process is in place by examination of a teams record on the web site, where pitching records will be reported, as well as communication with other coaches that played your opponent in the days leading up to your contest.
- Each pitch thrown in the game counts as a pitch. That includes pitchouts, foul balls, (including those hit with two strikes on the batter), as well as ball four. It does not include warm-up pitches.
- Compare pitch counts with the opposing team after each inning. If someone is consistently difficult regarding this matter-or if, particularly, they are combative; report this to the umpire and as soon as possible to your age level coordinator. Get witnesses to corroborate your experience. After comparing pitch counts, come to a resolve as to what a pitchers pitch count is after each inning.
- As a pitcher approaches his limit, insure that the other team and the umpire is made aware of the fact. And when a pitcher reaches his limit, announce the fact at the point he has done so. The pitcher is allowed to finish pitching to the batter he is pitching to at the time he reaches the pitch count no matter how many pitches it takes to complete the batter. If you fail to notify the umpire, a pitcher can go 50 pitches over his limit without penalty because the rule is designed to protect kids not get a cheap win. NOTE: At the moment the umpire is notified the pitcher has reached his limit, he is to stop the game and inform the potentially offending coach. It is only if the coach refuses to remove the pitcher that there is a penalty. That penalty is forfeiture of the game at the instant of refusal to remove the pitcher. Note: If you fail to inform the umpire that the pitcher has reached his limit and do so after the fact, there is no penalty.
- At the conclusion of every game, teams are to sign off on each other’s pitch count form to verify accuracy. It is then the responsibility of the winning team to immediately report both the score, as well as the pitch counts for everyone that pitched in that game. Failure to post scores and pitching results by midnight two nights following the game will result in the winning team not getting credit for the win.
- It is the responsibility of the losing team to verify the accuracy of the score and the pitch counts entered by the winning team and report any discrepancies to the age level coordinator.
- If a field manager is found to have exceeded a pitchers limit through late or inaccurate reporting, he will be notified that his actions have been recorded. If it becomes a pattern of behavior, the manager will receive a three game suspension. If it happens again, he will be suspended until the end of the season or 6 games, whichever is more severe (penalties can run into the start of the next season.) If it happens one more time, the field manager will be suspended from the league and may not coach in this league until his appeal has resulted in reinstatement. He shall not be eligible for a reinstatement hearing until one year following his final suspension.
GUIDING OUTLINES:
In a seminar at the 2007 American Baseball Coaches Association annual convention, Dr. Tim Kremcheck, of Beacon Orthopedic and team surgeon for the Cincinnati Reds, stated that the most simple and he felt acceptable guide for pitch limits was 6 times the player’s age. Attempting to be consistent, yet considering our other sources such as USA Baseball, we have developed the following chart as a body of RULES (not guidelines) for pitch counts. The higher pitch maximum is an acceptable guideline for the more mature, stronger, more highly conditioned athlete, while the lower end of the daily scale should be the guideline for the less mature, physically weaker, less physically developed athlete.
NOBODY in ages 18 and under in this league may pitch 3 consecutive days, no matter how little in game competition they have pitched. The pitch Limit chart below will serve as the official pitch limit chart for the Midwest Ohio Baseball League.
Midwest Ohio Baseball League Pitch Limit Chart
Age |
Number of Pitches |
Days Rest Required |
9 |
20 |
No Rest Required |
10 |
20 |
No Rest Required |
11 |
20 |
No Rest Required |
12 |
20 |
No Rest Required |
| 13 | 20 |
No Rest Required |
| 14 | 20 |
No Rest Required 1 2 3 4 |
| 15 | 20 |
No Rest Required 1 2 3 4 |
| 16 | 20 |
No Rest Required 1 2 3 4 |
