tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post7136224832768666658..comments2009-08-18T13:35:17.902-05:00Comments on wezen-ball.com: The Intentional Walk Has to Staylarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314820003835656973noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-25904787102064591602009-07-17T19:37:23.193-05:002009-07-17T19:37:23.193-05:00Henry: Those are all great points. I completely ag...Henry: Those are all great points. I completely agree, even about the pitched-ball balk. I think the PBB is a good idea if you must make a change, but I'm happy with the rule as it is.<br /><br />And, Paul, you totally get at the heart of the intentional. It sucks from the fans' perspective, but it's a perfectly valid strategy. You've just got to live with it.larhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17314820003835656973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-47267287320323245082009-07-17T16:49:54.348-05:002009-07-17T16:49:54.348-05:00I commented before I read your "pitched-ball ...I commented before I read your "pitched-ball balk" solution. Nice - I like it, and though I wouldn't vote for it against the current rules, I do think it's the best alternative I've seen suggested.Paul Dylanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07192176088488705736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-38256082472092132362009-07-17T16:45:20.763-05:002009-07-17T16:45:20.763-05:00Let's say it's the bottom of the 9th in a ...Let's say it's the bottom of the 9th in a tie game, one out, your leadoff hitter up and he triples. Your #2 hitter strikes out. Now with 2 out and your number 3 and 4 hitters coming up, what is the visiting team going to do? They're going to intentionally walk the #3 hitter for sure, possibly the #4 hitter, too, to set up the force at any bag. That's boring and takes a lot of the fun out of watching your best hitters bat in the most crucial situation. <br /><br />However, I agree that in no way should the intentional walk be taken out of the game. So there you go.Paul Dylanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07192176088488705736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-83897874362046182482009-07-17T08:50:33.405-05:002009-07-17T08:50:33.405-05:00Nice summary. I don't get the outrage, either...Nice summary. I don't get the outrage, either -- I mean, within the rules as they are, the IBB is a defensive decision like any other. Like, is shifting on Papi weak? It's a non-standard way to treat one player different from others because of the particular threat they pose -- and as a Boston fan, i would hate it the way SL fans hate seeing Pujols walked.<br /><br />As to 'challenging' people, I though the idea was to win. Like, where's the line between the IBB being weak and every pitcher who nibbles being weak? Was Maddux weak for painting the corners?<br /><br />The walk-balk is an interesting idea. I guess the problem I have with the whole thing is that there are a lot more 4-0 walks due to pitchers losing the zone than due to IBB -- so the rule would be applied in a ton of cases where it's not really warranted. The false-positive rate would be huge, is what I'm saying.<br /><br />I don't know. Seems sort of overblown to me.henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00699183244567543069noreply@blogger.com