Why not change the intentional walks?

Question

The pitcher's job is to make it difficult for a batter to hit the ball ( curves, fast balls. sliders). But when it comes to intentional walks, the pitcher just the ball outside the plate 4 times. Instead of doing that. Why not having the pitcher giving a signal to allow the batter to take first base.
This concept would make the game less tedius and less boring.

Answer 1

As a pitcher, I totally agree with you.

Answer 2

The pitcher's job is actually to get the batter to hit the ball to a fielder, not strike everyone out.

Anyway, in Little League and high school baseball the defense can ask for "time" and for the plate umpire to award a batter first base on an intentional walk.

In pro ball, though, the pitcher has to deliver all of the pitches. The reason is by requiring the pitcher to throw the pitches, the offense still gets its chance to steal bases or take advantage of a balk or a wild pitch.

Answer 3

Because of the chance the pitcher misses the glove. 2 things could potentially happen during the walk. The pitcher hits the plate and the batter has a chance to hit a slower pitch or a wild pitch and advance the runner on second or third.

Answer 4

I actually enjoy watching the intentional walk. It's fun to watch and it builds the suspense. Last year one guy actually smashed a home run by reaching out and hitting one of those way outside intentional pitches. And I've seen some wild pitches made with the intentional walk balls too. You're right it does slow down the game but the whole game is slow anyway!

P.S. I wonder what kind of "signal" the pitcher could give the batter to let him take 1st base :-)

Answer 5

The intentional walk is not ALWAYS automatic. The pitcher may throw a wild pitch. The pitch may be too close to the plate allowing the batter to hit the ball.

Answer 6

A normal game is three hours long, so what's 20 seconds to intentionally walk someone? Besides, exciting things can happen on intentional walks, such as wild pitches or the pitcher fooling the batter by throwing a pitch right down the middle.

Answer 7

man, if you do that. ..............what's next.???? you can't just tell a dude to take first. you have to pitch him 4 times outside. it takes a few minutes and often times the teams use that extra time to warm up a pitcher to come in to face the next batter or for that batter to get extra instructions about his atbat. baseball is not a fast game. it never has been and never will be. if you don't like sports without a clock, watch football and basketball.
if you start making up gestures to give a batter first, what's next. just let albert pujols take home everytime he's up, because you know he's gonna homer. why waste the time letting him bat?

Answer 8

ive seen a pitcher throw two balls outside and then try to sneak a ball in the strike zone, so its kind of like a extra point in football itll happen a majority of the time, but the slim chance of a strategy change or something going wrong makes the act necessary

Answer 9

I have actually seen a pitcher throw a wild pitch while trying to intentionally walk someon. I have also seen a hitter swing and connect on a pitch that is thrown too close to the plate.

Answer 10

in spite of if it relatively is Barry Bonds hitting; any hitter that would do injury in an actual interest, they're going to intentionally walk. gamers which could hit residing house runs, or usher in different gamers are often walked if there's a runner in scoring place. they're going to stroll truthfully all human beings with the interest on the line if there's a runner on 2d, to create of venture for a double play. they're going to stroll a stable hitter to get to a foul hitter in the lineup. So no, an intentional walk should not be considered an RBI.