A Walk in the Park … Ranking MLB’s Bases-Loaded Intentional Passes

On this date (May 22) in 1962, the Yankees’ Roger Maris set an MLB record (since broken) by drawing four intentional walks in a single game. As the Yankees topped  the Angels 2-1 in 12 innings (in New York), Maris drew five walks (four intentional) in six trips to the plate.

A Bit of Irony

in his 12-season MLB career, Roger Maris had only one season in which he did not draw a single intentional walk. That was in 1961, when he won his second consecutive AL MVP Award,  broke Babe Ruth’s  long-standing single-season home run record – bashing 61 long balls – and led  the American League in runs scored (132) and RBI (141 – tied with Jim Gentile). It clearly didn’t hurt to be batting in front of Mickey Mantle.

Now, I’ve written about intentional walks (and specifically about Roger Maris’ 1961 lack thereof) in this blog before, but (as often happens) as I reflected that topic, one thing led to another – and I decided to rate the six bases-loaded intentional walks in MLB history.  The rating is based on factors such the intensity and outcome of each.  For example, a bases-loaded intentional  pass that moves the tying run to third base would be worth more than one that puts the tying run on at first base.  Similarly, a bases-loaded free pass with no outs (so three batters must be retired to escape with no further damage) would be worth more than a bases-loaded walk with two outs already recorded (given a similar situation in relation to the score).  Results also played a role, with extra credit if the strategy worked.

Nothing Like Few Walks in the Park

The Cubs’ Andre Dawson drew an MLB-record five intentional passes in a 16-inning game on May 22, 1990.  (Roger Maris still holds a share of the AL record at four.) The Giants’ Barry Bonds is the only MLB player with four intentional passes in a nine-inning contest – and he did it twice in 2004 (May 1 and September 22). The record for total walks of any kind in a game of any length is six: Cubs’ Walt Wilmot (August 22, 1891 – nine innings); Red Sox’ Jimmie Foxx (June 16, 1938 – nine innings); Nationals’ Bryce Harper (May 8, 2016 – 13 innings); Indians’ Andre Thornton (May 2, 1984 – 16 innings); Astros’ Jeff Bagwell August 20, 1999 – 16 innings).

 

–———–Rating the Bases-Loaded Intentional Walks—————

Note:  In this post, BBRT assumes credit/responsibility for implementing the Intentional Walk rests with the manager(s) – even if the pitcher(s) may (or may not) agree with the move. 

Number one (Tie)  … Del Bissonette, Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers),  May 2, 1928

The Dodgers trailed the Giants 2-0 in the top of the ninth inning, when they loaded the bases with two outs (thanks to a pair of singles and a walk). That brought up 1B and number-six hitter Del Bissonette, who had come into the game hitting .345-4-15 (in 15 games). Manager John McGraw had Giants’ pitcher Larry Benton intentionally walk Bissonette, cutting the margin to one run. Benton then pitched to 2B Henry Riconda, who came into the contest with a .220 average and just one home run. While the IBB cost him a shutout, the strategy worked, as Benton went on to fan Riconda to end the game and get the win. Benton, by  the way, had his best MLB season in 1928 (his sixth MLB campaign), leading the league in wins (25 versus nine losses), winning percentage (.735) and complete games (28) – with a 2.73 ERA.  He pitched 13 MLB seasons, going 128-128, 4.03. The other principal in this mini-drama, Bissonette, played five MLB  seasons, going .305-66-391 in 604 games.

This one is at the top for the willingness to allow a run in a two-run game and move the tying tally to third base (and go-ahead run to second) – and delivering the win.

Load ‘Em Up, I’m Ready

Del Bissonette is credited with (on April 21, 1930) being the first MLB player to hit a bases-loaded home run and a bases-loaded triple in the same game.  

Number One (tied) … Barry Bonds, Giants, May 28, 1998

Photo by kevinrushforth

The Giants trailed the Diamondbacks 8-5  in the bottom of the ninth with Gregg Olson on the mound. Olson fanned CF Darryl Hamilton on three pitches  to open the frame, then walked 3B Bill Mueller on four pitches, before giving up a double to 2B  Jeff Kent (Mueller to third) and walking 1B  Charlie Hayes  to load the bases.  Olson then got RF Stan Javier to ground out (second-to-first) with Mueller scoring and Kent and Hayes each moving up a base.   J.T Snow then came on as a pinch hitter and drew a five-pitch walk again loading the bases.  Now, up by two  runs,  manager Buck Showalter ordered Olson to intentionally walk Barry Bonds  (who had drawn an unintentional  walk as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and stayed in the game in LF) – forcing in a run and putting the tying  tally at third base and the go-ahead run at second. Olson then got C  Brent Mayne on a liner to right-center to end the contest and give the Diamondback an 8-7 win.  Bonds was hitting .305-13-41 at the time, while Mayne was no slouch at  .290-2-12 coming into the game.

Top of the List

Barry Bonds led his league in Intentional Walks a record 12 times – the last time in his final season, at age 42. 

Number Three … Napoleon Lajoie, Philadelphia Athletics, May 23, 1901

Nap Lajoie’s Athletics were down 11-7 to the White Sox in the top of the ninth inning, when they mounted a comeback – loading the bases with none out and bringing cleanup hitter 2B Napoleon Lajoie – who came into the game hitting .525 and was on his way to a  .426-14-125 triple crown  season – to the plate. White Sox player-manager Clark Griffith put himself into the game and intentionally  walked Lajoie, forcing in a run and cutting the lead to three. Griffith then got RF Socks Seybold (who would lead the AL in home runs in 1902) and 1B Harry Davis (who would lead the league in round trippers four times  in his career) on ground outs (one run scoring) to save an 11-9 win.  This intentional  walk got extra points for the courage of manager Griffith to take the responsibility on himself – and for setting up a situation in which the bases were loaded, the tying run was at first and he had to get three outs to save the game.

Clark Griffith … A Role(s) Player

Clark Griffith managed the 1901 White Sox to an 83-53 record and first  place in the National League. As a player-manager, he went 24-7, 2.67 on the mound and .303-2-14 (in 35 games) at the plate. .

Number Four … Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers, August 17, 2008

This  game  saw RF Josh Hamilton and his Rangers trailing  the rays 7-2 in the bottom of the ninth.  With Juan Salas on the mound for Tampa, Rangers’ DH Jarrod Saltalamacchia opened the inning with a single, followed by a Chris Davis (1B)  walk. Salas then fanned 3B Travis Metcalf on three pitches. before giving way to Grant Balfour on the mound. Balfour walked 2B Ramon Vazquez  to load the bases, before getting LF Brandon Boggs to hit into a fielder’s choicer (second-to-shortstop) with one run scoring. A walk to SS Michael Young loaded the bases – and Devil Rays ‘manager Joe Maddon ordered Hamilton intentionally walked,  pushing across another run, putting the tying run at first base and bringing  Dan Wheeler in from the bullpen. Wheeler ended the game by fanning Marlon Byrd on five pitches.  Hamilton has come into the game hitting .302 with 28 homers and 112 RBI, while Byrd came in at .290-8-34.

Going Four-for-Two

Josh Hamilton is one of just eighteen MLB players to hit four home runs in a single game. He did it on May 8, 2012 – hitting four two-run home runs and a double in five at bats as his Rangers topped the Orioles 10-3. 

Number 5 … Bill Nicholson, Cubs, July 23, 1944 (second game)

The Giants led the Cubs 10-7 in the top of the eighth inning, but the Cubs were mounting a comeback. Giants’ righty Ace Adams (on in relief of Bill Voiselle) walked Cubs’ 3B  Stan Hack and SS Bill Schuster to open  the inning – and was replaced on the mound by southpaw Ewald Pyle, who issued an unintentional walk to 1B Phil Cavarretta to load the bases. That brought up RF and cleanup hitter Bill Nicholson – who was having quite a  day. In the first game of the Sunday twin bill (remember those), Nicholson had banged out three home runs (three homers and a walk for the game)  as the Cubs won 7-4.   He had already homered in the second inning the second game (his 21st of the season) and Giants’manager Mel Ott wanted no part of the hot hitter. Ewald issued the free pass, plating one run.  Ewald was then replaced by right-hander Andy Hansen who retired LF  Ival Goodman (holding the runners) and then hit CF Andy Pafko with a pitch, bringing in the second run of the inning and keeping the sacks full. 2B Don Johnson then grounded into a force at second,  plating another run – and tying the contest. Righty Bob Barthelson came in to pitch and got PH Billy Holm on a pop out to at least preserve the tie.  The Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth and won the game 12-10. The bases-loaded free pass, however, did not stop the Cubs from tying the game.

Taking the Lead

Bill Nicholson led the National League in home runs and RBI in both 1943 and 1944 … finishing second and third, respectively, in the NL Most Valuable voting in those years.  

Number Six … Abner Dalrymple, Chicago White Stockings (NL), August 2, 1881

The White Stockings, already up  5-0 over the Buffalo Bisons, opened the eighth inning  by loading the bases on consecutive hits by P Fred Goldsmith, C Silver Flint and 2B Joe Quest. Bisons’ manager Jim O’Rourke (presumably) wanted nothing to do with Dalrymple (on his way to a .323 season and the 1878 NL batting champ) and had Joe Flinch walk him intentionally – forcing in a run.  The White Sox eventually won the contest 11-2. The intentional pass was of little consequence in the outcome, but is generally accepted as the first IBB with the sacks full in MLB history.

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun

On July 3, 1883, Abner Dalrymple hit four doubles in a nine-inning game tying an MLB single-game record that he still shares.

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Barry Bonds – King of the Intentional Walk

Notably, when you talk intentional walks, the conversation pretty much starts and ends Barry Bonds. (We need to keep in mind, however, that IBB’s did not become an official statistic until 1955.)   Bonds holds the records for:

• IBB in a season – 120 with the Giants in 2004.  That’s an intentional  walk in 19.4 percent – or nearly one in five – of Bonds’ plate appearances that season. His record 232 total walks for the season made up 37.6 percent of his plate appearances that campaign.
• IBB in a career – 688. Second place goes to the still active Albert Pujols of the Angels with 313 as this is written.
• Most seasons leading the league in IBB – 12.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Almanac.com; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com. Note:  The Baseball-Almanac Resource included information from research by Bill Deane, Everett Parker and Trent McCotter.  

Baseball Roundtable Disclaimer:  The MLB records referenced in this (and previous) posts have the potential to change as Major League Baseball recognizes and incorporates Negro League records from 1920-46 into the MLB record book.

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