Is this ok at the high school level?

At what score difference is having your catcher standup with arm extended & pitching out to intentionally walk a player considered breaking an unwritten rule of softball? This happened to same player 5 times in a row last night in a game that went all 7 innings. Is this ok at the high school level?

 

I haven't seen any such rule. Of course, if it's unwritten, I guess I'd have trouble seeing it.

I don't understand where you're coming from... are you saying that a team that is ahead/behind by several runs is intentionally walking a power hitter every time she comes to the plate and you're thinking that there's some number-of-runs-lead at which they should quit doing this?

I can only assume that this question is being asked from the standpoint of the power hitter's potentitial to set some season hitting record and is being deprived of the chance. Perhaps she should start being proud of her intentional walk record.

 

Huh?

Officially? You can walk somebody as many times as you want.
Ethically? You can walk somebody as many times as neccessary to make sure she does not get the chance to beat you.
My opinion? It depends on the game, the situation and its level of importance as to how many times you do it.
Professionally? Do what you got to do to win.
Personally? It is part of the game, nothing you can do about it.

 

No rule against walks.

Place her in a position to benefit from the likelihood of her being walked. Put a good batter/bunter/high obp-batter behind her, etc.

Dye her hair, hide that pony tail, change her uniform number, wear a burka, etc.

Keep track of intentional/unintentional walks. There's a spot for that record I'm sure.

Oh yeah, Congratulations!

 

good

That means she is really good and some D1's should be watching he. And if they (D1) were there, RESPECT... The other team is a chicken, forget the walks and move on. Not an At Bat.

 

What does this mean?

Walking a batter is as much a strategy of the game as any other action taken in a game. It would be better if you could simply signal to the ump your intent and the walk was automatic.

Should we ban the changeup as being unfair too? It does cause humiliation of many high dollar batters.

 

A strategical part of the game that must be incorporated into practice if used. I have watched on at least 2 occasions with a runner on 3rd in the late innings of a game a coach elected to walk the heavy hitter. It was obvious it was being explained as the call was made. Turned into a wild pitch. Runner scored. difference in the game.

 

"STRATEGICAL"........... Is not a word.

Where did you come up with that word???????...........

 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strategical

 

Think the question asked was not whether an intentional walk is frowned upon (I do it myself, frankly I will not let one awesome hitter beat my team) but when do you stop intentionally walking the batter. i.e. if the game is in hand (or you are getting blown out), why not pitch to her?

If I understand the question correctly, I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. There are a lot of things to consider but feel is probably the most important. If you think you are hanging on by a thread (regardless of the score), keep walking her. For whatever reason, hitting can be contagious and a big hitter smashing one can/will give the others confidence. Last thing you want is to see that momentum you have had the whole game swing to the other side. I think we have all seen games where a team was up and seemed to have the game in hand. The other team was almost down and out but then they get one hit, then another, then another, then the team that was up starts pressing and makes an error or two and the other team comes storming back. Have been on both sides of that one...

The curious thing on the original post is that it states she was walked 5 times in a 7 inning game. That must have been a very high scoring game. Sounds like the other girls on the team stepped up and made them pay for walking her!