[simple simon]

ok, a hitter has a streak if 55 or 56 games

youre pitching

in his 1st at bat you strike him out

as i see it, you have 3 choices

1. you pitch normal, and let the chips fall where they may

2. you intentionally walk him to end the streak

3. you serve one up to make sure the history is made (good for the game and ratings afterall)

what do you do ? personally im not sure what id do

i think i may be leaning toward the "chickens way out" with the intentional walks for the rest of the game

[EmpireWF]

You can't just IBB him every AB. You'd be ridiculed by the media, fans and your peers alike. All you gotta do is pitch the guy normally and let fate take its course.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by simple simon

ok, a hitter has a streak if 55 or 56 games

youre pitching

in his 1st at bat you strike him out

as i see it, you have 3 choices

1. you pitch normal, and let the chips fall where they may

2. you intentionally walk him to end the streak

3. you serve one up to make sure the history is made (good for the game and ratings afterall)


what do you do ? personally im not sure what id do

i think i may be leaning toward the "chickens way out" with the intentional walks for the rest of the game

I think any pitcher worth his salt is going to want to be in that situation and go at him with his best stuff...best man wins...if not...what's the point of being in the majors?

[Lefty Noob]

Yep, I agree with DK - any pitcher worth his salt is going to try and shut down and show up that hitter.

[ThePundit]

You pitch normally. Streaks only mean something if they're achieved in the context of real competition.

I thought that Michael Strahan's sack record was a joke when Favre laid down for him.

How about that women college basketball player? The other team let her just go down and shoot a lay up?

[legend]

Actually, you have another choice. You can bean him after he goes 0 for 1. But seriously, the notoriety of stopping such a streak is much greater than adding to it. Kenny Keltner, the Indians' third baseman, is forever remembered for making two great stops against DiMaggio and throwing him out in game 57, with DiMaggio standing to make thousands from Heinz 57 Sauce had he made it to 57! Pete Rose's streak was ended by Greg McMurtry and Gene Garber, and Rose was even furious because Garber got him out on a change-up in his last at bat rather than a fastball.
Strahan's record was a joke. I believe the woman basketball player you are referring to was Nykesha Sales of UConn. She injured her knee badly enough to be out for the season, one point short of the school record. With the permission of everyone involved, even the girl that held the record and of course the opposing coach and team, Geno Auriemma set things up so the other team was given a lay-up and then Sales, in a cast, was allowed to shoot one as well, and then she came out and the game resumed. That one can be debated for a long time,but I personally thought it was the right thing to do, especially if the other girl didn't mind.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by legend

I believe the woman basketball player you are referring to was Nykesha Sales of UConn. She injured her knee badly enough to be out for the season, one point short of the school record. With the permission of everyone involved, even the girl that held the record and of course the opposing coach and team, Geno Auriemma set things up so the other team was given a lay-up and then Sales, in a cast, was allowed to shoot one as well, and then she came out and the game resumed. That one can be debated for a long time,but I personally thought it was the right thing to do, especially if the other girl didn't mind.

If it were me, I would only want to do it if it was during the game. Could you imagine Barry Bonds was one homer shy of Aaron on the last game of the season and he gets hurt in that game and his career is over. How would you feel if the opponent the following year said: Go ahead Barry, self-hit one out and we'll count it?

[legend]

I think you need to put things in perspective. Nykesha Sales was an amateur in the true sense of the word, graduating UConn with a degree in business. She often sacrificed her own stats for the good of the team, as yuo are supposed to do. Everyone was in agreement over the situation. Bonds is a self absorbed cheater who no-one would be in agreement if such a thing were allowed.
Nobody howled back in 1968 when Denny McLain served one up intentionally to Mickey Mantle, then knocked down Joe Pepitone when he motioned where he wanted his pitch thrown.NBA scoring races have been decided on the last day of the season by players funneling the ball into the top contenders so they can get enough points to win the crown.
To take it out of a sports perspective, if I had a loved one who was on the verge of say graduating from college, but got into an accident and was left unable to finish the small requirement left of her to graduate, I would hope that somebody had the nerve to do for mine what Auriemma did for his.
What Favre did for Strahan was cheapening a record, what Auriemma did for sales was compassion. After all, this is woman's basketball, where the vast majority of participants go on to graduate and contribute in a positive way to society, unlike the sordid men's game that is full of players who have no business being in college to begin with.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

I think you need to put things in perspective. Nykesha Sales was an amateur in the true sense of the word, graduating UConn with a degree in business. She often sacrificed her own stats for the good of the team, as yuo are supposed to do. Everyone was in agreement over the situation. Bonds is a self absorbed cheater who no-one would be in agreement if such a thing were allowed.
Nobody howled back in 1968 when Denny McLain served one up intentionally to Mickey Mantle, then knocked down Joe Pepitone when he motioned where he wanted his pitch thrown.NBA scoring races have been decided on the last day of the season by players funneling the ball into the top contenders so they can get enough points to win the crown.
To take it out of a sports perspective, if I had a loved one who was on the verge of say graduating from college, but got into an accident and was left unable to finish the small requirement left of her to graduate, I would hope that somebody had the nerve to do for mine what Auriemma did for his.
What Favre did for Strahan was cheapening a record, what Auriemma did for sales was compassion. After all, this is woman's basketball, where the vast majority of participants go on to graduate and contribute in a positive way to society, unlike the sordid men's game that is full of players who have no business being in college to begin with.

Now come on...Sports is Sports...any kind of freebie is against the nature of the beast...cause it takes away from the guy really giving his/her all...Sales, Bonds, Mantle, Pepetone...etc...when they put on the gear, they are all playing by the same rules...you can't have two sets of ethics...

[MJHMarc]

I agree with Gotham Dark Knight that freebies aren't fair to the record books or the players.

By the way, simple simon, this is a great topic to discuss. Thanks for sharing this with us!

This debate is similiar to the discussions that broke out when Brett Favre let Michael Strahan intentionally sack him so that he could break the record.

[simple simon]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yep, I agree with DK - any pitcher worth his salt is going to try and shut down and show up that hitter.

so apparently some of you feel they should do away with the intentional walk all together ?

are you ashamed when a team is up by 1 in the 9th with 1 on and they walk Papi ?

think how high the home run record could be if no one was intentionally walked

so in that vain it seems the home run record is a shame

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by simple simon

so apparently some of you feel they should do away with the intentional walk all together ?

are you ashamed when a team is up by 1 in the 9th with 1 on and they walk Papi ?

think how high the home run record could be if no one was intentionally walked

so in that vain it seems the home run record is a shame

Nope...one its part of the rules...two you are playing for the win...A guy on a hitting streak is a different matter...if the game is on the line and first is open...sure, walk him regardless of streak...but walk him for three at bats just to kill a streak?...that's bad mojo...that will come around and bite you down the road....probably one of those unwritten rules somewhere...

[Lefty Noob]

Well, if its to preserve a lead late in the game, it's a whole different story. Then the manager calls for the walk and the weaker hitter to preserve the win. But in most cases, you let the hurler go after the slugger.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, if its to preserve a lead late in the game, it's a whole different story. Then the manager calls for the walk and the weaker hitter to preserve the win. But in most cases, you let the hurler go after the slugger.

That is the general consensus...but Simon likes to take the road least travel...which makes him a Maverick of sort...

[MJHMarc]

I agree with Lefty Noob, here.

The pitcher will usually go after a homerun-hungry slugger. That doesn't mean that they won't pitch around the batter, but they will definitely give him a chance. Pitchers only intentionally walk batters when they are young and afraid of the sluggers bashing their statistics and their pitches. If they are an experienced ace, they don't care and throw the ball over the plate.

It all depends on the pitcher, their experience and their style of gameplay.