dust off a batter

Etymology
From the concept that a pitch thrown very close to a batter will remove some dust or dirt from the batter's uniform either by brushing against it or causing a breeze very close to it, or alternatively by the batter jumping away from the pitch to avoid being hit.

Verb

 * 1)  for a pitcher to throw a pitch at or near the batter, typically to frighten the batter or to have him stand farther away from home plate.
 * That pitcher doesn't like the hitters too close to the plate so every once in a while he'll dust off a batter.