Pitch count
Encyclopedia
In baseball statistics
, pitch count is the number of pitches
thrown by a pitcher
in a game.
Pitch counts are especially a concern for young pitchers, pitchers recovering from injury, or pitchers who have a history of injuries. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the game after 100 pitches, regardless of the actual number of innings pitched, as it is reckoned to be the maximum optimal pitch count for a starting pitcher
. Pitch counts are sometimes less of a concern for veteran pitchers, who after years of conditioning are often able to pitch deeper into games. A pitcher's size, stature, athleticism, and pitches style (and/or type of pitch thrown) can also play a role in how many pitches a pitcher can throw in a single game while maintaining effectiveness and without risking injury.
Pitch count can also be used to gauge the effectiveness of a pitcher. It is better under most circumstances for a pitcher to use the fewest number of pitches possible to get three outs.
Opposing teams also pay attention to pitch counts, and may try to foul off
as many pitches as possible (or at least any difficult-to-hit pitches) either to tire the pitcher out, or to inflate the pitch count and drive a pitcher from the game in favor of a possibly less effective relief pitcher
.
Before pitch counts became prominent in the 1980s, a pitcher "pitched until he could no longer get anyone out or the game was over." As pitch counts have become more prominent, it's not unusual for a pitcher to be removed prematurely from a game, even if he is winning or pitching well, due to the number of pitches he's thrown. This practice has led to criticism.
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 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.
. Comparisons with the dead-ball era
pre-1920 are misleading, since the pitcher's behavior was very different. Some examples of high pitch count games include a 26-inning game on May 1, 1920 where Leon Cadore
of Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger
of Boston pitched an estimated
345 and 319 pitches; also, Nolan Ryan
threw 164 in a 1989 game, aged 42. Stats LLC began tracking pitch counts in 1988
, and MLB keeps official data since 1999. The highest pitch count since 1990 is 172, by Tim Wakefield
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
against the Atlanta Braves
on April 27, 1993. Pitch counts above 125 are increasingly rare:
On June 25, 2010, Arizona Diamondbacks
pitcher Edwin Jackson
threw 149 pitches in a no-hitter
. This was the highest pitch count in an MLB game since 2005.
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
, pitch count is the number of pitches
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
thrown by a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in a game.
Pitch counts are especially a concern for young pitchers, pitchers recovering from injury, or pitchers who have a history of injuries. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the game after 100 pitches, regardless of the actual number of innings pitched, as it is reckoned to be the maximum optimal pitch count for a starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. Pitch counts are sometimes less of a concern for veteran pitchers, who after years of conditioning are often able to pitch deeper into games. A pitcher's size, stature, athleticism, and pitches style (and/or type of pitch thrown) can also play a role in how many pitches a pitcher can throw in a single game while maintaining effectiveness and without risking injury.
Pitch count can also be used to gauge the effectiveness of a pitcher. It is better under most circumstances for a pitcher to use the fewest number of pitches possible to get three outs.
Opposing teams also pay attention to pitch counts, and may try to foul off
Foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...
as many pitches as possible (or at least any difficult-to-hit pitches) either to tire the pitcher out, or to inflate the pitch count and drive a pitcher from the game in favor of a possibly less effective relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
.
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." |
| — Les Carpenter, Yahoo! Sports, 2010 |
Before pitch counts became prominent in the 1980s, a pitcher "pitched until he could no longer get anyone out or the game was over." As pitch counts have become more prominent, it's not unusual for a pitcher to be removed prematurely from a game, even if he is winning or pitching well, due to the number of pitches he's thrown. This practice has led to criticism.
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
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
broadcaster/Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
President/Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, and Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
manager Jack McKeon
Jack McKeon
John Aloysius McKeon , nicknamed Trader Jack, is a former Major League Baseball manager. In 2003, he won a World Series with the Florida Marlins...
. 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
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
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.
History
Through the 1960s, it was common for the starting pitcher to pitch a complete gameComplete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
. Comparisons with the dead-ball era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
pre-1920 are misleading, since the pitcher's behavior was very different. Some examples of high pitch count games include a 26-inning game on May 1, 1920 where Leon Cadore
Leon Cadore
Leon "Caddy" Joseph Cadore was a right-handed American pitcher from 1915 - 1924. Cadore shares a MLB record for the most innings pitched in a single game . In 1920, both Cadore and Joe Oeschger pitched all 26 innings for their respective teams in a game that was eventually called a tie due to...
of Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger
Joe Oeschger
Joseph Carl Oeschger was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 12 seasons from 1914 to 1925. After starting his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, Oeschger was traded to the New York Giants...
of Boston pitched an estimated
Basic Pitch Count Estimator
In baseball statistics, the Basic Pitch Count Estimator is a statistic used to try to estimate the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher where there is no pitch count data available. The formula was first derived by Tom M. Tango...
345 and 319 pitches; also, Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
threw 164 in a 1989 game, aged 42. Stats LLC began tracking pitch counts in 1988
1988 Major League Baseball season
In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers shocking the Oakland Athletics, who had won 104 games during the regular season, in the World Series. The most memorable moment of the series came in Game 1, when injured Dodger Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic pinch-hit...
, and MLB keeps official data since 1999. The highest pitch count since 1990 is 172, by Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on April 27, 1993. Pitch counts above 125 are increasingly rare:
| Season | PIT>125 |
|---|---|
| 2007 2007 Major League Baseball season The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1... |
14 |
| 2006 2006 Major League Baseball season In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine... |
26 |
| 2005 2005 Major League Baseball season Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star... |
31 |
| 2004 2004 Major League Baseball season * Playoff MVPs** Manny Ramírez ** David Ortiz ** Albert Pujols * All-Star Game, July 13 at Minute Maid Park: American League, 9-4; Alfonso Soriano, MVP-References:* *... |
46 |
| 2003 2003 Major League Baseball season *World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S... |
70 |
| 2002 2002 Major League Baseball season The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:... |
69 |
| 2001 2001 Major League Baseball season The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until... |
74 |
| 2000 2000 Major League Baseball season The 2000 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the New York Mets in Game 5 of the World Series, known as the Subway Series because fans could take the Subway to and from every game of the Series. An all-time record 5,693 home runs were hit during the regular season... |
160 |
| 1999 1999 Major League Baseball season The previous record of most home runs hit in a season, set at 5,064 in 1998, was broken once again as the American League and National League combined to hit 5,528 home runs. Moreover, it was the first season in 61 years to feature a team that scored 1,000 runs in a season, as the Cleveland Indians... |
179 |
| 1998 1998 Major League Baseball season *American League Championship Series MVP: David Wells**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Sterling Hitchcock**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 7 at Coors Field: American League, 13-8; Roberto Alomar, MVP... |
212 |
| 1997 1997 Major League Baseball season *American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández**National League Division Series... |
141 |
| 1996 1996 Major League Baseball season *American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 9 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 6-0; Mike Piazza, MVP... |
195 |
On June 25, 2010, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
pitcher Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
threw 149 pitches in a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
. This was the highest pitch count in an MLB game since 2005.
See also
- Basic pitch count estimatorBasic Pitch Count EstimatorIn baseball statistics, the Basic Pitch Count Estimator is a statistic used to try to estimate the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher where there is no pitch count data available. The formula was first derived by Tom M. Tango...
: used to try to estimate the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher where there is no pitch count data available