Springs Sports Start Today

High school baseball fans are in for a major change when the high school baseball season gets under way today.  A much asked question over the years is how much should any one pitcher pitch in any one game and for that matter each week?

The answer for North Carolina High Schools is if a pitcher throws less than 30 pitches in a game he can pitch again tomorrow.  If he throws from 31-45 he must rest for  a full day.  A good question to ask if your team plays Monday at 10am and a pitcher pitches 44 pitches and your team plays a 7pm game on Tuesday has he rested for a full day?

If a pitcher throws 46-60 pitches he must rest for two full days. 61-75 pitches three days.  If your team has a pitcher capable of pitching a complete game seldom in a seven inning games does a pitcher pitch  less than 75 pitches.  The days of hearing a pitcher throw 125 pitches are over.  The maximum any pitcher can throw are 105 pitches.   I think what you will see is teams will hold their aces for the most important games regardless of what day they play because four days rest pretty much means pitch one time a week.

Every team will be required to report pitch counts of pitchers just like when they report scores.   Every coach will have to have someone in the dugout to record every pitch inning by inning and turn that form in after every Game.  The team you play next will be able to know before the game how many pitches your ace pitcher can throw against them.

There is also a rule where the pitcher in his windup has to have his front foot on the rubber and the second has to be straight behind the rubber when his windup starts.  Many pitchers have their second foot beside the rubber so for many pitchers this will be a major adjustment. 

So in order to prevent large pitch counts on pitchers it would be nice that umpires who are known for calling a strike only when the ball is right down the middle call strikes the way the rule books calls for.  I have always been a pitchers umpire. I want to see batters go to the plate to hit not walk so let's call the edges strikes like it is suppose to be and let's swing the bat at strikes.  Fewer pitches are thrown and the games are quicker when one team hasn't walked 14 runs in.

I can assure you the teams that like this rule will be the teams that have three or four good pitchers.  Any team with one really good thrower and a bunch I hope we can get through this inning with him on the mound are in for trouble.  Once teams hit the playoffs only those team that have bunches of pitchers will win the state championships.  So as the  second and third games of the week come around look for higher scores.  Some teams may have to tell pitchers just to lop it up to the plate, don't walk anybody and use up pitch count.  We will start seeing today  how this rule works out.

One issue still ignored by this rule is this applies to high school baseball.  Those of you parents who think that the only way to a college scholarship is travel ball and play on weekends during the high school season all you are doing is setting your kid up for Tommy John Surgery. 

Games on tap today:

Tarboro @ Fike 7pm
Southern Wayne @ Hunt 4pm
Nash Central @ Smithfield Selma 7pm
Roanoke Rapids @ Rocky Mount 4:30

Tuesday games:
Roanoke Rapids @ Northern Nash 4:30
SouthWest Edgecombe @ Southern Nash 4:30

Wednesday:
Goldsboro @ Rocky Mount Prep 4:30