Area baseball coaches are applauding the recent change the Michigan High School Baseball Association has made to its pitching rules.

At the fall MHSAA Representative Council’s meeting, the state placed a limit on the number of pitches one player can throw before having to take a mandatory rest.

Beginning this springs, pitchers will be allowed to throw a maximum of 105 pitches on one day before being required to rest for three days.

Pitchers who throw between 51 and 75 pitches must rest two days, while those throwing between 26 and 50 pitches must rest one.

“I think anything we as high school baseball coaches can do to protect and help our players to stay healthy is a essential,” said veteran Brandywine coach David  Sidenbender. “I feel we as a whole have always looked out for the health of our players, more than anyone else.

“That being said, the real issue is not high school baseball, it is more the personal pitching coaches and summer baseball teams. That is where the over use really takes place. Also, this rule will hurt smaller schools and sub-varsity baseball as well. Smaller schools do not have the numbers to have six to eight quality pitchers to complete. We may even see teams cancel games because they do not have enough pitchers/pitches to legally play.”

Sidenbender said that overall he is in favor of safety and looking out for the well being of high school athletes, but he does not believe this rule will reduce the number of arm injuries.

“But we really have no choice so I, along with all my colleagues, will abide by this as we do with all the rules and guidelines handed down by the MHSAA,” he said.

Dowagiac coach Dan Schuchardt also likes the rule, but had a different take on how it may change the game than Sidenbender.

“I think the rule change is great, with the main focus on player safety,” he said. “The new rule change is a very positive compared to the previous rule on outs pitched per week. Before you could throw as many pitches as you wanted to get your 30 outs per week.

“In Dowagiac, we have been using a pitch count on our players for multiple years already to protect our arms, so it should not have a large impact on our pitcher’s mindset. But I can see this new rule changing how coaches will use pitchers in the future during a busy game schedule. Players might be more willing to pitch to contact to force hitters to make outs quicker, forcing defenses to make outs for the team, rather than going after strikeouts.”

Buchanan coach Lonnie Hoover is not sure the rule goes far enough.

“I think it’s a good change and good start,” he said. “But 105 pitches is still a lot of pitches for 16- or 17-year-old pitcher.”

Niles coach Mike Vota is a former minor league baseball pitcher.

He also believe the rule is good for the game.

“I believe the committee has done a nice job to establish a rule that protects young baseball pitchers from exposure to potentially harmful situations during their high school season,” he said. “This is a first of hopefully many reforms to the way that coaches will use pitchers keeping arm health at the forefront.  I hope all levels take note and institute similar policies as the old ‘innings pitches’ does not do justice to the protection that is needed for these young arms. ”

The pitching rule is required by the National Federation of State High School Associations before play in 2017.

The MHSAA used a task force made up of current and former coaches and administrators, including representatives of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association.