In 1961, the Yankees’ Roger Maris<\/strong><\/span> belted 61 home runs (breaking Babe Ruth\u2019s then MLB record of 60). He also drove in a league-leading 141 runs, scored a league-leading 132 times and won his second consecutive AL Most Valuable Player Award. In addition, he drew a career-high 94 walks.\u00a0 Ironically, however, 1961 was the only season in his 12-year MLB-career that Maris did not draw a single intentional walk.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nCompare that to the following season, when \u2013 On May 22, 1962 \u2013 in a 2-1, 12-inning Yankee victory over the Angels, Maris drew five walks in six trips to the plate \u2013 including an AL single-game record<\/em> (later tied by the Red Sox’ Manny Ramirez) four intentional passes<\/em>. In 1962, Maris drew a career-high eleven intentional passes, while putting up a .256-33-100 line.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Notably, when you talk intentional walks, the conversation pretty much has to focus on Barry Bonds<\/span>.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Bonds holds the records for:<\/p>\n\nIBB in a season<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 120 with the Giants in 2004. (Bonds, in fact, holds the top three spots. The first non-Barry on the list is the Giants Willie McCovey with 45.) Note: Only three players had as many total walks as Bonds had intentional walks in 2004 \u2013 Bobby Abreu, Lance Berkman, and Todd Helton (127 each)<\/em>. Bonds drew 232 total walks.<\/li>\nIBB in a career<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 688. Second Place goes to the still active Albert Pujols of the Angels with 305 as this is written.<\/li>\nMost seasons leading the league in IBB<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 12.<\/li>\nMost IBB’s in a nine-inning game<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 four (twice) on May 1 and September 22, 2004.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFEASTING ON FREEBEES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nOn May 22, 1990, RF and cleanup hitter Andre Dawson of the Cubs came to the plate eight times in a 16-inning, 2-1 Cubs win over the Reds. Dawson drew five intentional passes \u2013 the MLB record for IBB in a game. His day went like this:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\nBottom of the first \u2013 runner on second and one out \u2013 intentional walk.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of the fourth \u2013 leading off \u2013 groundout to SS.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of the sixth \u2013 two outs and a runner on first \u2013 fly out to left.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of the eighth \u2013 score still 0-0, runner on third, two out \u2013 intentional walk.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of the 11th<\/sup> \u2013 runner on first, no outs \u2013 single.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of 12th<\/sup> \u2013 still 0-0, runners on first and second, two outs \u2013 intentional walk.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of 14th<\/sup> \u2013 score now 1-1, runner on second, two out \u2013 intentional walk.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\nBottom of 16th<\/sup> \u2013 runners on first and third, one out \u2013 intentional walk, loading the bases. LF Dave Clark followed with a walk-off single to win the game.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nDawson, who hit .310-27-100, drew a career-high 21 intentional free passes in 1990.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nA few other free pass marks:<\/p>\n
\nMost IBB in a season in the American League<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 33 by Ted Williams<\/strong><\/span> in 1957 and John Olerud<\/strong><\/span> in 1993.<\/li>\nMost IBB to a rookie<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 16 to Mariners\u2019 OF Al Davis<\/strong> <\/span>in 1984, when he hit ..284-27-116 and was the AL Rookie of the Year.<\/li>\nMost intentional walks received by a team in a game<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 six, provided by the Cardinals (to the Giants<\/strong><\/span>) in a 5-2 loss On July 19, 1975 – with three going to number-eight hitter catcher Dave Rader<\/strong><\/span>. Here are the IBB’s: bottom of second to Dave Rader with a runner on second, one out and Cardinals down 2-0; bottom of third to Dave Rader, runners on second and third, two out, Cardinals down 4-2; bottom of the fifth to Dave Rader, with a runner on second, two out and the Giants up 4-2; bottom of the sixth to Bobby Murcer,<\/strong><\/span> with a runner on second, one out and the Giants up 4-2; bottom of the sixth to Willie Montanez,<\/strong><\/span> with the bases loaded, two outs and Giants still up 4-2; bottom of the eighth to Willie Montanez, with a runnr on third and one out and Giants up 4-2.<\/li>\nSix players have received intentional walks with the bases loaded: Abner Dalrymple<\/strong><\/span> (August 2, 1881); Nap Lajoie (<\/strong><\/span>May 23, 1901); Del Bissonette<\/strong><\/span> (May 2, 1928); Bill Nicholson<\/strong><\/span> (July 23, 1944); Barry<\/strong><\/span> (of course he did) Bonds<\/strong><\/span> (May 28, 1998); and Josh Hamilton<\/strong><\/span> (August 17, 2008).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWALKIN\u2019 IN THE SUNSHINE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nIn 2004, the year he set the single-season record for intentional walks (120), Barry Bonds also set the single-season record for total walks (232). The next highest MLB walk total that season was 127.\u00a0 In 2004, Bonds walked in 37.9 percent of his trips to the plate. (Notably, he only struck out 41 times in a .362-45-101 campaign.) While Bonds walked more than 100 times in a season 14 times, the only season he reached 100 strikeouts was in his rookie year (1986).\u00a0 Note: The other two members of the 700+ home run club – \u00a0Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth – had zero 100 strikeout seasons between them.\u00a0 Aaron also never drew 100 walks in a season, while Ruth had 12 seasons of 100+ bases on balls.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAmong the references sources for this post: Baseball-Almanac.com; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com.<\/p>\n
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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In 1961, the Yankees’ Roger Maris belted 61 home runs (breaking Babe Ruth\u2019s then MLB record of 60). He also drove in a league-leading 141 runs, scored a league-leading 132 times and won his second consecutive AL Most Valuable Player Award. In addition, he drew a career-high 94 walks.\u00a0 Ironically, however, 1961 was the only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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