Pitch Count - Criticism

Criticism

"Of all the poisonous trends to seep into the game over the past three decades few have done more damage to pitchers than the obsession over pitch counts."

Before pitch counts became prominent in the 1980s, a pitcher primarily "pitched until he could no longer get anyone out or the game was over." As pitch counts have become more prominent, pitchers are often removed from games independent of whether or not they are tired or still pitching effectively. The use of pitch counts has been influenced by agents wanting to protect their clients, and organizations wanting to protect investments in their pitchers. This change has shifted the expectations of starting pitchers from pitching complete games to quality starts of six innings instead.

Opponents of the pitch count have argued that the inclusion of the pitch count has hurt pitchers more than it has protected them. Critics of the pitch count argue that pitchers are "babied" and that many of the injuries that pitchers have suffered since the inclusion of the pitch count are from such treatment. Advocates who are against using the pitch count as a metric to measure pitcher performance include Minnesota Twins broadcaster/Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven, Texas Rangers President/Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, and former Florida Marlins manager Jack McKeon. McKeon openly told his pitchers (and the media) that he did not keep a pitch count, and that he expected his pitchers to get into the mindset of completing what they started (i.e., for his starters to pitch a complete game). Ryan's sentiments are similar to McKeon's, declaring that pitch counts are largely frivolous. San Francisco Chronicle sports writer Bruce Jenkins has suggested that a "relief" (i.e. lesser) pitcher should start the game, so that the "starting" (i.e. stronger) pitcher would play the more crucial later innings.

Rany Jazayerli estimates that two thirds of young starting pitchers from 1999 on are still playing five years later, compared to one of two between 1984 and 1998, and attributes the improvement to greater emphasis on the pitch count. Some argue that pitch counts do not account for easy outings for pitchers with big leads but higher pitch counts or pitchers in constant trouble in a game with lower pitch counts. Other feel the count is a self-fulfilling prophecy, where a pitcher can feel great until learning of his pitch count. However, author Peter Morris noted that "a lot more guys hit 10 homers a season these days", and pitchers need to throw their best stuff more often. "Guys who throw 100 pitches now are working harder than guys who threw 120 pitches a generation ago." Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley said hitters are "bigger, stronger, better, and they hit better. And parks are smaller now, let alone the steroid era." Hitters have also become more selective (making pitchers throw more strikes) to increase their pitch count to get the them out of the game earlier. Former pitcher Gene Garber says umpires are calling a smaller strike zone, making it more difficult for pitchers to throw strikes.