Know when to fold ‘em, indeed.
TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese high school pleaded for a regional game to be abandoned after surrendering 66 runs in less than two innings, local media reported on Thursday.
The coach of Kawamoto technical high school threw in the towel to spare his pitcher’s arm with his team losing 66-0 with just one batter out in the bottom of the second.
The hapless hurler had already sent down over 250 pitches, allowing 26 runs in the first inning and 40 in the second before Kawamoto asked for mercy.
“At that pace the pitcher would have thrown around 500 pitches in four innings,” Kawamoto’s coach was quoted as saying. “There was a danger he could get injured.”
Opponents Shunshukan were officially credited with a 9-0 victory, giving the scoreline a tinge of respectability for the luckless Kawamoto school.
By the way, that’s a second inning of one out and 40 runs. Eat your heart out, Tom Gordon!
Assuming all of the runs were earned — highly unlikely, of course — this results in a pitcher’s ERA of 445.5. In the American League, I’m pretty sure that’s probably good enough to be a middle reliever for the Texas Rangers.
Also, I would argue that the pitcher’s health was endangered more by the rockets being hit back at him than the number of slop pitches he served up at 46 miles per hour.
2 responses so far ↓
dustin // April 18, 2008 at 10:40 am
ok how in the world can a high school pitcher pich 250 piches and not be tired, mlb pitchers get tired after 85 or 90 pitches and the last time i checked in to in there is a ten run rule. after 40 runs in the first inning i would get tired of batting…. i just dont believe a high school baseball player has more arm than a MLB pitcher…. if you have time write back with more proof.
Nick // April 18, 2008 at 10:45 am
He could be a knuckleballer, those are usually the rubber-armed pitchers (i.e. Tim Wakefield) and if the pitch isn’t moving, it’s like teeing up batting practice.
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