Stop the pitch count petition!

If you love the game of baseball please read this open letter to the managers and owners of all professional baseball teams and sign the petition below.


Update: August 5, 2008

Open letter to all Major League Baseball Owners and Managers:

Maybe you're hearing it already but there's a groundswell of disgust amongst baseball fans over the 'pitch count'.

For me, and many others, it is ruining our love of the game. I roll with some die-hard baseball fans and I can tell you that we long for the days when guys like Seaver, Gibson, and Jenkins would COMPLETE THEIR GAMES.

We've seen it WAY too many times this year; managers pulling a HOT starting pitcher because of a yielded hit or two (or a pitch count!). I can tell you that every time a pitcher is cruising through a game only to be lifted prematurely, the other team breathes a big sigh of relief (if you played at any level, I know you remember that feeling. I played in an 'over 30' league not too long ago so the memory is still strong for me).

Listen, I appreciate you reading this message and perhaps I'm wasting my time (maybe you believe in the pitch count) but I can tell you that the game has suffered because of 1) the length of time it takes to play 9 innings and 2) a 'pitch count' mentality that denies fans the enjoyment and GREAT feeling of watching their favorite starter COMPLETE A MASTERPIECE.

I just recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Hands (a great Cubbie competitor and a 1-0 victor over Seaver in a '69 game). I asked him what he thought about the pitch count and the state of baseball today and he just shook his head.


Consider this:

• Fergie Jenkins, 4 consecutive 300+ inning seasons. Pitched in the majors until age 40.
  
  
• Luis Tiant. Pitched as many as 311 innings in a season. Retired at 41.
  
  
• Gaylord Perry. 6 seasons of over 300 innings pitched. Pitched in the majors until age 44.
  
  
• Nolan Ryan. Pitched as many as 332 innings, with a boatload of complete games. Retired at 46.
  
  
• Bert Blyleven. Pitched 325 innings at age 22! Retired at age 41.
  
  
• Mickey Lolich. Pitched as many as 376 innings. Retired at 38.
  
  
• Tom Seaver. Pitched as many as 290 innings. Retired at 41.
  
  

I could go on......Pitchers today are babied. It makes for a less attractive game. We have seen the rise of a style of baseball that is running counter to the lifestyles of its fans (over worked, busy, limited free time, short attention spans....videogame generation!). I hope this trend is arrested, but it won't be as long as the pitch count fanatics rule the baseball world.

I am circulating this letter throughout the Internet and have asked all those who oppose the pitch count to enter their name on the petition at stopthepitchcount.com

For the good of baseball, please give serious consideration to our voices and act before it is too late.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Corso
Baseball fan
Chappaqua, NY

Next step: sign the petition by clicking here...

I signed it

gs78 wrote:

I signed it

Me, too!

I did too.

Me too!

I don't totally agree on that. I think Nate Robertson should have a 2 pitch limit.

Spoiler:

bobrob2004 wrote:

I don't totally agree on that. I think Nate Robertson should have a 2 pitch limit.

Spoiler:

If you read it carfuly, he is not talking about pitchers who are doing poorly!

He says:

Quote :

managers pulling a HOT starting pitcher because of a yielded hit or two (or a pitch count!).

I coulda sworn he was talking about But I agree with brob :haha:

bobrob2004 wrote:

I don't totally agree on that. I think Nate Robertson should have a 2 pitch limit.

Spoiler:

i think that is one pitch too many for the natemeister.....