GHSA approves new pitch count rule for baseball

High school baseball pitchers in the state of Georgia will now be subject to pitch counts and mandatory rest days, following the adoption of a proposal by the Georgia High School Association’s Executive Committee.

This past Monday in Macon, the GHSA approved a rule based on a mandate by the National Federation of High Schools, which are requiring individual state athletic associations to adopt pitch counts. Under the new GHSA rule, pitchers will have to leave a game once they finish an at-bat when they reach 110 pitches.

In addition, any pitcher who reaches the 86-pitch mark in a game will be subject to a three-day rest period. A two-day rest period will be required for throwing 61-85 pitches and a one-day break will be required if a pitcher throws 36 or more pitches. During tournament and playoffs play, pitchers will have a limit of 120 total pitches for the entire series, unless inclement weather extends the series.

The new rule goes into play beginning with the 2017 season.

Ridgeland head coach Scott Harden said he was in favor of the new rule.

“I believe it’s a step in the right direction to protect young athletes,” he said. “We’ve always operated on a pitch count system, so not much changes for our program. Asking a pitcher to throw over 110 pitches, especially in cold weather, is a high risk factor. I have heard of coaches throwing kids ridiculous amounts and this should help protect them against such.

“I’m curious to see the management of the pitch count rule. We plan to be very transparent and add that feature to our scoreboard for everyone to view in real time.”

However, LaFayette head coach Mike Shank had a different take on the issue.

“I haven’t gotten a really good look at (the new rule) yet, but my biggest concern is the umpires,” he said. “Sometimes those strike zones get pretty tight and if they don’t open those zones up, it’s going to work the kids’ pitch counts. That could have a big effect on it.

“I think maybe this is one of those cases where (the GHSA) is being a little too precautious. I think coaches do a pretty good job of controlling the pitch counts without having the GHSA stepping in and giving us a limit. But it is what is, so we’ll follow it and see how it goes this first year.”

In other GHSA news from last Monday, golf will now be an area sport for all classification. Each classification will now have four areas and qualifiers from area tournaments will automatically advance to the state tournaments, doing away with sectional qualifying. The GHSA Executive Director will reserve the power to add teams to state tournament in order to fill out a field of 20 teams in each classification,

A proposal that addressed interim realignment at the midpoint of the new four-year realignment cycle was defeated in subcommittee, with the intent to be brought up again closer to the 201819 school year.

Also, GHSA Executive Director Gary Phillips said a committee is being formed to study transfer issues, which has been a hot-button issue surrounding football and other sports for some time.