We use "lollipop" to mean a pitch that's easy to hit. It's like a piece of sweet candy held up on the end of a stick. Why pitch one? Consider the following two reasons.
All Factors Covered
If your defense has an Ace, Two, Five, and two Tens, why not pitch a ten? Ironically, the best option for the batter in this situation is to take a strike, since any card they try to bat on the Ten is an automatic out. But unless the batter is clairvoyant, he's probably going to follow the advice presented elsewhere in this blog and swing whatever he's got. That makes a sucker out of him!
Baserunner Covered
If your defense is holding a card that matches a runner on base, getting a card into play will let you take out the runner. For example, with a Five on third after tripling off a Ten, and a Five in the outfield ... throw a lollipop, especially on the third out. Putting anything in play lets you play your five for an easy out.
Caveat: if there's any chance you can't stop a home run, keep the lollipops in your hand. In the above example, pitching a lollipop Queen with no Ace to protect it is tempting fate! Who knew that sharing candy could have such dire metaphysical consequences ...
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