How Many Pitches Are Too Many For Pitchers These Days?

Adam Wainwright just kept going.  After 126 pitches, he walked off the mound content hoping to see the Cardinals win it in the bottom of the ninth.  They did, on a Skip Schumacher single.  But was manager Tony LaRussa really making the right decision leaving Wainwright in for such an extended period of time?  After all, the ace of the Cardinals staff, albeit due to significant injuries, is a mere 26-year-old right hander, whose longevity may be greatly diminished by these extended outings. 

LaRussa, a Hall of Famer in his own right, apparently did not trust the bullpen enough to turn the ball over in a tie ballgame.  There is no doubt, that LaRussa carried the previous night's game in the back of his head: a 3-2 loss to the Astros, in which all 3 of the Astros' runs were scored in the top of the ninth.  However, despite Larussa's pedigree and "old-school" mentality of not worrying about pitch counts, maybe this wasn't a wise move.  After all, it's only April.

Personally, I am of the opinion that a pitcher should go as long as possible, because he only abuses his arm once every five days, but in this circumstance, LaRussa should have seen signs of draining in Wainwright.  Wainwright showed clear signs that he did not have his grade A stuff when he walked out to the mound at Busch Stadium on Saturday.  For example, when Kazuo Matsui, who had 17 previous home runs in his career launched one over the wall in the first inning.  Not to mention first baseman Lance Berkman hit two home runs, one in the fourth, and another in the seventh.  

After Berkman hit the longball in the seventh, I could only foresee one solution: Wainwright be yanked from the game in favor of a reliever.  The right-handed reliever Kyle McClellan was a legit option after not working the three games prior, but no, Wainwright remained in the game.

Although the Wainwright decision proved correct, the results from the next couple of games remains to be seen.  Only 14 pitchers threw over 125 pitches last year, clearly showing the rarity of long work.  This is not the first time a Cardinals pitcher has eclipsed the 125 mark in the LaRussa reign.  Jason Marquis and Matt Morris both exceeded this number just a matter of seasons ago, and now they have busted careers.  Not to mention Matt Morris was released today by the Pittsburgh Pirates after an abysmal beginning to the season.

I hope that LaRussa learns from Saturday's mistake.  Adam Wainwright has an incredibly bright future in Saint Louis, but outings in which he dangers his arm only increase the risk of further injury.  Please, Tony, give Adam a break.  For the Cardinals to make a run at the postseason this year, Wainwright will need to be a consistent and dominant factor in the rotation.

So steer clear, major league managers, 125 pitches is TOO MANY.  Find a reliever who can consistently pick up outs and shut opponents down for a victory.