Safer Intentional Walk

So, you want a fielder to interfere with the batter's opportunity to swing at a pitch?

Why exactly would putting the shortstop in front of home plate make it safer anyway?

I am suggesting that it is a safer in that there is less risk of a wild pitch or of a pitch too close to the plate which the batter might hit.

A pitcher should be able to throw the ball within the several square feet of area that a pitch out requires of them.

So if I'm reading this correctly you want to put another fielder (in this case the SS) somewhere near the plate area and throw to them.

I see a couple of problems with this

1. The other fielder (SS) will be in foul territory and all fielders (with the exception of the catcher) has to be in fair territory at the time of the pitch.

2. For it to be a pitch it has to cross the plate or foul lines so if you want to put him in front of the plate or up the line to try and satisfy number one you now violate this.

3. If we're talking NFHS rules or most other rule sets (not all mind you) for amateur baseball you don't have to pitch to the batter. All you have to do is say "put him on".

4. Like Jimmy said - you're going to interfere with the batter and / or put the fielder in harm's way.

5. Like JH said - a pitcher should be able to put the ball in an area for a pitchout to intentionally walk a batter if that's what the rule set requires. To do anything else would hinder their development to move on in the game.

This is just not a good idea.

The biggest issue might be that it is really freakin stupid.

Zorro,
Your profile states you are a former college level player...

In your time as an active baseball player ( at any level) .... have you ever seen any coach,...any team,...at any level, attempt the play you are proposing?........

no, never....

it is illegal, a batter must be given an opportunity to swing at a legal pitch....

quote:

Originally posted by coach2709:
3. If we're talking NFHS rules or most other rule sets (not all mind you) for amateur baseball you don't have to pitch to the batter. All you have to do is say "put him on".

I'm sure this must have been covered off in another forum but why in the world does the NFHS need to take away an opportunity for play to proceed on the basis of a proper pitch out? Speed up the game, sure, but it also changes the game. If not, why wouldn't time conscious MLB do the same when they have far more talented athletes who would not be expected to screw up a pitch out?

Same holds true for the appeal rule. High School players should have to engage in an actual, in play, appeal. Not just allow anyone to ask an ump for an appeal.

I didn't answer the poll since this may be the dumbest question I've seen posted. I do not believe the poster played college baseball as stated in his profile. This sounds like a question from a preteen ball player trying to use his imagination.

If the ball is not received by the player who was in the catcher's box it's not a pitch. If there are runners on base it would be a balk. I have no idea on rules about positioning a player near the hitter to obstruct the hitter's view of the pitch. I don't know of any coaches yet who want their players to get killed.

You know, many times we get yelled at for harassing a new poster with a question or a comment.

However, in this case...I agree, this might be the dumbest question ever posted!!!

And this is coming from a guy who's made PLENTY of stupid posts!

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They may have been stupid papi, but they were still good...





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There's nothing wrong with thinking out of the box, but thinking a few feet out of the batter's box like this is a bit much.



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I have wondered from time to time about why pitchers don't do something like lick their fingers 4 times so they don't have to throw the ball at all. Spent about three seconds on it while somebody was issuing an intentioanal walk and moved on to watching the game when it started again.

Don Drysdale reportedly plunked a batter he was told to walk. Afterwards he said, "One pitch is easier on the arm than four."

Coach 2709 gave the best answer in my opinion. The pitch must cross the foul lines. I was not proposing that the fielder play in foul territory; that is clearly illegal, except for the catcher. It still seems like a viable alternative to me in a league that does not play what we called speed-up rules. Seems to me that the fielder could just step across the foul line after the pitch is released. For those of you who do not understand why I asked the question, I would assume you have never seen a pitcher throw a wild pitch in that situation or throw a pitch too close to the plate which allowed the batter to hit it.

quote:

Originally posted by zorro2020:
Coach 2709 gave the best answer in my opinion. The pitch must cross the foul lines. I was not proposing that the fielder play in foul territory; that is clearly illegal, except for the catcher. It still seems like a viable alternative to me in a league that does not play what we called speed-up rules. Seems to me that the fielder could just step across the foul line after the pitch is released. For those of you who do not understand why I asked the question, *** I would assume you have never seen a pitcher throw a wild pitch in that situation or throw a pitch too close to the plate which allowed the batter to hit it.***

*** It's part of the game where the pitcher needs to acquire the appropriate skills. The alternative is NFHS does allow leagues to opt for signaling the hitter to first.