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| pitcher holding two baseballs Photo by Jose Morales on Unsplash |
Broderick Spencer is a New York educator and administrator who serves Roosevelt High School as its principal. An avid sports fan, Broderick Spencer has coached varsity football and baseball in high school settings.
One of the fundamental aspects of the pitcher’s job involves sometimes placing a runner on base for strategic reasons. The intentional walk involves the catcher setting up a target well outside the strike zone and the pitcher throwing the ball at three-fourths speed, at least two feet from the plate, such that the hitter has no chance to lay a bat on it.
Sometimes, the aim of the intentional walk is simply to get past a dangerous hitter in the lineup to a less potent bat. It can also be used to set up a force play or double-play possibilities in cases where the next batter is likely to hit a grounder.
In certain cases, an “unintentional” intentional walk may be the strategy in play. This involves throwing curves and other challenging pitches just outside the strike zone. The theory is that, if the batter does decide to take a swing, he is unlikely to make solid contact and it will be an easy out. There is also the chance he'll strike out. If he does get on first base through a walk, that outcome is better than a base-clearing hit into the outfield.
