Strange Intentional Walks?

Those commentators can't be trusted. Yakult's Ramirez was intentionally walked by Chunichi's Gaillard with two down and nobody on in the 9th inning on the first of this month (according to Nikkan Sports). In retrospect, it cost Chunichi the game as Yakult loaded the bases thereafter and Shiroishi rapped out a sayonara hit.

Nikkan further stated that Oh was given an intentional pass 13 times with no runners on. Oh recieved 427 intentional walks over his career (some with the bases loaded).

And I'm sure that the story of Hideki Matsui being intentionally walked five consecutive times at Koshien in 1992 has even made it to North America. In the 7th inning of that game, Matsui was walked with two outs and nobody on.

Yamamoto-kantoku defended his decision by pointing out that Cabrera hit home runs his first two at bats and it was a one-run game. Lotte ended up losing by one run, although the intentional pass with two down in the fifth, and semi-intentional walk with one out in the seventh, didn't figure in the scoring. If nothing else, you could say that the strategy worked.

The next day (June 25), Yamamoto-kantoku listened to the fans and challenged Cabrera all five at bats. Cabu-chan went two for five with a two-run home run in the Lions' 9-1 victory.

To Westbaystars,

Thanks a lot for your information.

Barry Bonds received two intentional walks with no one base (once with 1 out and the other with 2 outs) in a game against Oakland on June 22.

Bonds has also received an intentional walk with the bases loaded.

On the subject of intentional walks, I found this of interest. In reading the Southern Association section of the Spalding Official Base Ball Guide for the 1933 season, I found this interesting note:At its annual meeting, held at Galveston at the time of the minor league convention, the Southern Association adopted a rule directed against the intentional pass when a heavy hitter comes to bat at a critical moment. Under the new rule base-runners will be given two bases when four consecutive balls are pitched to the batsman after two men are out, but when second and third bases are occupied, only the runner on third scores and the runner on second advances to third.

Lots of holes in that one; many ways around it. I haven't been able to find out yet in what season it was rescinded.

Gene

Heck, I've been intentionally walked in the same situation in a game. The announcer must have learned broadcasting from Harry Carey.