So Is The Rally Dead Or Not?

[Pete Rose Rounding Third]

Here's the situation: The home team leads 6-0 after six innings. In the top of the seventh, this is what happens:

1st batter: Solo HR
2nd batter: Out
3rd batter: draws a walk
4th batter: hits an RBI double
5th batter: draws a walk

Now the score is 6-2 and there's first and second, one out. The 6th batter of the inning is a low average, solid on-base, high power guy. This is right about the time the broadcaster says something like, "A home run here kills the rally".

Something about that seems idiotic, but I don't think there's nothing valid about that. What's happened so far in the inning is the very definition of a rally, and a bases-clearing homer would certainly end that. There's no more pitching from the stretch, and now the inning starts clean with the benefit of an out already posted; however, is it not more important to close the gap to one run rather than keep a rally going? The broadcaster's statement "A home run here kills the rally" seems to imply that a single or walk would be better than a homer.

I hope I've communicated my thoughts accurately on this issue, but doesn't the homer seem better on the basis of "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"?

[Old Sweater]

2rHR don't kill rallys.

Did the announcer sound serious?

[Pete Rose Rounding Third]

Well, this was an imaginary scenario. But I have heard a similar quote in this type of situation before.

[Dirt Dog]

Score is now 6-5, only 1 out. A 3-run homer might be followed by even more hits/runs.

The manager could simply change pitchers and kill the rally just before the 6th batter has a chance to do some damage or the visiting team could possibly keep the rally going whether a pitching change occurs or not.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/Rally_Monkey.jpg

[redlegsfan21]

The way it could kill a rally is the fact that the pitcher has given up only 1 run so far, a walk, a single, or just a sac fly (not really one, but still) would yield up to 2 runs in the inning, so the manager is less likely to go to his bullpen, the next batter will probably see a lot of balls on the outside corners and that could result in a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. If the player hits a homerun, the manager is more likely to bring his pitcher out and bring in someone with way better stuff. Then you end up with the managers playing cat and mouse and the best player on the bench will be gone. With a less skilled player off the bench and a better pitcher, the matchup might not matter and the inning might be over.

[plask_stirlac]

Take the home run unless Ortiz or Pujols is on deck.

Maybe the next hitter grounds out and that would've been a DP.

[natsnsoxfan]

The rally isn't over because if the 6 hitter does hit a homerun that puts them within one and then the game can be tied by anyone with 1 swing of the bat.