Pitching to Potatoes

[GreatScott]

Lets face it.  Pitching to Potatoes in RBI is like pitching to Barry fucking Bonds at Coors Field.  Its either gone or smoked into the gap for a base hit.  So the question is:  should one even bother to pitch to hit or just give him the base?  Are intentional walks against the spirit of RBI?  Discuss

[BDawk]

This sounds like a thread for the RBI Baseball side, so I'm sure Gantry will move it.

That being said, I am anti-pitching around a hitter. Just pitch and close your eyes--hope for the best.

[Gantry]

I am still a curve pitch rookie, but I definietly will pitch around guys.  My strategy is often to not intentionally walk them, but throw pitches that can't be hit.  I did it against Dawson when Nick was playing and got a couple untentional Ks.  Ditto against Jack Clark (cna't remember who I was playing though), and if they do lay off pitches then I'll take a walk...

Curve gurus?  JoeD was crushing with Potatoes at the tourney, and he goes yard just about everytime I used him in curve...

[ultimate7]

There's nothing wrong with the intentional walk, but I don't think I walk him unless it's a walk situation (guy on 2nd with 1 out).

[BeefMaster]

I don't play much curve, but in the games I played against Noah G. online last week, I threw almost exclusively junk to the heart of the Angels' order.  I don't think that Reggie had a single HR off me in two curve games, although he did have some regular base hits.  I didn't intentionally walk anyone (nobody walked in our 2 games), as I switched sides of the plate and kept it close enough to the strike zone that I could get him to bite most of the time.

Here's something - 2-or-3-run game, 9th inning, bases loaded, 1 or 2 out.  Do you walk in the run to get to the slow, less-powerful righty (Downing)?  If walks were allowed in straight-pitch, would this make sense there, too?

[Gantry]

If there were walks in straight pitch, I would never pitch to Reggie Jackson or Ruppert Jones.  Never...

In fact, I often take a strikeout with Brian Downing and the bases juiced in straight pitch.  Much rather have Ruppert up with the bases loaded and two outs than Downing and one out...

[fknmclane]

Chubbs and I never walk anyone.  It's against the slurve code.  Any ball is a drink and must be followed up with a meat pitch.

One thing we do allow is the plunking of a player, but only if he's been killing you all game or killed you in previous games.  For example, Chubbs will drill Pena on a pretty regular basis since I always bring the Pena when I use him.

Against guys like The Hawk and Reggie, all you can do is cross your fingers and throw your best pitch possible.  I tend to stick with the heat in on the hands.

[Baines]

We don't play walks with our straight pitch either but you can bean somebody if you want to.  I was playing a game against BigReg44 and plunked his ass and then when I played with Cali he didn't hit for me for weeks.  Then BigReg44 told me that I needed to accept Reggie Jackson as my personal RBI savior and all would be forgiven.  I immeaditely hit 3 bombs in the next game.  Reginald is the man.  Respect him and treat him right.

[Gantry]

I always pitch the same to every batter, no matter who it is.  I mean...like Beefmaster was saying...it's totally fine to throw junk and try to strike the batter out, and he did a good job of that.  But, intentionally walking, or purposely just throwing semi-close balls to pitch around the batter is, for lack of a better term, "pussy.

I honestly don't get any of this Noah.  If you have some sort of RBI Ethical pitching code, why not go straight pitch.    Trying to win or make a player swing at bad pitches is pussy?  I have to say I respectfully disagree with that entire quote...

[fightonusc]

Yeah, I don't get it either. RBI is baseball (albeit a better version), and in baseball, you make strategic decisions. Anyone can get a home run with Potatoes. But, if you can turn around and make someone pay by hitting a HR with Ruperto, that's the mark of a quality RBI player.

[japetus462]

IMO, in RBI intentional walks are lame. You can purposely pitch outside, and if they swing at it.......it is their fault.  

It's all left up to consideration!


My biggest complaint is lags at the wrong time.  


It's prolly my computer though.

[capt_taco]

Well, I play curve, so there are bad pitches, but it's sort of an unspoken rule that you don't throw outrageous junk or intentionally walk guys, because that's just gay. I mean, come on, it's R.B.I. baseball; you want the score to be 21-20. If you want realistic, go buy Major League Something 2005 for the PS2.

Anyway, for Big Reg (or any big lefty power hitter), I usually try to jam them on the hands if I'm using a right-handed pitcher. Of course, you can't just pitch inside every time -- you have to spray pitches around to psyche the other guy out, then when he's convinced the next pitch could be anywhere, put it on the inside corner. Pop-up or grounder to first practically every time.

If you've got a left-handed pitcher in, I say the best thing to do is stay over the outside corner and pray like hell. I hate pitching lefties against lefty hitters.

[Gantry]

Wow, consider me shocked that so many people frown upon walking a batter.  Poll time!

[Jawls]

yeah, especially with Reggie.  whatever you do, don't walk that stasched bitch with shades because Downing will make you pay big.  i know this first hand.  it still hurts.

[Gantry]

Jawls, see Noah's post in the Online forum for an example...

That being said, I'd always rather walk Reggie to get to Downing.  Like I said, I myself often take a strikeout with BD to let Rupperto get a swing...

[Gantry]

Oh that's hilarious...  Gotta follow your own advice Jawls!