USA TODAY
Base on balls. Walk.
A walk is the colloquial term for a base on balls in baseball scoring.
Both mean the same, both serve the same purpose. Both are non-Sabermetric statistics.
A base on balls, or walk, happens when a pitcher throws four pitches out of the strike zone during an at bat and the batter is awarded first base without the possibility of being called out.
There's a saying in baseball where a walk is just as good as a hit. However, there are merits to that phrase, but one must contextualize them.
What is an intentional walk?
An intentional walk occurswhen the opposing teams manager elects to walk a batter on purpose, putting him on first base insteadof letting him try to hit. The pitcher no longer has to throw four pitches out of the strike zone to walk the batter like in the past. Instead, the manager can simply signal that he wants the batter walked, and the batter automatically goes to first base without a pitch being thrown. Why? In 2017, MLB changed the rules to speed up the pace of play.
How is walk denoted in a baseball scorebook?
In the scorebook, a walk is denoted by the letters 'BB,' which stands for base on balls. An intentional walk is denoted by the letters 'IBB.'
Who is the all-time leader in walks?
Barry Bonds, who led the National League in base on balls 12 times during his major league baseball career, is the all-time leader in walks with 2,558 − 368 more than runner-up Rickey Henderson.
