Dennis D’Alessandro, DeWitt Clinton high school’s varsity baseball coach, isn’t a huge fan of the PSAL’s decision to limit the number of pitches varsity pitchers can throw per outing next season. “I can’t understand why the city council wants to make the PSAL their plaything when there are other things to worry about such as playing field conditions,” he said in a recent interview.

Still, D’Alessandro must play by the new rules, which are simple: varsity pitchers can throw a maximum of 105 pitches in one outing. A pitcher would then not be able to throw for four days. If a pitcher throws fewer than 25 pitches, he can pitch on consecutive days.

Two city councilmen, the Bronx’s Oliver Koppell and Lewis A. Fidler of Brooklyn, were the catalysts behind these guidelines, saying the stress of high pitch counts were causing too many injuries to young arms. With their urging, the city studied pitch counts this past season and will impose pitch limits for the upcoming season.

D’Alessandro says that resting pitchers has always been important. Pitch counts have been kept, but varied for each pitcher.

“You have to be able to trust your pitchers,” he said. “They have to be honest. The only hero is a sandwich.” None of his pitchers have experienced a major arm injury, he says. In fact, he says, ankle injuries due to poor field conditions pose a more common threat for his players.

Although most coaches are not in favor of being told how to manage their pitchers, the statistics support the city’s concern for the long-term health of pitchers.

According to a 2008 article in the Houston Chronicle, Dr. James Andrews, a highly respected orthopedic surgeon, performed Tommy John surgery on 19 high school aged pitchers or younger between 1996 and 1999. It spiked to 146 between 2004 and 2007.

Changes in regulations will force coaches to adapt, D’Alessandro says. More pitchers need to be carried. Fortunately, D’Alessandro has a student population of about 5,000 to choose from.

Pitchers have to change their approach too. Instead of going for strikeouts, D’Alessandro believes pitchers “will have to pitch to contact.” D’Alessandro is in the enviable position of having his top two starters returning, Joaquin Dejesus and Jean Allende. Asked if his pitchers are at all concerned about pitch limits, D’Alessandro says simply, “They don’t care, they just want to compete.”

Aside from keeping his own pitchers’ pitch counts this season D’Alessandro will also have to keep track of opposing teams’ pitch counts as well. In addition, umpires will be required to track the number of pitches thrown by both teams. Let the controversy begin when coaches and umpires disagree on numbers.