Intentional walks--overrated.

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Jul 1, 2022
128
28
I was watching the dodgers play last night and ohtani was up to bat with runners on 1st and 3rd. I am not knowledgeable on MLB strategy but I felt it might have been a decent strategy to walk him to load the bases.

I don't know who bats after him but they didn't walk him and he hit a 2 RBI double.

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May 16, 2016
1,101
113
Illinois
I am all for an intentional walk in high school. Don’t care for it as much in travel ball as I consider that just developmental.

I never want to let another teams best player beat us in high school ball.


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Intentional walks in High School softball are for sissies! Come on, it is high school softball, what does it matter if you lose some regular season game to someone elses best player? High School softball is for girls to enjoy time with players from the local area. walk someone in a High School game. That is a very weak mentality, especially for High School softball. (n)
 
May 17, 2012
2,843
113
Intentional walks in High School softball are for sissies! Come on, it is high school softball, what does it matter if you lose some regular season game to someone elses best player? High School softball is for girls to enjoy time with players from the local area. walk someone in a High School game. That is a very weak mentality, especially for High School softball. (n)

Ask the players on the team if they care if they "lose some regular season game". Most do care and are very competitive from my experience.

That's an annoying theme on this forum. What games do and don't matter. Rec league games don't matter...showcase games don't matter....high school games don't matter. At the end of the day, only a small amount of players go on to play college softball. So yes most games matter to someone.

I have found that most players once the game starts, do care even at the 10u rec level.

So I care because they care and I am walking her every at-bat in her high school career if I think it helps my team win.
 
May 16, 2016
1,101
113
Illinois
Ask the players on the team if they care if they "lose some regular season game". Most do care and are very competitive from my experience.

That's an annoying theme on this forum. What games do and don't matter. Rec league games don't matter...showcase games don't matter....high school games don't matter. At the end of the day, only a small amount of players go on to play college softball. So yes most games matter to someone.

I have found that most players once the game starts, do care even at the 10u rec level.

So I care because they care and I am walking her every at-bat in her high school career if I think it helps my team win.

I should not have typed that the games don't matter, they do matter to the players at all levels. So you are correct on that statement.

I guess we have different mentalities when it comes to Intentional walks. My DD is a pitcher. There is no way in hell I would tell her to intentionally walk another teams best player. You are playing the game to compete, you can't have a weak mindset that every good D1 softball commit should be walked in a high school game because that hitter can win the game.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,880
113
SoCal
What if that 5 hole batter had homered in her previous 20 plate appearances and that's the first time the 4 hole hitter has ever hit a home run in her life?
In So Cal HS ball is very competitive. Coaches know most of the players in their league, watch film, and coach to win. (maybe to a fault?)
One example: Senior day and the coach gave a senior pitcher 2 ABs (struck out twice) instead letting her pitch and risk losing the game. This pitcher is now pitching at a higher ranked D2 school. Its not like she was horrible. In fact, she was pretty good but the coach went with the number 1 to secure the victory.
 
Jun 4, 2024
334
43
Earth
I should not have typed that the games don't matter, they do matter to the players at all levels. So you are correct on that statement.

I guess we have different mentalities when it comes to Intentional walks. My DD is a pitcher. There is no way in hell I would tell her to intentionally walk another teams best player. You are playing the game to compete, you can't have a weak mindset that every good D1 softball commit should be walked in a high school game because that hitter can win the game.
I understand the drive to want to compete!
Playing Pool/ Billiards,
When it was time, always felt the need to go for the kill shot on the 8 ball even when I didn't have the best shot. (I didn't feel like I just wanted to Nick it and play around it.)
But when it came to winning the tournament...
I used more strategic methods.

As your daughter is a pitcher do you want her to use strategy to defeat the other team?
Or
Do you want her to throw the same to every batter?

Asking because there is a difference between an entire line up of confident productive hitters. And a blend of talent levels.
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,869
113
Chicago
Intentional walks in High School softball are for sissies! Come on, it is high school softball, what does it matter if you lose some regular season game to someone elses best player? High School softball is for girls to enjoy time with players from the local area. walk someone in a High School game. That is a very weak mentality, especially for High School softball. (n)

This post says a lot more about you and your attitude toward high school ball than it does about high school ball itself.

HS Ball doesn't matter for college recruiting. Treating it like it's some frivolous waste of time is motherfucking insulting and I'm sick of seeing it. And it's insulting to the tens of thousands of girls who put everything into having the best possible seasons of their short HS careers.

And it's best I leave it there or I'll end up wherever pattar is these days.
 

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