Pitch Counts: Strategies For Proper Rest And Recovery

By Steven Ellis, former pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization

Do you ever ask yourself how many pitches should my son throw in a game? Is the 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:

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.