Japan's complex relationship with marathon pitching performances will get a new look next spring, when the Niigata Prefectural High School Baseball Federation revealed Saturday it will institute the first pitch limits in Japanese high school ball.
Epic high school pitching performances are the stuff of legend in Japan, but high pitch counts are commonly believed to put pitchers' elbows and shoulders at risk. This year, Japan's national high school federation sought to combat the problem by instituting a tiebreak system starting from the 13th inning to reduce the chances of extreme pitch counts — but without actually limiting pitches.
Starting from next spring's Niigata Prefectural Tournament, pitchers will not be able to start an inning if they have already thrown 100 pitches.