Baseball strategy or weak attempt to win

[Mount Simon]

This is an article I read on si.com. Even though it does not deal with local sports, this was the best place to post this thread. Tell what you think, and tell what you would do.

Would you pitch to the slugger?
or
Would you walk the slugger to pitch to the scrawny cancer survivor who has to take human growth hormone and has a shunt in his brain?

Sorry...I forgot the link. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/rick_reilly/08/07/reilly0814/index.html?cnn=yes

[turk182]

Imagine how the pitcher (and possibly the cancer kid's neighbor or friend) had to feel when a grown up made him pitch to the survivor? Every other kid will remind him of that for life. And this was at the local level where everyone bats, and not in a state championship type of play. Weak? The coach who made the call to pitch to the survivor is the weakest of all. So sad. :(

[mr. elite]

Its a game. You play to win. They stop having ties after Tee Ball. Sports = Competition. Intention walks are a part of baseball at all levels. Let the kid win chutes and ladders or candyland, but not during a team competition.

[Mount Simon]

I feel torn in this issue, but I think that the competitor in me will say "do what you have to do to win." I mean a lot of circumstances had to play out just right to have it come down to that situation. Even though that the kid and his parents are upset that the other team did not take it easy on him, I am sure that down the road they will look back and take pride in this situation; knowing that this young man had overcame great struggles in his life with out ever taking any hand outs or intentional walks from anyone.

[Mount Simon]

I never did post the link did I...sorry about that...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/rick_reilly/08/07/reilly0814/index.html?cnn=yes

I also admire the kid for his positive thinking when saying, "I'm going to work on my batting. Then maybe someday I'll be the one they walk."

[legallyblonde]

I would like to say that I think this little survivor is a very strong (minded) and smart young man. I think it is wonderful that he woke up the next morning and decided to practice batting, so that he could someday be the player walked!! I believe this young man will go far in life.

As far as my feelings on the situation go - I am having trouble deciding which side I would take. But I am very happy the young man is going to be the "better person" and do his best to overcome the situation!!!

[woodtrojans]

I don't believe in intentional walks until the High School Level, bring your best against the best, don't intentional walk the best hitter to get to an inferior hitter in little league.

[legallyblonde]

WoodTrojans - Good point!