WBC sets limits on pitch counts, other rules to save wear & tear on players

[Jersey Yankee]

Since people have wondered aloud (myself included) how players' bodies will be able to handle going all-out so much, this comes as welcome surprise, in that players won't have to over-exert themselves so much.

Classic announces pitch limits, mercy rules

NEW YORK -- The World Baseball Classic set its pitch limits and mercy rules Thursday, designed to protect pitchers in the early stages of spring training and cut short one-sided games.

Pitchers in the first round of games, scheduled from March 3-10, will be limited to 65 pitches. The amount rises to 80 pitches for the second round, set for March 12-16, and 95 for the semifinals on March 18 and the championship March 20.

A 30-pitch outing must be followed by one day off, and a 50-pitch outing must be followed by four days off. No one will be allowed to pitch on three consecutive days.

Pitchers who reach the limit will be allowed to complete the current plate appearance. The usual rule that a starting pitcher must throw at least five innings to get credit for a win will be waived.

All games will use designated hitters. Games will be stopped after five innings when a team is ahead by 15 or more runs and after seven innings when a team is ahead by at least 10 runs. A game can be stopped in the middle of an inning if a team reaches the threshold.

[gdn]

Uh huh...

[JeffWeaverFan]

They should just hold the damn thing in November.

[obsessedyankeefan]

They should just hold the damn thing in November.

Agreed.

On a separate note, what happened to the rule they were going to have for position players only being allowed to go 5 innings? Was that scrapped????

[LuckyLopez]

On a separate note, what happened to the rule they were going to have for position players only being allowed to go 5 innings? Was that scrapped????

I don't believe that was EVER a rule or even suggested. At least I never saw it. I think the 5 inning limit on position players was just something that fans and detractors put together themselves. MLB has been vocal about the pitching limits, mercy rule, and a general idea of protecting their players (Buck Martinez saying that "only the 1st baseman" will play every game) and I think people just sort of created the extra rule. And then it was repeated enough that we all got to thinking it was real. The only reason I'm not surprised its missing is because a few weeks back it occurred to me that noone was talking about it (in the situations where it would have fit in) so I went looking to see if I could see any reference and found none.

I am surprised by the 30-pitch/1-day rest and 50-pitch/4-days rest rule. I didn't really think of that but I do share concerns about closers and the work their receive. And while I thought it was a completely unrealistic fear I know people have voiced ideas like Rivera pitching 3 innings 2 days in a row. Knowing that multiple innings are pretty unlikely and back-to-back games limited helps protect the closers getting undue work. As it is, with a 30 pitch limit managers will probably be unwilling to bring in a closer until the last possible minute.

[Evil Empire]

I hope the US, Panama, Puerto Rico and Taiwan are the first to be eliminated.

[Panamaniac42]

Cool so it's like the Little League World Series except in March, I can't wait.

It's gonna be awesome in the final game when the US and DR run a lap around the field together.

[obsessedyankeefan]

I don't believe that was EVER a rule or even suggested. At least I never saw it. I think the 5 inning limit on position players was just something that fans and detractors put together themselves. MLB has been vocal about the pitching limits, mercy rule, and a general idea of protecting their players (Buck Martinez saying that "only the 1st baseman" will play every game) and I think people just sort of created the extra rule. And then it was repeated enough that we all got to thinking it was real. The only reason I'm not surprised its missing is because a few weeks back it occurred to me that noone was talking about it (in the situations where it would have fit in) so I went looking to see if I could see any reference and found none.

Ok thanks. I could've sworn that was a rule. Guess that's the price we pay for always believing everything we read.

I am surprised by the 30-pitch/1-day rest and 50-pitch/4-days rest rule. I didn't really think of that but I do share concerns about closers and the work their receive. And while I thought it was a completely unrealistic fear I know people have voiced ideas like Rivera pitching 3 innings 2 days in a row. Knowing that multiple innings are pretty unlikely and back-to-back games limited helps protect the closers getting undue work. As it is, with a 30 pitch limit managers will probably be unwilling to bring in a closer until the last possible minute.

Many of us are concerned about pitchers being overworked, and I'm not surprised by this rule at all. It's a good one, especially since this is supposed to be their Spring Training. Now if this were held in November, there wouldn't be this problem and this thing would've had my full support.

[JDPNYY]

We are so close.

So close people.

I think we can do it.

I hope we can do it, no... no... I'm sure we can do it.

There's no stopping getting to 1000 Threads on the WBC before the Big exciting Tourny gets underway.

[LuckyLopez]

Ok thanks. I could've sworn that was a rule. Guess that's the price we pay for always believing everything we read.

Many of us are concerned about pitchers being overworked, and I'm not surprised by this rule at all. It's a good one, especially since this is supposed to be their Spring Training. Now if this were held in November, there wouldn't be this problem and this thing would've had my full support.

Oh, I think its an excellent rule. I just didn't fully expect it, or maybe I didn't expect it to be quite so limited. Which I think is a very good thing. It more or less eliminates the fear of relievers getting overworked, which I think should have been the real concern. I'm not overly concerned about the starters getting overworked. That seems like an unnecessary fear. There's so few games that the best of them on the best teams will only get 2 or 3 opportunities to pitch and with the excess of talent, especially on a team like the USA, its not going to be a hard decision to turn the ball over earlier than the 7th. But a reliever, if used in consecutive days and throwing a lot of pitches could certainly do damage to himself even if he was eliminated after 3 games.

I think the only real remaining danger with pitchers now is one of them overexerting himself, but that's on the player and not the coaches or MLB. If Rivera or Wang do themselves and the Yankees a diservice by pitching beyond where they should than that's their decision to make.

[SuperMario66]

This isn't even like real baseball anymore. I think I am completely over caring.

[terminator]

I think the only real remaining danger with pitchers now is one of them overexerting himself, but that's on the player and not the coaches or MLB. If Rivera or Wang do themselves and the Yankees a diservice by pitching beyond where they should than that's their decision to make.

Well there is no way of preventing that from happening. I think Schilling said it best.
To paraphrase: If you put a pitcher out there, with a ton of fans watching, and your country's flag in the background, there will be no holding back.

[lem]

Whatever. This is stupid.

[obsessedyankeefan]

Oh, I think its an excellent rule. I just didn't fully expect it, or maybe I didn't expect it to be quite so limited. Which I think is a very good thing. It more or less eliminates the fear of relievers getting overworked, which I think should have been the real concern. I'm not overly concerned about the starters getting overworked. That seems like an unnecessary fear. There's so few games that the best of them on the best teams will only get 2 or 3 opportunities to pitch and with the excess of talent, especially on a team like the USA, its not going to be a hard decision to turn the ball over earlier than the 7th. But a reliever, if used in consecutive days and throwing a lot of pitches could certainly do damage to himself even if he was eliminated after 3 games.

I think the only real remaining danger with pitchers now is one of them overexerting himself, but that's on the player and not the coaches or MLB. If Rivera or Wang do themselves and the Yankees a diservice by pitching beyond where they should than that's their decision to make.

My concern for the starters and relievers is about equal, and I'm concerned for any Yankee that goes. At least this rule alleviates some concern, if only just a tiny bit.

[LuckyLopez]

obsessedyankeefan, what can I say? I carry concern but its not equal. Rivera, Johnson, Sheffield, and Posada are all players I'm pretty happy with not playing. Even if I think Rivera and Posada especially would have been boons to the tournament, the risk was too high in my opinion. I'm much more concerned about Wang than Jeter, or Damon than A-Rod. Just the added risks involved for the individual either from his mindset or approach or his position changes things in my mind. But these limits more or less assure me that it would take a freak occurance for Wang to hurt himself throwing less than 90 pitches during the entire tournament.

Well there is no way of preventing that from happening. I think Schilling said it best.
To paraphrase: If you put a pitcher out there, with a ton of fans watching, and your country's flag in the background, there will be no holding back.

I think you're probably right, at least for the most part. I just feel like that's a different matter than the WBC in general and MLB's responsability or blame should anything bad happen. I can only hold them so much responsable for setting up circumstances for players to possibly hurt themselves. They've set restrictions and safeguards to hopefully protect against that and a number of pitchers and players have dropped out or been taken out of the tournament (Buerhle, Felix Hernandez, Johnson, Rivera) due to these concerns, with presumably little to no problem from MLB. So if all of this is done and a willing participant who's prepared to play then fails to disclose some problem or pushes himself beyond a personal and physical limit that he's aware of, then that's all on him.

Will Derek Jeter breaking a bone diving head first into the stands be ok with me because "it was his decision"? No, probably not. But somewhere along the line I create a difference between the bad stuff that happens as a result of MLB, the Yankees, or the coaches' carelessness, inefficiences, greed, or recklessness and the stuff that players bring on themselves.

I feel a similar way about how ballclubs and fans should be treating their participating players. MLB obviouslly wants the best talents, and most teams are probably hesitant to see them play. Many fans as well. The Yankees petitioned MLB to block their players and got yeses on some of them. The remaining players most assuredly were approached by Torre, Cashman, Steinbrennar, or whoever about not playing. At that stage the player knows the risks and knows his employers' and coaches' wishes. Its then up to him to make the decision to honor his team's wishes, do what he personally wishes, or fold to some sense of obligation to either the club, MLB, or his country. At that stage I'm not sure if I consider their participation all that much different than if they played in the Caribean League or if they had a couple of games of pickup basketball. They're the ones taking the risk.

[NewEraYanks2527]

I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing and really wish it would go away or be limited to minor league players who have been playing in the winter leagues.

[Yankeeah]

I'd imagine a lot of games are going to get mercied. I mean, put the Domicans against like the South Africa, not even going to be close.

[DontHateOnNumber2]

Mercy rules? Pitch limits? I'm glad these will be implemented but I imagine this being Little League pretty much.

[chelloveck]

Quick question... about the WBC, what channel will this thing be on?
(Didn't feel like making a new thread for this)