Does walking a batter?...

[radness]

Sometimes the decision is made to intentionally walk a batter.
At times that decision is made because that batter is considered to much of a threat.
Or put a batter on for a defensive reasoning.
*However generally its discouraged to walk a batter.

So whats the real deal on this walking the batter topic.
Is it bad to walk a batter?
Cuz sometimes its on purpose.

Brings up the question
Does walking a batter put pressure on?
Or take pressure off?
Or no pressure difference?

 

[quincy]

I am not a fan, needed to call timeout and explain to pitcher and catcher what I wanted them to do. We never practiced it so it was on me if we failed. Little confusing but they did a great job.

Pitcher was not off the hook, they knew the next batter was theirs. More pressure I would say.

 

[uncdrew]

You can just tell the plate ump to intentionally walk the batter. We've done it in certain situations where we want a force at home.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

You can just tell the plate ump to intentionally walk the batter. We've done it in certain situations where we want a force at home.

depends on your alphabet

 

[sluggers]

A good pitcher doesn't need to intentionally walk a batter. Pitch the batter outside of the strike zone.

 

[BigSkyHi]

If winning run is in scoring position, will walk to fill open base(s) behind the runner to set up force plays at multiple bases.

Most fun part is putting a great amount of pressure on the parents

 

[Bullseye]

Sometimes the decision is made to intentionally walk a batter.
At times that decision is made because that batter is considered to much of a threat.
Or put a batter on for a defensive reasoning.
*However generally its discouraged to walk a batter.

So whats the real deal on this walking the batter topic.
Is it bad to walk a batter?
Cuz sometimes its on purpose.

Brings up the question
Does walking a batter put pressure on?
Or take pressure off?
Or no pressure difference?

Walking the batter puts a potential run on base.
More pressure.
Intentionally is adding pressure while procrastinating.

 

[625ender]

A good pitcher doesn't need to intentionally walk a batter. Pitch the batter outside of the strike zone.

For the win. Aggressive hitters will chase junk when they're on a roll. They hate walking, so take advantage of it. 1st is open and you've killed me all day? Sorry Sally you're walking or hitting my junk

 

[sluggers]

For the win. Aggressive hitters will chase junk when they're on a roll. They hate walking, so take advantage of it.

Other than the "on a roll part", an MLB relief pitcher with a WC ring and who won a WS game gave my DD that exact advice. Aggressive hitters are trying to rip the ball when a runner is on base even if they 0 for their last 20.

My DD intentionally walked one batter in college--and she got into an argument with her coach over that one. Her attitude was, "I can put the ball wherever I want. She won't see a pitch she can drive."

 

[Quasimodo]

Sometimes the decision is made to intentionally walk a batter.
At times that decision is made because that batter is considered to much of a threat.
Or put a batter on for a defensive reasoning.
*However generally its discouraged to walk a batter.

So whats the real deal on this walking the batter topic.
Is it bad to walk a batter?
Cuz sometimes its on purpose.

Brings up the question
Does walking a batter put pressure on?
Or take pressure off?
Or no pressure difference?

I think it is a matter of outs, and believe it or not sometimes runs.
• Intentionally walking a batter with no outs could be a decision you might rue.
• Working around a difficult batter to get to "weakness" would be viable but how often does that happen where weakness follows right behind strength?
• One of the more frequent excuses to intentionally walk a batter is to create a double-play, but ground ball double-plays are less frequent than in baseball. But the exception might be with an exceptionally slow batter-base runner.
• Isn't it more justified to intentionally walk a particularly dangerous and historically successful batter more when runners are on, say at 2nd base especially? But with runners at 2nd and 3rd, must the pitcher pitch to the batter; they can't "pitch around around them" if your pitcher lacks control or the nerve to pitch with the bases loaded? With a runner at 3rd base is walking that batter a good idea when doing so would set up a more difficult defensive situation; even possibly 2 runners in scoring position?
• But one situation you can walk the batter is in the International Tie Breaker as the visitor IF THE GAME IS TIED. The home team can only score 1 run to win (except on a home-run), so additional base-runners are meaningless.
• Once you have the lead in late innings or in the ITB, putting the tying or winning runs on makes less sense. In other words, if you are the Visiting team in the tie-breaker, with the lead, an intentional walk puts the opposition one step closer to beating you.