Pitch Counts - How Many Pitches Max Should Parents Let Their Kids Throw In A Game?

By Steven Ellis former Chicago Cubs pitching pro

Do you ever ask yourself how many pitches should my son throw in a game? Is his youth baseball coach overusing him? How many days of rest should I take before I pitch again? Am I getting enough recovery?

One of my missions is to extend the career of all pitchers. 

This mission is shared by the USA Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee. Their objective is to provide guidelines that are scientifically-based to reduce the risk of injury and maximize the younger player’s ability to perform and advance to higher levels. 

Because research has shown that there is a direct relationship between the number of pitches thrown and the risk of shoulder and elbow pain, the following numbers are recommended:

Suggested pitch counts
Age	Pitches per game	Games per week
8-10	52	2
11-12	68	2
13-14	76	2
15-16	97	2
17-18	106	2

Minimum days off after pitching
	1 day rest	2 days rest	3 days rest	4 days rest
Age	Number of pitches thrown
8-10	21	34	43	51
11-12	27	35	55	58
13-14	30	36	56	70
15-16	25	38	62	77
17-18	27	45	62	89

The actual answers to the above questions, however, are more than the information that has been offered by the scientists and baseball professionals.  In my work, the pitcher and his personal characteristics play and important part in answering there questions.

Pitch count game chart In order to keep track of pitches made by each of your pitchers in a game, use a chart like the one below to record strikes and balls made by each pitcher. This will help you not only to keep track of pitch count, but will aid you in the discovery of pitching patterns. Date: ____________________ Opponent: ____________________ Pitcher's Name Inning(s)             Pitcher 1 Pitcher 2 Pitcher 3 Strike Ball Strike Ball Strike Ball 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 26 26 26 26 26 26 27 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 28 28 28 29 29 29 29 29 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 34 34 34 35 35 35 35 35 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 37 37 37 38 38 38 38 38 38 39 39 39 39 39 39 40 40 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 41 41 41 42 42 42 42 42 42 43 43 43 43 43 43 44 44 44 44 44 44 45 45 45 45 45 45 46 46 46 46 46 46

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