Inning Limit

[BungleBengals]

I have read a few reports about Strasburg approaching his inning limit for the year. I am still relatively new to baseball and I would usually look this up, but what exactly is the Inning Limit? Is is something the MLB sets or do doctors set it?

What I am asking is, how is the limit set for a pitcher and how is it enforced? I am concerned because we have used the same five starters all year, aren't they going to approach their inning limits soon since none have had lengthy injuries and majority of their starts go into the 6th and 7th inning.

Thanks.

[Moosie52]

The team may set a limit, mostly for younger pitchers. Mike Leake was shut down early last season.

[webbbj]

It is a number of innings a team will set for a pitcher to not exceed for the season. Usually for younger pitchers who have not developed their arms for 30+ starts yet.

[R_Webb18]

leake should be fine.

homer bailey is going way past his career best at this rate. But that's b/c he was always hurt. Im not sure if it's differant for him b/c he's not as young or not.

[OGB]

Bailey and Leake may approach a number of innings that the team prefer they not exceed, but you can generally throw around fifteen to twentyfive innings more than you did in the previous year and still be ok.

Washington will shut down Strasburg if theyre smart because they could potentially mortgage the future of the best young SP in baseball by having him throw too much this year. Washington has to be focused on the big picture and not the fact that they have the best record in the NL and havent made the playoffs since moving towns.

[MrRedLegger]

The Nats announced not too long ago that Strasburg wouldn't pitch an inning over 160 no matter what point during the season/pennant run. That's somewhat debatable but I would not be surprised if it actually happened. He is a young pitcher that they have for a while and although it would be great to have him in the post season, they're thinking that they'll make plenty more with him down the road. Sort of a "Don't mortgage the future for the present" mentality.

There's no set limit of innings set by baseball or by any standard, really. It's similar to the "100 pitch" rule in ball games. The limit is an arbitrary number that acts as a mere guideline. For example, Cueto had a 120+ PC when he pitched a complete game not too long ago. Pitchers, at least the very good (and seasoned) ones, will go 200+ innings in a year no sweat. Cuteo is on pace to do that as well. Several pitchers accomplish this feat every year.

Strasburg is young and very talented, and couple that with his MLB hype, the Nats do not want to take a single chance with him. An obviously wise but possibly naive decision.

We will witness his prime in years to come, but that "prime" needs these fledgling years for him to accumulate the high-inning count stamina that it requires. If he's pulled at 160 this year, look next year for him to go even higher.

[R_Webb18]

i thought the standard is 30?

leake on pace to hit 20 more

bailey on pace to hit like 70 more which seems like a lot

[texasdave]

The Verducci Effect generally applies to pitches under the age of 25, I believe. Additionally, Homer threw around 30 innings in minor league ball in 2011. Those have to count, right?

[[deleted]]

Just in case it hasn't been made clear by the other posts yet: there is nothing 'enforced' or 'official' about an innings limit like the one on Strasburg. Washington is simply be cautious with a young, unstable arm. They could very easily get caught up in the glamor of a pennant race and decide to keep running him out there.

[R_Webb18]

The Verducci Effect generally applies to pitches under the age of 25, I believe. Additionally, Homer threw around 30 innings in minor league ball in 2011. Those have to count, right?

o yes. id say so.

[BluegrassRedleg]

Many sports therapists believe coddling of today's pitchers and inning counts have a reverse effect of what they are intended to do.