Last night's Tampa Bay/Texas game had an interesting tidbit:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by espn.com
Texas challenged in the ninth, but Maddon employed an unusual bit of strategy with his closer Troy Percival sidelined.
After Brandon Boggs' RBI groundout off Grant Balfour in the ninth made it 7-3, Michael Young walked to reload the bases. With Josh Hamilton coming to bat as the potential tying run, Maddon had the major league RBI leader walked to force in a run.
"I don't think I've ever done that, even in the minors," Maddon said. "But I told [pitching coach] Jimmy [Hickey], if we walk Young to load the bases, we're going to walk Hamilton. I just thought that was prudent. With the kind of year [Hamilton] has been having -- I wouldn't say it's spectacular, it's beyond that -- he very easily could have hit a grand slam there."
Maddon brought in Dan Wheeler, subbing for Percival. Wheeler struck out Marlon Byrd swinging for his fifth save in six chances.
"That just shows the respect [Maddon] has for Hamilton," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I was hoping that Hamilton would get the chance to swing the bat but Joe didn't let that happen. I still felt good with Marlon up there. He had a couple pitches that he could have done something with, he just didn't do it."
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I've heard of issuing an intentional walk with the bases loaded, but I can't remember for sure the last time it happened. I think I remember Arizona doing it to Bonds, but I have no idea when/if that actually happened.
Edit: a quick Google search found this in a 2000 article from Baseball Digest: "The last intentional bases-loaded pass occurred May 28, 1998. Arizona manager Buck Showalter, hanging on to an 8-6 lead, saluted Barry Bonds of the Giants when the career leader with 298 free passes came up with two outs in the ninth. This reduced the Diamondbacks' lead to 8-7. Brent Mayne hit a hard liner to right for the final out."