I didn’t understand it then, and in hindsight I really don’t get it. Why intentionally walk Jason Kendall in any situation. I understand walking him as you try and nibble the corners, but why just give the free ninty feet?

For those of you that saw the Giants game Wednesday night, you saw the Brewers starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo hit a three run homer after Kendall had been walked intentionally by Randy Johnson. Now, I’m not going to fly off the handle and call for the head of Bruce Bochy for a move that in most cases would seem safe, but I do want to try and understand it.

One explanation is the Giants were hoping the Brewers would pull their starting pitcher in favor of a pinch hitter, closing the book on one of the games young up and coming stars. However, ever bat sitting on the bench for the Brewers is better than that of Jason Kendall’s, so still I wonder, why not pick carefully to Kendall?

A big advantage to pitching to Kendall is you are able to start the top of the 6^th with the pitcher spot assuming Kendall records an out. With an offense as explosive as the Brewers are, this is always a welcomed start to an inning.

Furthermore, Gallardo is a good hitting pitcher. This guy has a .235 average over his career and a better slugging percentage than Kendall does over their two careers. Over half Gallardo’s hits in his career have been extra base hits and he proved he is not to be taken lightly as a hitter.

This wasn’t the first time Gallardo has hit a Giant’s pitcher well. In his first at bat in his major league debut in 2007 against Noah Lowry, Gallardo hit a double off the wall in Milwaukee with two outs. I can still remember watching Barry Bonds race back to get the ball and I thought to myself, “man, that kid can hit.”

So as I sat and watched the same coaching staff that saw Gallardo’s first ever hit decide to walk Kendall to get to him, I cringed, and then closed my eyes when I heard the shot that broke the Giants back.