Mike Scioscia's decision to intentionally walk Alex Rodriguez with the bases empty has worked out well so far. However, it is interesting to note that historically this has been a pretty risky proposition. Prior to this year, a post-season bases-empty intentional-walk was successful in preventing a run in only four of the seven times it was tried. Including Arod's walks, there have now been 9 bases empty post-season IBB. Here they are with their results:

                                       Mangers Who Looked Like Geniuses
 Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
     1   1 1978-10-07    NLCS   4 Greg Luzinski     PHI @LAD Rick Rhoden       tied   3-3  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Luzinski was singled to second, but stranded there. The Dodgers won in 10.
     4   1 2003-10-03    NLDS   3 Barry Bonds       SFG @FLA Ugueth Urbina     tied   2-2  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Bonds was singled to third, but stranded there. The Marlins won in 11. 
     5   1 2003-10-04    NLDS   4 Barry Bonds       SFG @FLA Carl Pavano       tied   5-5  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Bonds was forced at second to end the inning. The Marlins scored 2 runs in their half of the 8th and won the game 7-6. 
     7   1 2006-10-19    NLCS   7 Albert Pujols     STL @NYM Aaron Heilman     tied   1-1  t 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           Pujols was stranded at first. However,the Cardinals scored 2 in the 9th and won 3-1. 
     8   1 2009-10-19    ALCS   3 Alex Rodriguez    NYY @LAA Brian Fuentes     tied   4-4  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           A-rod was stranded at first. The Angels won in 11.
     9   1 2009-10-22    ALCS   5 Alex Rodriguez    NYY @LAA Brian Fuentes     down   6-7  t 9 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
           A-rod's IBB was followed by a BB and HBP. However, Nick Swisher popped up and the Angels won. 


                                         Managers Who Looked Foolish
  Car#  G# Date          Series G Batter            Tm   Opp Pitcher           Score       Inn RoB Out Cnt Pit RBI Play Desc.
+-----+---+-------------+------+-+-----------------+---+----+-----------------+-----------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------------------------+
      2   1 2002-10-13    NLCS   4 Barry Bonds       SFG  STL Rick White        tied   2-2  b 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Benito Santiago drove in Bonds with a 2 run homer. The Giants won 4-3.
      3   1 2003-09-30    NLDS   1 Barry Bonds       SFG  FLA Chad Fox          ahead  1-0  b 8 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Bonds stole second and scored on an Edgardo Alfonzo double. The Giants won 2-0
      6   1 2006-10-06    ALDS   3 Frank Thomas      OAK  MIN Dennys Reyes      ahead  4-2  b 7 ---   2 3-0   4   0 Intentional Walk
            Thomas's IBB was followed by a BB,E3,BB,2B. The A's scored 4 runs in the inning and won 8-3.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Event Finders, Postseason. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.