Intentional walks

[fredbio]

What do you guys think about a coach that issues an intentional walk to a batter in a 9-10 year old rec club league? I say that is a bush league move in a rec club league.At this level you let the kid hit.You do not take the bat out of his hands.

[LAball]

Why are u keeping score?

[UMRebels13]

Play to win, at all levels

[Jake Patterson]

Play to win, at all levels

At this age play to learn.

[Nater44]

What do you guys think about a coach that issues an intentional walk to a batter in a 9-10 year old rec club league? I say that is a bush league move in a rec club league.At this level you let the kid hit.You do not take the bat out of his hands.

I guess I would like to hear more why you think this is bush league. And, at what point does it not become bush league?

[Jake Patterson]

I guess I would like to hear more why you think this is bush league. And, at what point does it not become bush league?

My opinion.... When they get to the big field.

[Nater44]

At this age play to learn.

Isn't there learning involved in being intentionally walked? Both offensively as well as defensively?

If you disagree and the theory of play to learn holds true, shouldn't everyone get equal playing time up until they reach the big field?

[mudvnine]

Isn't there learning involved in being intentionally walked? Both offensively as well as defensively?

If you disagree and the theory of play to learn holds true, shouldn't everyone get equal playing time up until they reach the big field?

[shake-n-bake]

My son is a 10 year old pitcher. He told me that he had thoughts of intentionally walking a batter a couple games ago. The reason was that the kid was very, very short with an almost non-existent strike zone. He had walked him (unintentionally) in his previous at-bat (only one of his 6 BB in last 12+ innings).

Rules say that you can intentionally walk a batter without throwing the 4 pitches. He was the starter and was going 75 pitches, so his thought was if he was going to walk him anyway, why not just conserve the pitches and get to face at least one more hitter and get one out deeper into the game. The manager needs to make that call though and he knew that he wasn't going to go for it. He ended up striking him out (one of 33 K in last 12.1 IP). He also considered just hitting him with a pitch, but couldn't bring himself to it.

There are 2 players in the league that he has hit multiple times. One broke his arm in PE a couple of years ago. He faced him twice that year with 2 outs and nobody on - probably just coincidence, but he took a fastball in the ribs on both occassions. The other got him in trouble at school for fighting (my son didn't start it). That kid ended up on his team. When my boy threw batting practice - he got nothing but 4 seemers in. This kid really deserved it. The principal of the school said he was a relentless bully, but my son still got in trouble for fighting back. I saw him grab another kid's hat that were just passed out, put it in the dirt, and grind it down with his cleets. Even though they are obviously not friends, my son always made him play catch with him. Then he'd throw as hard as possible which is much like an adult. His teammates absolutely loved hearing this kid whine about not throwing so hard and hearing my boy ask him, "what's wrong wuss, you afraid of the ball?" I guess what goes around, comes around.

[Go Cardinals]

I got intentional walked all the time as a 12 u in the playoffs. I also got walked intentionally in the playoffs at 14 u.

[Nater44]

got a good laugh over that one!

[Nater44]

Guess the worms aren't coming out that fast... Of course there are arguments on both sides, just wanted to hear someone sort their way through it.

[Jake Patterson]

Isn't there learning involved in being intentionally walked? Both offensively as well as defensively?

If you disagree and the theory of play to learn holds true, shouldn't everyone get equal playing time up until they reach the big field?

I would agree with this. Many here don't. What they accomplish on the small field matters not when compared to the big field, what they learn does.

[Nater44]

I would agree with this. Many here don't. What they accomplish on the small field matters not when compared to the big field, what they learn does.

A good honest thought. I'd disagree to some extent, but that's ok. I just lump the learn and accomplish parts together a little more closely than you.

Thanks for the contribution.

[cosmo34]

I got intentional walked all the time as a 12 u in the playoffs. I also got walked intentionally in the playoffs at 14 u.

Try your last at bat on senior night when your team is leading 11-3 in the 6th inning, with runners on second and third. Somebody didn't want to get 10-runned.