Recall the time Tony Pena and John Hudek teamed up for a fake intentional walk strikeout in 1997
When the game gets dicey, managers break out their deepest strategical decisions in hopes of maintaining the edge (or keeping the lead intact). One tactic employed often is the intentional walk, usually used to help a pitcher avoid having to deal with the marquee slugger or pesky leadoff guy on the other team in favor of facing somebody -- anybody -- else.
The intentional walk frequently comes up when debating potential rule changes for baseball, which has been the case recently. How best to grant that imposing hitter four balls and a free pass to first base?
Of course, you could always do what Tony Pena and John Hudek of the Astros did in 1997 to an unsuspecting
San Francisco may have prevailed that night, 4-1, but Pena and Hudek's trickery endures.
