# Baseball - intentional walks **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113 "2002-08-15T23:39:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![im2evil4u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@im2evil4u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/im2evil4u)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/1 "2002-08-15T23:39:56Z")
Is there a limit to the amount of times a pitcher can intentionally walk a particular batter in one game? In other words, can he intentionally walk this particular batter every time he/she comes up to bat? ---
**Author:** ![JohnW77707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@JohnW77707](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnW77707)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/2 "2002-08-15T23:42:04Z")
No. End of thread. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/3 "2002-08-15T23:58:22Z")
Don’t baseball questions belong in Cafe Society? Anyway, look at Barry Bonds. From the outside (not a fan), it seems to me that everyone on any opposing team is scared poopless of him. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/4 "2002-08-16T00:01:19Z")
I think this is a GQ because there is a definite answer to a specific question. However, debating about how where a question should go ends up in “About the Message Board”. Debating about that ends up in … ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/5 "2002-08-16T00:07:54Z")
Just a few days ago in fact, [[http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusspt/apmegasports08-10-162918.asp?spt=mlb](http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusspt/apmegasports08-10-162918.asp?spt=mlb)]Barry Bonds drew three intentional walks in four innings, tying the record for a nine-inning game and setting a season record for free passes. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/6 "2002-08-16T00:33:04Z")
The original post contains two questions, so johnw’s answer may be ambiguous. The answer to the first question in the original post is “no”. The answer to the second question is “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![im2evil4u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@im2evil4u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/im2evil4u)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/7 "2002-08-16T00:38:08Z")
Alright guys, give me a break. I didn’t sleep well last night, i’z just wondering that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/8 "2002-08-16T00:42:16Z")
Done and done, I guess. Questions answered. The fairness issue has already debated, IIRC. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/9 "2002-08-16T02:14:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*Don’t baseball questions belong in Cafe Society \*\* Good God, man. I’ll pretend I didn’t read that. A certain Cafe Society moderator–who shall remain nameless because I’m not sure how to spell “youkalaylee”–has expressed his disquiet at having sports threads in his forum. For the record, factual questions about sports go in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/10 "2002-08-16T02:43:55Z")
Sorrry! So WWF threads _do_ belong in Cafe Society. Nevermind. 😛 I’m outta here! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/11 "2002-08-16T04:11:51Z")
Questions about the World Wildlife Fund? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/12 "2002-08-16T04:46:53Z")
[http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/u/baseball/mlbcom/headquarters/search.cgi?name=intentional+base+on+balls](http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/u/baseball/mlbcom/headquarters/search.cgi?name=intentional+base+on+balls) I can’t find any limit on them, either for a single batter or a single inning. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/13 "2002-08-16T17:04:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\*Questions about the World Wildlife Fund? \*\* Close. “Wrestlemania” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/14 "2002-08-16T17:40:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\* > Close. “Wrestlemania” \*\* You may have missed the WWE’s recent name change. They had a wonderful little slogan going of “Get the ‘F’ out.” ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/15 "2002-08-16T19:42:40Z")
Since this is answered, I am going to hijack. See this rule: \*8.02 The pitcher shall not\_ (a) (1) Bring his pitching hand in contact with his mouth or lips while in the 18 foot circle surrounding the pitching rubber. EXCEPTION: Provided it is agreed to by both managers, the umpire prior to the start of a game played in cold weather, may permit the pitcher to blow on his hand. PENALTY: For violation of this part of this rule the umpires shall immediately call a ball. \* For an intentional BB, wht doesn’t the pitcher just put his hand to his mouth 4 times? It would prevent the (remote) chance of a wild pitch or a stolen base. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/16 "2002-08-16T21:47:21Z")
Supposedly, Leo Durocher had a pitcher of his do this in a spring training game to test out that very situation. The end result was that Durocher and the pitcher were ejected from the game. Umpires don’t have to use due process when it comes to ejections. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/17 "2002-08-16T23:08:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*Supposedly, Leo Durocher had a pitcher of his do this in a spring training game to test out that very situation. > > The end result was that Durocher and the pitcher were ejected from the game. > > Umpires don’t have to use due process when it comes to ejections. \*\* Perhaps more to the point, an umpire can eject someone for making a travesty of the game. Pitchers should have to take the risk of throwing the pitch on an intentional walk. If they aren’t careful they can get screwed; I’ve seen smart baserunners steal bases on intentional walks when the pitcher was lobbing it a little too slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/18 "2002-08-16T23:32:55Z")
And, of course, the batter does have the right to swing at a pitch, even on a pitchout – and IIRC there have been cases of successful hits (including I believe even a home run) where the batter did indeed do so. > [@](#): > > I think this is a GQ because there is a definite answer to a specific question. > > However, debating about how where a question should go ends up in “About the Message Board”. > > Debating about that ends up in … Depends. If a moderator issues an official “hat on” opinion on which forum a given OP belongs in, any disagreement with that opinion, however respectfully it may be phrased, needs to be taken to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-intentional-walks/124113/19 "2002-08-17T03:42:37Z")
Now, wait. Let us take the most absurd baseball situation I can imagine: one in which, each time the home team is up, they tie the score but no more. Each time, a home-team batter is walked. How long will the game continue?