ROBBINSVILLE – Gone are the days of marathon pitching performances in New Jersey high school baseball.

On Wednesday, the NJSIAA Executive Committee unanimously approved a rule that will cap pitchers at 110 pitches in a single outing and limits them to 140 pitches over a five-day period.

The measure, which will be implemented over a one-year pilot program for the upcoming season, also incorporates mandated rest days based on the number of pitches thrown and requires home teams to provide an “adult pitch counter” at games.

“All the studies show it now – if you throw too much, eventually it’s going to lead to an injury,” North Hunterdon head coach Mike Kane said. “This hopefully will curb that and save kids’ arms because in the grand scheme of things, it’s high school baseball.”

Under the new rule, pitchers may not throw on three consecutive days and cannot throw more than 50 pitches on back-to-back days. Pitchers that reach their maximum allowed pitches while facing a batter will be permitted to finish the at-bat.

The number of mandated rest days also is bracketed based on the number of pitches thrown. Pitchers will not have to rest if they throw between 1-30 pitches; throwing 31-50 pitches requires one rest day; 51-70 pitches requires two rest days; 71-90 pitches requires three days rest; and 91-110 pitches will keep a pitcher off the mound for four days.

“We just have to think a little bit more or strategize a little bit more with how we’re going about each week and each game,” Kane said. “So that was one little glitch I noticed. Also, without (being able to pitch) three consecutive days, 0-30 pitches … now your closer may not be eligible to close for you on a day.”

To help enforce the rule, home teams will be required to provide the adult pitch counter. After each half inning, the independent counter will cross-check his or her count with a counter from both the home and away teams.

If any of those three numbers vary, the independent counter’s number will be considered official unless both team representatives have the same count.

“Talking to a lot of coaches and people, things need to be budgeted years before and people don’t have that money to hire somebody for every game,” Governor Livingston head coach Chris Roof said. “It’s going to be very interesting, but I understand what they’re trying to do.”

There is a provision for instances when one may not be available. For those games, the pitch counters for both the home and away teams will verify their numbers at the end of each half inning. If there is a discrepancy, the home team’s number will be considered – unless the umpire has “definite knowledge” of the correct count.

The new rule is a departure from the old method of state-mandated innings limits. Under that system, a pitcher could not throw more than 10 innings in a four-day span. Pitchers were also required three days of rest after an outing of six or more innings and two days of rest after five innings.

While all three coaches agreed that pitch count is a more sensible way to limit pitchers, they also acknowledged that this is far from a cure-all.

“It’s the whole abuse of the arm – kids just throw too much,” Roof said. “I think showcases, where they blow it out to get a scholarship, that’s a problem. You’re going in there, you get 10 minutes to warm up and then you throw seven pitches as hard as you can. That’s not healthy. That is our problem, not kid throwing 120 pitches.

“Because of proper training, there are some kids – especially the older ones – that can handle that…but kids are getting hurt because they throw too much and because of specialization.”

Additionally, Frank was concerned about the potential impact the changes could have on how the game is played – and how long it takes.

“It’s not that I’m against it, but I feel like we’ve always done everything for the benefit of out pitchers,” Toms River South head coach Ken Frank said. “This rule is for the guys that aren’t counting pitches or counting innings or concerned about their pitchers.”

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