Baseball has many different traditions and time-honored practices. The brush back pitch falls into this category. The brush back is a pitch thrown close to the batter, and pitchers employ the brush back to accomplish specific goals. Different situations throughout the course of baseball action call for this pitch.
Crowding the Plate
Possibly the most common reason for the brush back pitch is a batter that is crowding the plate. Baseball hitters stand in different positions in the batters box, and some like to stand very close to the plate -- possibly hanging slightly over the plate -- to cover the outside of the dish and reach outside pitches. Pitchers throw brush back pitches close the batter to intimidate them and move them off the plate, gaining an advantage on outside pitches.
Home Run Follow Up
Pitchers have an advantage when they can throw the ball to all areas of the plate. Batters gain the upper hand when they connect on a pitch and send it into the outfield seats for a home run. Often, one of baseball's time-honored traditions is employed after a home run. The pitcher will brush the next batter back, signaling their presence and establishing their ability to throw the ball inside. This is supposed to deter batters from looking for balls over the plate and smashing them for home runs.
Retaliation
Sometimes, batters will breach baseball etiquette. They might walk slowly out of the batters box after a home run, or they might offer verbal or physical confrontation against the the pitcher. In these cases, pitchers will throw the ball hard inside -- brushing the batter back -- as retaliation against the breach. This is considered a common baseball practice among traditionalists and managers. Even though the practice is dangerous, it is accepted as long as the pitcher is not throwing at the pitcher's head. This could happen during the same at-bat where the breach occurs, or it could happen to the next batter up if the pitcher didn't get the chance to brush the offending player back.
Pay Back
Sometimes in baseball, pitchers will throw inside unintentionally and accidentally hit batters. If pitchers throw inside too often, and either hit batters or come very close to hitting them, the other team's pitcher will pay the offending team back with a brush back pitch. This is usually aimed at the batter's back or thighs -- almost never at the head -- to send a message to the opposition that inside pitches will not be tolerated.
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