by ReadyToPlay » Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:31 am
Sounds good until you get a cold wet regular season similar to a few years back when a lot of the eastern teams did not play until May 1, then going every other day to catch up. With this new pitch allotment, I also think that there will be a lot of high scoring games and longer games so you better have lights if there is to be a 2nd game into night fall. Some players who are now needed to pitch accurate that have not pitched before will tend to just toss it over the plate without great velocity to obtain a strike and the ball will go for a ride bringing in the walked batters created by the inexperience players that got thrown in the game to pitch by default. The coaches will be in a difficult position as they have to make decisions early if there is a 6 run, top of the 1st inning scenario, with 4 pitchers available, 3 games this week to go, yet still giving their team a chance to come back. I believe this rule has the best intentions for the player's arm, and the system counting of pitches may not be perfect, as sometimes you have cold distracted kids doing the books in regular season. Dare I say that a fool proof system would involve a 3 digit electronic display located near press box/or dugout with a dedicated person---- 49, 50, 51, 52,.... 121, etc. (The NDHSAA made the basketball 30 second clock display mandatory with a dedicated person)
If you are going to implement this kind of rule, you have to be able to display it accurately and fairly. I don't think this unit would have to incur a lot of expense, just a simple box displayed in proximity of a the press box with a Bluetooth remote control----thus no expensive wiring for schools as it does not have to be timed into a game clock. Pitches could be tallied in both books every inning (like the runs are) and displayed once again when that team comes back the next inning. $99 from Amazon..(3" High Character LED Counter 3 Digits LED Digital Counter Button Control with IR Remote Control)