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Intentionally Walking a Batter with Runners on First and Second

With the Braves down 8-4 in the ninth inning and runners on first and second with two outs, manager Bobby Cox intentionally walked Robinson Cano to load the bases.

Why? Because the next batter was Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. While you'd almost never offer an intentional walk that moves two runners up, in this case the move made sense. For the Yankees to take advantage of the walk, they'd have to take Rivera out of the game. And Cox probably figured the Braves' only chance to come back from a four-run deficit was against Yankees relievers other than Rivera. So there was almost no downside in daring the Yankees to pinch hit, and plenty of upside if they had made the move, and Manny Acosta had gotten the pinch hitter out.

Of course, it was moot because Joe Girardi didn't take the bait, and Rivera struck out the side in the ninth.

Comments

By: andtinez
On: 6/24/2009 10:37:00 PM		 Yet if this resulted in Mo Rivera getting hurt (Scott Downs anyone?), wouldn't we all be questioning the heck out of this move? I know I would.
 
By: kennruby
On: 6/25/2009 9:40:00 AM		 I think it's brilliant, regardless of what ultimately happened.
 

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