Yet another Baseball question

[The Reservoir Dog]

Hi Guys

Here's another one for you.

What's your view on deliberately walking a batter. I get annoyed seeing it but accept the fact that it is a tactic.

Do you guys have a view on this? I for one would like to see the batter walk 2 bases and anyone else on base do the same. This would make the pitcher think again before in my view "chickening out"

[gerald72]

I feel the intentional walk always comes back to haunt you, but if it was a two-base walk, then it would be pointless and you would never see it.

[BMan62]

The Intentional Walk is a strategy move - the pitcher (manager normally makes the call) walks a batter to set up either a double play scenario or to get a weaker batter (one who has a worse track record against the pitcher, or another pitcher - not known for being good batters) to the plate -- a so-called 'easy out.' On rare occurrences, the pitcher is asked to intentionally walk a batter so that a relief pitcher can have a few more tosses in the bullpen to warm up.

Yes, this can, and often does, backfire, but it is a tried-and-true strategy move.

[kakn7294]

I completely understand the strategy theory behind the intentional walk but I think that much of the time it's a completely stupid move and it often comes back to bite a team in the behind. I find it annoying as well but I can't see a 2 base award ever coming about and I don't think I even like that as an option.

[alphamommy]

I understand the reasoning for calling an intentional walk, but it does seem to come back to haunt the manager/pitcher who does it. However, there's always a case where that might have been the thing to do.

In the bottom of the eighth in game 5 of the 1984 World Series, the Tigers were up 5-4 and had guys on second and third with two outs. Kirk Gibson was up to bat. In the MLB film of the game, the Padres manager, Dick Williams, was wearing a microphone. He went to the mound to talk to relief pitcher Goose Gossage. Williams instructed Gossage to intentionally walk Gibson. Gossage argued against it, convinced that he could pitch himself out of the inning. He got his way, and Gibson blasted the ball to the upper deck of dear old Tiger Stadium, basically wrapping up the Series. As a lifelong Tigers fan, I'm glad Gossage pitched to him.

Everyone else talks about Gibson's home run against the A's, but this is MY favorite Kirk Gibson moment!

[PirateLover]

Like everyone else, I understand the strategy, but I feel like it is abused/overused more and more in the modern age. I feel like it really caught steam with Barry Bonds... and then I remember when Ryan Howard was trying for 60 home runs a few years back. He got stuck at 58. We went to a few of those games at the end of the season, hoping to see him hit 59 and 60. In one game he was intentionally walked at least 2x, maybe even 3 (my memory isn't so clear this early in the morning). At any rate, it's very frustrating sometimes as a fan... although sometimes I welcome it on rare occasions, like when they walk players like Carlos Ruiz.

[Donald A]

To me it is just part of the game. Either you want a guy on 1st to get a possible force out if there is a guy on second or you just do not want to face a batter. Walking a guy to first to try for a force out makes sense to me, but not facing a batter just because he is a "power hitter" does not make sense as in pro sports anyone can hurt you and the teams with good line-ups usually place a decent player after their big hitter because of this.

[Advnt05]

I agree with walking a guy to set up a double play. I can also see if the base is open and you have two outs, walking a power hitter to get to a weaker hitter. Why risk the long ball?

If they did change the rule to allow two bases, I would expect that you would see a lot of pictures get a little wilder and plunk the guy in the side rather than intentionally walk him. That would save yourself a base.

[indytraveler]

Ah, the intentional walk. This is mostly based on strategy. Who is up, who is on deck, pitcher, inning, score.

Most of the time an INT would be issued to someone who is having a great day, who comes up in the later innings of a tight game with first base open (nobody on first). There are actually 2 strategies to employ here.

1.) Pitch around the batter. Meaning don't give the batter anything he can hit. This usually would work for someone who is not a patient hitter. a Sammy Sosa kind who likes to expand the strike zone once they start swinging. However, this back fires when the pitcher unintentionaly puts a hitable ball in the strike zone and the batter blasts a ball over the fence. Mgr. then has to answer questions why pitch to him w/ a base open.

2. The INT. The "safer" of the 2 methods. Tried and true to the beginning of baseball. Make a lesser known player beat you.

For instance if the SF Giants actually had a bona fide all-star batting after Barry Bonds then it would become more difficult to pitch to him. How could you not be an all-star when your batting with a runner on base over 50% of the time? Why don't pitchers walk ManRam? B/c Big Papi is up next. Pick your poison.

No I don't think awarding 2 bases is fair. What is fair is having the guy walked in front of you and having the next guy stepping up the the challenge that was just offered and delivering.

[goofhook]

Why don't pitchers walk ManRam? B/c Big Papi is up next.

Big Papi is actually in the 3 hole and Manny is batting cleanup.

[indytraveler]

Big Papi is actually in the 3 hole and Manny is batting cleanup.

Thanks for clarifying... At least they are the 3 & 4 hole hitters right. I was trying to use the biggest names of the day. Should've stuck with what team I follow.

[Stickey]

The intentional walk is a strategic option for a manager. There are many scenarios where it makes sense such as a matchup problem, to create a force, or the pitcher is coming up(NL).

This practice is part of the game. It draws the ire of fans when it seems constant, particularly with Barry Bonds and sometimes Pujols. This problem can be minimized by placing some quality hitters behind the star hitter.

[Speedy1998]

This practice is part of the game. It draws the ire of fans when it seems constant, particularly with Barry Bonds and sometimes Pujols. This problem can be minimized by placing some quality hitters behind the star hitter.

Kind of like the 61' Yankees putting some guy named Roger Maris behind Mickey Mantle. I think later in the season, the order was reversed with Maris hitting in front of Mantle but the result was the same. You did not want to walk Mantle because Maris was coming up next and was likely to knock it out of the park or visa versa depending on which part of the season you were in. Just incase you are wondering, the Yankees had Johnny Blanchard who batted .305 behind those two, so it was usually a dangerous move to walk either one of them.

[Closet Disney Fan]

I think it is absolutely ludacris to think that the intentional walk is a stupid move in baseball. The simple fact is that people forget about all the times that it does work. I currently play college baseball and after issuing the intentional walk it is completely on the pitcher's shoulders to execute his pitches to the point during the next batter. If, for example, a hitter is batting .300 ( a hall of fame average over a career in the major leagues) and the other guy is only batting .250 I would much rather play the odds and pitch to the lower averaged hitter. As it is the defense has the numbers game won 9-1 so to make those odds even better they leave this as a strategic move. One time this does bug me is when they walk batters with no one on base and one or two outs. When that happens they needs to just compete for once and try to beat the best.