Pitching Advice: Knowing Your Limits

The number of pitches a pitcher should be allowed to throw depends on physical development, age, prior rest and recovery time, pitcher experience and the pitchers’s arm stamina. I believe pitch count as a measure is more effective and reliable than the number of innings pitched. 

In a competitive situation, often a pitcher will not admit that he is fatigued, overly sore, or has a minor arm injury. It is very important that a coach is able to recognize changes in a pitcher’s normal motion. Besides a loss in some velocity, and usually control, a pitcher will often change his mechanics to compensate for the loss of arm strength or to protect his arm from further pain.