ecleme22 wrote: ↑20 Mar 2026 20:29 pm
Melville wrote: ↑20 Mar 2026 20:03 pm
Jatalk wrote: ↑20 Mar 2026 06:06 am
Old school is ok with him being a hot dog as long as he is ok taking one in the ear next time he comes up.
I would never advocate for throwing at someone's head.
But other than that, your point is spot on.
If a hitter wants to strike an exaggerated pose for hitting a ball with a stick, more power to him.
And if the pitcher wants to force the batter to pose laying prone on the ground next time around, more power to him as well.
After all, there is nothing wrong with pitching inside, far inside, to prevent another home run.
Fact is, of the two, pitching inside even if it results in knocking down or hitting the batter serves a legitimate baseball purpose, whereas posing for the camera does not.
I like this.
Because a big part of the reasoning is based on strategy, not retaliation. You’re trying to pitch the person inside and get them uncomfortable because they were obviously very comfortable the last time at that. Giving them something to think about, without some macho retaliation thing.
The goal in the end is still to get them out
Pretty obvious isn't it, to those who actually understand this game?
No one wants to see a batter hit in the head.
But the pitcher has a very valid reason to respond to a batter's HR antics by pushing him off the plate.
After all, the hitter who poses has just advertised how relaxed and celebratory he feels in the box.
A pitcher should take note and should push the batter deeper into the box.
If a thigh, a rib, a hip happens to get in the way of a pitch, so be it.
The hitter can enjoy another slow trot - that one being just 90 feet long rather than 360.
Valid. Necessary. Appropriate.
Easy.
Obvious.
Correct.