Intentionally walked.

One of the early D1 verbals in this neck of the woods (a junior this year) hardly got any ABs this spring for the same reason - whether intentional or intentionally unintentional, word got out and no one would pitch to him! I heard that it was a very frustrating season offensively for him, but the glove was as golden as ever.

If we're on defense, and they have runners on, a base open, and a big hitter coming up, I say walk him! Why let one hitter beat you when chances are you'll get the next guy out?

If we're on offense in the same situation, let the young man hit!

We are a younger group but still applies. Close game and our "big guy" comes to the plate with 1 runner on. He gets IBB. Unfortunately for pitcher the next guy gets a great hit and both runners score. I prefer to see the "showdown" but understand when you would intentionally walk someone (on occasion).

They do it all the time. My son put up big numbers in preseason and hasnt seen a lot of good pitches to hit in the league games. not only intentionally walking but getting HBP which isnt fun.
Thankfully his numbers are still good, but it does take a lot of the fun away from getting those big hits and driving in a lot of RBIs. But the rest of the team stepped up and went to work with him on base and drove him in. but its done a lot. pitch around him, pitch at him (LOL). just part of the game .But not much fun for the good hitters.but thats how it will be in college so always having to make adjustments. In one game my son saw 19 curve balls in 4 at bats.im thinking are these kids arms going to be ok to throw that many curve balls.but you have to make adjustments as a hitter. your on base stays pretty good also.

BBfam, as the youngsters say, I feel ya!

At the 12U-13U level, our crosstown rival had this kid who could hit 300+ feet at age 12. Every time he'd come to bat with runners on and a base open, we'd walk him. The other parents HATED it! I would have too, but our coaches, like it or not, played to win. Almost invariably, the next batter would ground out to end the inning. This big hitter joined our team for 14U (our team was more competitive, played in bigger tournaments and stayed longer), and helped us win the 14U fall state championship.

Now, thankfully, he is on 2B's 16U summer team and is still a beast at the plate. It's nice to be on the same side!

2B-Yes, it is great to have them on your side. Son is a pitcher and many of his toughest outs are now on his team. And when a tough hitter comes up, and I'm peeking through my fingers, I love to see the pitcher-batter duel. Sometimes my son wins the battle, sometimes he doesn't. But it's always a fun thing to witness. I know he'd rather throw to the tougher hitters.

My son had 76 K's in 70IP (not the 76IP that I had gotten from him last week!) but had 31 BB. 7 of those were IBB's! Seems our coach had a couple kids in our region he just didn't want to pitch to. Younggun hated it but knows it was the coach's call. It didn't affect his ERA though....0.90!

quote:

Originally posted by shortstopmom:
Been happening alot this season.

What's the general concensus from everyone about this strategy?

Personally, I like to see a player get the chance to hit away.

Any thoughts?

While it's frustrating to get walked a lot, it's a compliment to the hitter. It's saying "you're too dangerous to pitch too." It can also mean "the hitter behind you doesn't exactly scare us."

Mike Diaz, former ML player told me that when he signed to play in Japan, the pro team nick named him "Rambo".
He was programed mentally to beat S.Oh's home run record and no Japanese pitcher wanted to give up the final HR. Mike said he would crowd the plate and
reach over to hit the outside pitch to the opposite field for his HR.

What I suggest is to adjust your location in the batter's box. You adjust, experiment, move around the batter's box. Hitter's adjust not accept.

Bob Williams

this was the best intentional walk i've ever seen.
sr babe regional tourney two good teams. pitchers battle. 0-0 in the 5th 2 outs 2 men on, pitcher at bat, good bat too. catcher stands with iw sign . pitcher against pitcher.( i asume the pitcher didn't want to walk the other pitcher.) first pitch of the walk, hitter takes a swing at it ,fouls it off.
why, take the walk. next pitch, not quite far enough outside. 3 run tater. serious change of momentom they win 3 zip. but it was a great game to watch.

.

A three run tater! I guess that was not...




.

quote:

What I suggest is to adjust your location in the batter's box. You adjust, experiment, move around the batter's box. Hitter's adjust not accept.

Very true, but with this kind of intentional walk at the highschool Varsity level there is no option.
As the batter leaves the on-deck spot & approaches the plate, the opposing coach calls time-out.
Tells the umpire " Intentional walk " or " Put him on ".
No ball is ever thrown.
The batter then simply heads to 1st base.

Kinda anti-climatic in my opinion.

I like those words " Hitters adjust, not accept ".
Great motto!

Fun stories and input from everyone. Thank you!

quote:

Tells the umpire " Intentional walk " or " Put him on ".
No ball is ever thrown.
The batter then simply heads to 1st base.

Correct,

In NFHS there are no pitches thrown to record an intentional pass........

Only in youth ball is this strategy debated. In all other levels it is highly common and quite exceptable.......and actually expected.

I just attended a HS game where a top level D1 kid was having quite a day. Had already HR, 3B, 2B, and had one IBB with a base open and runners in scoring position. His final at bat in the top of 7th, 2 outs, bases empty, and the opposing coach flies out of the dugout and asks for IBB (second of the game). The game was not even close (blow out), and the batter needed a single for the cycle. The batter never got the chance, I guess because the opposing coach was angry about getting blown out.

To say the least, the batter and his coach were livid about the IBB at that point of the game. How many times does a HS kid have an opportunity to hit for the cycle? I say the right thing to do would have been to let him swing. By the way, the batter is a great kid, very modest, and has a great reputation (class act). There was nothing going on the tick off the opposing coach, as far as I could see.

What's some of your opinions about this situation?

That's a hard one, but my opinion is that it's not the opposing team's job to give this kid a shot at the cycle. They were probably darn tired of seeing him. If the game was already a blowout, then my guess is that the only reason he was still in was to see if he could hit for the cycle. I can see why the other coach wouldn't want that to happen against his team.

quote:

How many times does a HS kid have an opportunity to hit for the cycle? I say the right thing to do would have been to let him swing.

I disagree........

The other team has pride too....I wouldnt send a player up to bat and ask him to strike out so an opposing pitcher could get a no-hitter either.....

I would not think much of a coach who would give up on his team just to pad an opposing players day......

You play the game to the end.......if it was a blow out, the game should have been over by then by 10 run rule.......if it wasnt over by rule, then you play hard 100% until you win or get beat........

The fact that the kid is a good kid has nothing to do with it.....

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:

quote:

How many times does a HS kid have an opportunity to hit for the cycle? I say the right thing to do would have been to let him swing.

I disagree........

The other team has pride too....I wouldnt send a player up to bat and ask him to strike out so an opposing pitcher could get a no-hitter either.....

I would not think much of a coach who would give up on his team just to pad an opposing players day......

You play the game to the end.......if it was a blow out, the game should have been over by then by 10 run rule.......if it wasnt over by rule, then you play hard 100% until you win or get beat........

The fact that the kid is a good kid has nothing to do with it.....

How is giving the kid a free pass with 2 outs and nobody on helping your team come back or win? You just put another runner on base. There was a nine run deficit at that point. Giving the kid a free pass is not playing 100% until you get beat.

quote:

Originally posted by 2Bmom:
That's a hard one, but my opinion is that it's not the opposing team's job to give this kid a shot at the cycle. They were probably darn tired of seeing him. If the game was already a blowout, then my guess is that the only reason he was still in was to see if he could hit for the cycle. I can see why the other coach wouldn't want that to happen against his team.

Good points. I just felt bad for the kid at the plate.

What is with the "feeling for the kid" stuff ?

This is HS baseball not LL---HS baseball is serious baseball--I would probably do the same if I were the coach--actually if you put the batter on you are setting up a force at any base which is not an unsound move

quote:

How is giving the kid a free pass with 2 outs and nobody on helping your team come back or win? You just put another runner on base. There was a nine run deficit at that point. Giving the kid a free pass is not playing 100% until you get beat.

Respectfully, I believe it is......... The player has already proven he is an offensive threat by getting the HR, 3B, 2B.....on first he can't add to the score by himself and he is setting up the force at second......

I wouldnt concede a run in this game.......Id play it hard until they beat my team. I want my players to do the same......

Remember, this is the top of the seventh, the home team still has their at bat coming up in the bottom of the seventh........down 9 or down 1,..... you play hard until you get beat....

It is not the losing teams job to make sure the player has an opportunity to score or to get a hit, it is their responsibility to keep him from doing it..

Remember you asked for opinions... this is mine

However, I expect you will/may find a change in your opinion if your son plays baseball beyond youth ball.....

again just my .02

If there is a good hitter up, with ability to drive in runs, most any team is going to pitch around him or if open base walk him. and as earlier said especially if the guy behind him isnt aas good as a hitter.just the way the game is played, when your trying to keep other team from scoring.