GDT 4/16/24 Colorado Rockies (Gomber) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Suárez, R)

[Lucky_Beagle]

I believe he had 90 pitches when the inning started.

[bkeich]

The Phillies actually jumped over a few teams to take the lead in fewest runs allowed / game in the NL. The Mets have a better ERA because of more unearned runs.

[zambonir]

Yeah it is kind of a hindsight thing, they sent him out there thinking he might finish the inning in 8 or 10 pitches and that's also where a strict cut-off point might have helped.

In any case there really isn't that much definitive non-anecdotal evidence that high pitch counts - in one game or one season or a whole career - actual ruin arms. We just remember the most obvious and egregious examples. Low pitch counts with high-stress stuff is obviously - if still anecdotally - a much bigger problem in the current game.

[schillingfan]

Topper said in his post game that the last batter was Ranger’s last batter and he was going out either wa.

[phillychuck]

You need to enter the ninth prepared. You tell Ranger that if a batter gets on they are going to the pen, it's a long season. And you have relievers ready.

I would prefer they always target 100-110 pitches as an absolute maximum; closer to 100 with Ranger.

[BostonRoss]

While I personally would have removed Ranger last night, probably before the start of the ninth, I would not want to use strict cutoffs on the number of pitches as a criterion. There are always many factors in the decision. I quantify things for a living, and there are always unknowns that can’t be measured.

[Austinfan]

Would rather not see Ranger hit 112 pitches, but he was still throwing 92-93 in the 9th, so low stress game may have meant less fatigue even when the pitch count rose. His command did slip in the 9th, usually a sign of tired arm.

[Austinfan]

That might be the explanation why Rob stuck with him, rewarding him for a great game, knowing he has an extra day to rest.
Plus, Ranger isn't a high stress pitcher, it's not like he's firing 96-97 for 100 pitches.

He's one of those pitchers opposing teams go back to the dugout shaking their heads,
"how do you think he does it? I don't know, ain't got no big fastball,. . . "

[zambonir]

Reliever started warming at pitch 98. Obviously Thomson, Ranger and JT all wanted him to finish the game, and while they don't always know best, they also know the pitch count is arbitrary. Would it have been nice if he'd finished it at 100 or 103? Sure? Will another 9 or 12 pitches really lead to fatigue or ineffectiveness or injury? Probably not.

Ranger Suárez's giant leap forward: 112-pitch shutout is latest evidence of new...

[andyb]

Ranger's command was a little ragged in the 9th as he was clearly tiring. He did not try to overthrow though. Just his usual routine of changing speeds and hitting spots. I think I would have given him the chance to finish too as he looked in control of himself (knowing that he had to get that last batter). The weather was warm enough also that he was pretty relaxed out there.

[zambonir]

There's also an off-day. Of course they said that about Lorenzen too, but as we discussed plenty last year, he was just as bad in April (in a similar amount of innings) as he was in September, and his worst month was June so it's pretty difficult to prove the no-hitter broke him, though if he had a bit of a dead-arm it certainly couldn't have helped his transition to the bullpen either.

(He pitched five innings yesterday, allowed just one run but high WHIP.)