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Little League Refines Baseball Pitching Rules for 2008
Note: Click here to see this article on the Little League Website
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Oct. 4, 2007) – Following up on the ground breaking first season in which a mandatory pitch count was used in all baseball divisions of Little League, the rules and regulations for 2008 have been refined, it was announced today at Little League International.
After two years of testing involving hundreds of local programs, Little League unveiled an initiative in 2007 that used the actual number of pitches delivered, rather than innings pitched, to determine eligibility for the next time a player can pitch. The number of pitches permitted, and the amount of rest required, depends on the age of the player.
Little League International has urged all youth baseball programs to adopt a pitch count in order to protect young pitching arms from rising overuse injuries. However, to date, Little League is the only national youth baseball organization to adopt this method. USA Baseball, the governing body for baseball in the U.S., recommends using pitch counts as well.
“The Little League pitch count program has been an unqualified success, as districts and local leagues understood and embraced the important reasons for the change,” Patrick Wilson, vice president of operations for Little League International, said. “Our volunteers have done outstanding work in putting the regulation into effect.”
Little League International also is grateful for the continued support of Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Glenn Fleisig, who contributed invaluable data and advice in crafting the Pitch Count Pilot Program in 2005-’06, as well as the regulations and tournament rules in 2007. Dr. Andrews is the chairman and medical director for the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) in Birmingham, Ala., and Dr. Fleisig is the research director at ASMI. They are the world’s foremost authorities on the subject of pitching-related injuries.
As noted when the pitch count was first introduced, the regular season pitching regulations and tournament pitching rules were expected to evolve as time progressed. The ASMI, led by Dr. Andrews and Dr. Fleisig, have worked closely with Little League International to continue the development of this initiative.
“The first year of using pitch counts in Little League Baseball appears to be a success at all levels, and we are pleased that Little League continues to refine the program,” said Dr. Andrews and Dr. Fleisig in a joint statement from the ASMI. “The changes for the 2008 season reflect the leadership position Little League has taken to protect young pitching arms, and we wholeheartedly endorse these actions.”
Here are the significant enhancements for the 2008 season for all divisions of baseball:
Regular Season Pitching Regulations
• A pitch limit for pitchers league age 7-8 has been added, with a maximum of 50 pitches per day. Previously, the limit for these ages was the same as for pitchers who were league age 9-10.
• A provision has been added that prohibits a player who has been removed as a pitcher in a game from playing the position of catcher for the remainder of that day. This was a recommendation of Dr. Andrews and Dr. Fleisig, and is intended to further prevent overuse injuries. The position of catcher, according to Dr. Andrews and Dr. Fleisig, has the second-most overuse injuries, which can be acerbated by moving from pitcher to catcher in the same day. (However, moving from pitcher to any of the other seven positions, or from catcher to pitcher, apparently does not cause the same concerns.)
• Pitchers league age 16 and under who deliver 41 or more pitches in a game must also have a game of rest, in addition to the number of days rest prescribed. Pitchers league age 17-18 who deliver 51 or more pitches in a game must also have a game of rest, in addition to the number of days rest prescribed. This enhancement is designed to help ensure that teams develop more pitchers, and to help ensure that scheduling anomalies do not result in undue advantages for some teams.
• The “automatic” intentional walk was removed. If a pitcher wishes to intentionally walk a batter, he/she must do so by pitching four pitches intentionally outside the strike zone that are not struck at by the batter, and are called “balls” by the umpire. All such pitches will count in determining that pitcher’s pitch count.
The complete regular season pitching regulation for baseball may be found at: http://www.littleleague.org/media/RS_Pitching_Regulation_Changes_Baseball_2008.pdf
Tournament Pitching Rules
• As noted above in the regular season regulations, a provision has been added that prohibits a player who has been removed as a pitcher in a game from playing the position of catcher for the remainder of that day.
• Pitchers league age 16 and under (except those 16-year-olds playing in Big League) who deliver 21 or more pitches in a game must also have a game of rest, in addition to the number of days rest prescribed. Big League Division pitchers league age 16-18 who deliver 36 or more pitches in a game must also have a game of rest, in addition to the number of days rest prescribed.
• A rule allowing the pitcher of record in a suspended game to continue pitching on a subsequent day in that game has been added. However, in the case of a game resumed more than one day after the suspended game, the number pitches delivered in a game in between those dates will also be used to determine eligibility.
• Failure by the manager to remove a pitcher before that pitcher becomes ineligible will result in the suspension of the manager for the next two tournament games, with further penalties possible if the Tournament Committee deems that the infraction merits it. (This removes the automatic forfeiture penalty. However, the Tournament Committee could impose a forfeit if the situation warrants it.)
• The “automatic” intentional walk was removed, as noted in the regular season regulation above.
The complete tournament pitching rule for baseball may be found at: http://www.littleleague.org/media/T_Pitching_Rule_Changes_Baseball_2008.pdf
“Little League also continues to receive advice from volunteers regarding breaking balls,” Mr. Wilson said. “All of the evidence so far points to overuse as the main reason for pitching-related injuries. However, we continue to monitor this situation, and we are in fact taking part in a multi-year scientific study that we hope will provide clear direction on this issue. Once that study is complete, Little League will take the appropriate measures.”
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Little League Implements New Rule to Protect Pitchers’ Arms
Note: Click here to see this article on the Little League Website
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Aug. 25, 2006) – Little League Baseball is changing its decades-old pitching rules, making the actual number of pitches delivered the deciding factor in determining eligibility in the baseball division, it was announced today by Stephen D. Keener, president and chief executive officer of Little League Baseball and Softball.
Starting with the 2007 season, pitchers in all divisions of Little League, from age 7 to 18, will have specific limits for each game, based on their age. The number of pitches delivered in a game will determine the amount of rest the player must have before pitching again.
“Little League has a rich history of pioneering baseball safety innovations,” Mr. Keener said. “As the world’s largest organized youth sports program, Little League is proud to take a leadership position in youth sports safety.”
There are about 2.3 million players in the baseball divisions of Little League worldwide. There are nearly 400,000 girls softball players, but the new regulations will not apply to softball.
For all of Little League Baseball’s history, and for the history of amateur youth baseball in general, pitching regulations have used innings pitched to determine pitcher eligibility. Recently, researchers and medical professionals in the field of sports medicine have been working to determine if the actual number of pitches thrown (i.e., pitch count) is a safer way to regulate pitching in youth baseball.
Most notable among those calling for pitch counts has been Dr. James R. Andrews, M.D., medical director at the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. Andrews is the world’s foremost authority on pitching injuries and ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, or, as it is better known, “Tommy John surgery.” The ASMI and the USA Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee have worked closely with Little League to create the guidelines for the new regulation.
“This is one of the most important injury prevention steps ever initiated in youth baseball by the leader in youth baseball,” Dr. Andrews said. “It is certain to serve as the youth sports injury prevention cornerstone and the inspiration for other youth organizations to take the initiative to get serious about injury prevention in youth sports. I am proud that American Sports Medicine Institute and USA Baseball can play a small role in this important initiative.”
Little League is the first national youth baseball organization to institute a pitch count. The Little League International Board of Directors approved the measure unanimously at its annual meeting today, two days before the Little League Baseball World Series concludes.
“This is the right time to make this change,” Mr. Keener said. “We call upon all youth baseball organizations, including travel leagues, to implement their own pitch count programs in the interest of protecting young pitching arms. Our goal continues to be to educate everyone, particularly parents and coaches, on the potential injuries that can occur from throwing too many pitches.”
For the past two years, Little League has conducted a Pitch Count Pilot Program to determine the feasibility of implementing a regulation limiting the number of pitches a Little Leaguer can throw in a day, and the rest required before pitching again. Fifty leagues were studied in 2005, and nearly 500 signed up for the program in 2006.
“Surveys of those leagues showed the overwhelming majority were able to implement a pitch count without any problems,” Mr. Keener said. “They also found that they were able to develop other pitchers who might not have otherwise ever taken the mound. And they found that their pitchers were stronger at the end of the season, with less arm pain.”
Previously, Little League pitching regulations limited pitchers (league age 12 and under) to six innings per week (Sunday through Saturday), and six innings per game. The number of innings allowed was increased for older age groups.
The number of pitches allowable under the new regulation is based on the pitcher’s age. Specific rest periods are in place when a pitcher reaches a higher threshold of pitches delivered in a day.
The table below gives an overview of the number of pitches that will be allowed per day for each age group during the regular season in 2007.
| League Age | Pitches allowed per day |
| 17-18 | 105 |
| 13-16 | 95 |
| 11-12 | 85 |
| 10 and under | 75 |
The rest periods required during the 2007 regular season are listed below.
Pitchers league ages 7 through 16 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
• If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 41 - 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 21 - 40 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no calendar day of rest is required before pitching again.
Pitchers league age 17-18 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
• If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 51 - 75 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 26 - 50 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-25 pitches in a day, no calendar day of rest is required before pitching again.
“The regulation might be seen as a work in progress,” Mr. Keener said. “As we move forward through the years, the limits may be adjusted as needed. And of course, we will continue to use all means at our disposal to improve the education of managers, coaches and parents.”
Regulations for tournament play (all-stars) will be similar, but with some modifications. Those regulations will be released this fall.
Little League also continues to explore other pitching-related issues, such as the use of breaking pitches.
“While there is no medical evidence to support a ban on breaking pitches, it is widely speculated by medical professionals that it is ill-advised for players under 14 years old to throw breaking pitches,” Mr. Keener said. “Breaking pitches for these ages continues to be strongly discouraged by Little League, and that is an issue we are looking at as well. As with our stance on pitch counts, we will act if and when there is medical evidence to support a change.”
Little League International is beginning a five-year study on breaking pitches by Little League pitchers. The study is being conducted by the University of North Carolina and is supported by the Yawkey Foundation.
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New Scorekeeping Rule Regarding Pitch Count
Note: Click here to see the new scorekeeping rules on the Little League Website
On the Little League Internet web site, you can now find the new scorekeeping rule regarding pitch counts. Please keep in mind that extensive information on the best ways to implement the new “pitch count” regulation in baseball will be coming over the next few months from Little League International, as well as great advice for leagues on the care and conditioning of the pitching arm.
The new scorekeeping rule can be found here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Scorekeeping_Changes_10-06.pdf
A complete list of significant changes to the regular season rules and regulations for the 2007 season can be found here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/Rule_Changes_09-06.pdf
A complete list of significant changes to the Tournament Rules and Guidelines for the 2007 season can be found here:
http://www.littleleague.org/media/T_Rule_Changes_10-06.pdf
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Little League Info on the New Pitch Count Rule
Little League Baseball Pitch Count Resource Page
Pitch Count “Q and A”
Here’s the Pitch: Little League Volunteers Ask for Clarification of What Constitutes a Countable Pitch
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