250 is the new 100
Yahoo Sports, Deadspin, FanIQ and Reuters Oddly Enough deservedly covered the story that a Japanese high school pitcher threw 250 pitches in giving up 66 runs in two innings before his manager called the game. Truly a mercy yanking.
To lend some perspective, in US major league baseball today, going over 100 pitches is generally considered a “high” pitch count.
But before we get up in arms about this modern day Billy Martin ruining this poor kid’s arm (and head) for life, let’s reflect back on the whole Daisuke Matsuzaka legend, which began during his own high school career in Japan and was cemented by precisely that same feat - throwing 250 pitches in a 17-inning win, as a high schooler, during the Koshien High School Baseball Tournament, which is kinda like our March Madness, but involves…teenage high school kids, playing baseball in front of rabid fans and a more rabid press. He did this the day after throwing a 148-pitch, complete game shutout, and threw in relief the following night. Obviously he survived the experience and went on to take a lot of Boston owner John Henry’s money.
Dusty Baker should be so lucky as to coach high school baseball in Japan.
Here’s a link to Japanese coverage in Sankei Sports (Sanspo) of the incident. Apparently the game between Shinshukan and Kawamoto was scored as 9-0 in favor of Shinshukan, after Kawamoto Manager Iida requested the game be halted after the pitcher threw his…250th pitch. The pitcher’s name was mercifully withheld.
250 = it’s the new 100.