pitching around
Intentional base offering
Pitching around is a baseball strategy where a pitcher intentionally throws difficult-to-hit pitches to a dangerous batter, avoiding the strike zone while not quite intentionally walking them.
The pitcher nibbles at the corners, hoping the batter will chase a bad pitch or that the umpire will call a generous strike: They were clearly pitching around him to get to the weaker hitter on deck.
The goal is avoiding a big hit while preserving the option to get an out.
- curveballPitch with spin-induced arc
- moundHeaped earth formation
- walkTravel on foot
- bases loadedAll three bases occupied
- intentional walkPurposeful free pass
avoidance · changeup · ball · slider · evasion · breaking ball · plate · strike zone · full count · batter · batting order · on deck · nibbling · catcher · misdirection · windup · miss · seams