Who gives the intentional walk? Starter or relief pitcher.

There's a base open and the coach makes a decision that an intentional walk is in order. Not only does he feel that a walk is in order but he knows that the on deck batter will face another pitcher.

Who should give the intentional walk? The starter or the relief pitcher? Now, understand, in amateur baseball there are no pitches required to issue the walk. And, I don't believe that the issue is having a pitcher enter the game and throw 4 balls. What I do think is the salient issue is whose runner should that be.

Professional baseball will almost always have the relief pitcher enter the game to issue the walk. The reason? The intentional walk if scored would be the starters run. Therefore, they will always assuage the ego of the starter and have the relief pitcher put the runner on. Starting pitchers need comforted over the course of a marathon season. This is one way that managers comfort their starters. They have relief pitchers issue the intentional walk.

Do I think this is a big deal in amateur baseball? No. But, I think it is a big deal to understand what stats do mean to pitchers. And, if by chance the runner being given the intentional walk is the GO AHEAD run. You should definitely have the relief pitcher issue the walk.

Again, it's not as big a deal in amateur baseball but being astute about important runs can have some consequences to your pitchers opinion of you the coach.