when is a walk not a walk? (answered)

[Arlo]

The count is three balls, no strikes. The pitcher winds up and throws a fourth ball (ball in the sense of balls versus strikes, not 'baseball' ). The batter doesn't swing, the pitch is legal, there is no balk, and time wasn't called.

Without the game being cancelled, name two possible ways that the pitcher won't be charged with a walk. One way is fairly obvious, but the second might be harder to guess...

[dinocam]

1. It's this pitcher's first pitch (i.e. he just came in relief) thus the original pitcher will be charged with the walk.

2. The fourth pitch actually hits the batter.<br><br><span class=gensmall>Accepted as answer by Arlo on 27 Mar 2003 13:58 EST.</span>

[Arlo]

Correct!

An additional, rather obscure way would be if the batter refused to take first.