MSHSL changes number of tosses allowed, rest between games
The Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) new pitch count rule this season will change the way every high school baseball team organizes its pitching order throughout the season.
Small schools will be hurt the most by the new rule. To stay on the right side of the numbers in the rule, some teams will likely have to convert and develop non-pitchers into pitchers. As well, coaches will be looking carefully when to the right “man on the hill” – placing pitchers in non-conference games and others in the more important conference tilts.
Larger schools with a deeper pitching staff will have more options.
In past baseball seasons, pitchers were allowed to toss in 14 innings every three days. New in 2017, varsity pitchers can only hurl between 1 and 30 pitches without taking a day of rest. If they throw 31-50, they’ll need at least one day of rest; 51-75 requires two days and 76-105 requires three days. The daily maximum allowed is 105 pitches.
In addition to having to do extreme pitcher plotting, coaches will have to reconsider the strategy sometimes used when they ask their pitches to “waste” a few pitches in order to tempt batters to swing at tosses that are actually off the plate.
Many, however, do like the idea of a pitch count for young arms in order to protect against sore arms or injury.
Failure to comply can result in games forfeited and the head coach censored or suspended.
