Base on balls
A base on balls (abbreviated BB), also often referred to as a walk , is a baseball event . A base on balls occurs when the referee recognizes four balls in an at bat , i.e. when the pitcher misses the strike zone four times without the batsman swinging. A base on balls is also referred to as a walk because the batsman then has the right to go to first base, i.e. to move to first base without being able to identify him. A base on balls is recorded in the baseball statistics to the detriment of the pitcher and in favor of the batsman.
If a runner is on first base at the time of the base on balls, he may advance to the second base. However, runners on second and third base only move up if all the bases behind them are occupied. A base on balls is not entered in the statistics as an official at bat , so the batsman cannot be credited with a hit. In 1878, the walks were rated as hits in Major League Baseball . As a result, incredible batting averages of over 50% were achieved. The experiment was ended the following season. A roughly comparable official statistic, which calculates the frequency with which a player reaches a base, regardless of the reason for reaching, exists today under the name On-Base Percentage .
A pitcher can also bring about an intentional base on balls or an intentional walk . The pitcher intends to throw the ball well outside the strike zone. This is usually used to target another batsman who the team sees a better chance of targeting or double play (taking two players out of play at the same time).
A hit by pitch is not counted as a walk, although the consequences for the game situation are almost identical.
history
In 1880 the National League changed the rules so that a walk required eight balls instead of nine. The change did not last, because in 1884 six balls were required for one walk. In 1886 the American Association changed the rule that six balls were required for a walk instead of seven; The National League changed the rules, however, that instead of six balls, seven balls were required for a walk. In 1887, the National League and American Association agreed on some uniform rule changes and reduced the number of balls required to walk to five. In 1889 the National League and American Association reduced the number of balls required for a walk to four. In 2017, Major League Baseball approved a rule change that allowed a bat to be deliberately run by the defense bench signal to the umpire. The move met with some controversy.
Intentional base on balls
A subset of the base on balls, an intentional base on balls ( IBB - intentional base on balls (en) ), or an intentional walk is when the thrower intentionally throws the ball from the stroke to give a base on balls. As with any other step, a deliberate move entitles the runner to the first base without being required to delete, and entitles the runner to advance if forced to do so. Deliberate walks are a strategic defensive maneuver commonly performed to avoid a hit when the defensive team believes that a run-scoring game is less likely to trigger (e.g. a home run , a victim flight or an RBI base hit ). Teams also typically use deliberate walks to double-play or to force the situation for the next stroke.
However, deliberate walks involve risks. You carry an obvious, inherent risk: you provide one more runner to the offensive team who could potentially score a run without their own effort. They can pose additional risks.
An intentional walk is signaled by the catcher standing and stretching an arm away from the batsman's side. The thrower then throws the ball a few feet off the baseplate on that side, usually out of reach of the batsman. A ball thrown in this way is called an intent ball and counts as a ball in the pitch count. To count as an intended ball, the ball must be legally thrown, that is, the thrower's foot must be on the thrower's rubber, the catcher must be in the catcher's box, and the racket must be in the racket's box , ready to record the time of the ball throw. An intentional walk can be signaled at any time during the rotation of the club on the base. In these cases, enough additional deliberate balls need only be thrown to bring the total to four. Only the walks issued by the catcher signaling as described above are recorded as deliberate walks (see below). Walks that are carried out without signaling the catcher - even if the pitches are deliberately thrown outside the strike zone - are not recorded as deliberate.
Another risk that the defense team takes when they issue a base on balls is that deliberate balls must be thrown legally in order to legally become wild pitches , or passed balls. Likewise, a base runner may attempt to steal a base or the batsman may choose to swing an intended ball. These rarely occur, however, as taking these risks is rarely more beneficial to the offensive team than allowing the walk. In the major leagues, the most recent example of a blow to an intended ball that resulted in a hit occurred during a game between the Florida Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles on June 22, 2006. At the head of the 10th inning, with a runner on second base, Baltimore pitcher Todd Williams was signaled to be deliberately running on the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera . When Cabrera realized the intentional ball was getting too close to base, he swung onto the ball, resulting in a ground stroke and run for Florida.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ 2001 Official Major League Baseball Fact Book . The Sporting News, St. Louis, Missouri 2001, pp. 276-280, 0-89204-646-5.
- ↑ Major League Baseball Poised To Change Intentional Walk Rule .
- ↑ Marlins' Cabrera spoils intentional walk in win , espn.com. June 22, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2007.