Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

I know I am revealing my ignorance, :oops: but after years of wondering, I want to know! I know this is an oft used strategy in real baseball, and that it involves the pitcher, who ends up batting in a spot other than the 9 hole. Could someone explain exactly what it is, and why it's done? What are the advantages of this strategy? Thanks. :)

It's main advantage is to place the incoming pitcher in the batting order at a spot where he will not be due to bat soon; the ideal move would be to replace the batter who made the last out the inning before with a defensive replacement, placing the defensive replacement in the Pitcher's spot in the order, while the pitchers goes in the departing offenisve player's spot...where he will be due to bat after 8 other batters have had their turns.
Clear as mud?

it is a strategy used fairly frequently in the National League (Phil Garner of the Astros is one of its biggest proponents).

Perhaps an example will help. It is the 6th inning and there are 2 outs. Your starter is in trouble and has lost the lead and loaded the bases. You ask him how he feels and he says he doubts he could even roll the ball over the plate for a strike. He has to come out. Problem is he is due to lead off in the 7th inning. So if you bring in your middle inning pitcher he will pitch to one batter and then you will be forced to pinch hit for him which removes him from the game. So now your middle reliever who you wanted to get 2 or 3 innings out of only gets to pitch to one batter. Bummer. :cry:

Solution: As you bring in your middle reliever you also replace your SS who made the last out last inning. Your new pitcher takes the batting order spot of your SS so now he is no longer due up next inning. And your new SS takes the batting order spot of the pitcher so he is now leading off next inning. Hopefully he does his job and your new SS who leads off the 7th with a hit sparking a rally to take the lead. Best of all your middle reliever now gets to pitch not only to this last batter in the 6th inning but will get to pitch the 7th inning too and possibly the 8th. He hands the lead off to your setup man in the 8th and your closer closes.
:D

Good example Bab... I was sitting here trying to come up with a similar explanation when you posted....

I think the term is "double switch." And while it most often involves a pitcher and another player to get the hitter up before the pitcher, this is not necessarily the case. You can do a double switch with position players too.

Great explanations! Thanks, everyone. I knew it was something along those lines, but had never heard it explained. Makes a lot of sense, now that I can actually picture the reasons for it in my head. You learn something new every day. :)

i've even seen hal do it, so it can't be that great. go sox!!!

As an Astros fan, I'll just cry..... :cry:

I believe a "double move" is a football term, where the receiver fakes that he is going to run a curl route, then breaks it back outside for the bomb.

A "double switch" is as described above. If you grew up in an AL city you probably wouldn't have much familiarity with this (BAN THE DH!!!)