Single Season Leaders for Intentional Bases on Balls in the American League

An intentional base-on-balls is an officially recognized statistic (since 1955) that counts the number of times a batter reaches first base after accepting four intentionally wide pitches outside the strike zone. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the top one-hundred (100) single season leaders in American League intentional bases on balls. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.
"A consistently high on-base percentage and fielding savvy made (John) Olerud a highly respected and valuable teammate, though his quiet, stoic nature kept him out of the spotlight even during his three-year tenure in New York." - Baseball Writer Adam Green on BaseballLibrary.com (John Olerud Page)
Intentional Base on Balls
Single Season American League Leaders

'Top 100'
John Olerud 33 1993 Toronto Blue Jays AL 1
Ted Williams 33 1957 Boston Red Sox AL  
George Brett 31 1985 Kansas City Royals AL 3
Frank Howard 29 1970 Washington Senators AL 4
Frank Thomas 29 1995 Chicago White Sox AL  
Vladimir Guerrero 28 2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL 6
Manny Ramirez 28 2003 Boston Red Sox AL  
Ichiro Suzuki 27 2002 Seattle Mariners AL 8
Vladimir Guerrero 26 2005 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL 9
Frank Thomas 26 1996 Chicago White Sox AL  
Wade Boggs 25 1991 Boston Red Sox AL 11
Ken Griffey, Jr. 25 1993 Seattle Mariners AL  
Vladimir Guerrero 25 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim AL  
Eddie Murray 25 1984 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Manny Ramirez 25 2001 Boston Red Sox AL  
Jason Giambi 24 2001 Oakland Athletics AL 16
Carlos Delgado 23 2003 Toronto Blue Jays AL 17
Ken Griffey, Jr. 23 1997 Seattle Mariners AL  
Harmon Killebrew 23 1970 Minnesota Twins AL  
Mickey Mantle 23 1957 New York Yankees AL  
David Ortiz 23 2006 Boston Red Sox AL  
Ichiro Suzuki 23 2005 Seattle Mariners AL  
Frank Thomas 23 1993 Chicago White Sox AL  
Mo Vaughn 23 1993 Boston Red Sox AL  
Harold Baines 22 1991 Oakland Athletics AL 25
Carlos Delgado 22 2001 Toronto Blue Jays AL  
Rafael Palmeiro 22 1993 Texas Rangers AL  
Ken Griffey, Jr. 21 1991 Seattle Mariners AL 28
Joe Mauer 21 2006 Minnesota Twins AL  
Nomar Garciaparra 20 2000 Boston Red Sox AL 30
Frank Howard 20 1971 Washington Senators AL  
Reggie Jackson 20 1969 Oakland Athletics AL  
Reggie Jackson 20 1974 Oakland Athletics AL  
Harmon Killebrew 20 1969 Minnesota Twins AL  
Mo Vaughn 20 1994 Boston Red Sox AL  
Wade Boggs 19 1992 Boston Red Sox AL 36
Wade Boggs 19 1987 Boston Red Sox AL  
Wade Boggs 19 1990 Boston Red Sox AL  
Wade Boggs 19 1989 Boston Red Sox AL  
Rod Carew 19 1978 Minnesota Twins AL  
Norm Cash 19 1961 Detroit Tigers AL  
Ken Griffey, Jr. 19 1994 Seattle Mariners AL  
Ed Herrmann 19 1972 Chicago White Sox AL  
Frank Howard 19 1969 Washington Senators AL  
Edgar Martinez 19 1995 Seattle Mariners AL  
Ben Oglivie 19 1980 Milwaukee Brewers AL  
John Olerud 19 2001 Seattle Mariners AL  
Cal Ripken, Jr. 19 1993 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Ken Singleton 19 1983 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Jim Spencer 19 1976 Chicago White Sox AL  
Ichiro Suzuki 19 2004 Seattle Mariners AL  
Mo Vaughn 19 1996 Boston Red Sox AL  
Wade Boggs 18 1988 Boston Red Sox AL 53
George Brett 18 1986 Kansas City Royals AL  
Rod Carew 18 1975 Minnesota Twins AL  
Carlos Delgado 18 2000 Toronto Blue Jays AL  
Carlos Delgado 18 2002 Toronto Blue Jays AL  
Mike Greenwell 18 1988 Boston Red Sox AL  
Harmon Killebrew 18 1966 Minnesota Twins AL  
Mickey Mantle 18 1964 New York Yankees AL  
Don Mattingly 18 1989 New York Yankees AL  
Eddie Murray 18 1982 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Boog Powell 18 1970 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Kirby Puckett 18 1995 Minnesota Twins AL  
Cal Ripken, Jr. 18 1990 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Mickey Tettleton 18 1992 Detroit Tigers AL  
Frank Thomas 18 2000 Chicago White Sox AL  
Jim Thome 18 2002 Cleveland Indians AL  
Andre Thornton 18 1982 Cleveland Indians AL  
Sal Bando 17 1972 Oakland Athletics AL 70
Ken Griffey, Jr. 17 1999 Seattle Mariners AL  
Travis Hafner 17 2007 Cleveland Indians AL  
Aubrey Huff 17 2003 Tampa Bay Devil Rays AL  
John Mayberry 17 1973 Kansas City Royals AL  
Pete O'Brien 17 1989 Cleveland Indians AL  
Rafael Palmeiro 17 2000 Texas Rangers AL  
Mo Vaughn 17 1997 Boston Red Sox AL  
Mo Vaughn 17 1995 Boston Red Sox AL  
Bernie Williams 17 1999 New York Yankees AL  
Ted Williams 17 1955 Boston Red Sox AL  
Dick Allen 16 1972 Chicago White Sox AL 81
George Brett 16 1980 Kansas City Royals AL  
Greg Brock 16 1988 Milwaukee Brewers AL  
Alvin Davis 16 1984 Seattle Mariners AL  
Chili Davis 16 1997 Kansas City Royals AL  
Jim Gentile 16 1962 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Kirk Gibson 16 1985 Detroit Tigers AL  
Travis Hafner 16 2006 Cleveland Indians AL  
Ted Kubiak 16 1970 Milwaukee Brewers AL  
John Mayberry 16 1975 Kansas City Royals AL  
Mark McGwire 16 1996 Oakland Athletics AL  
Paul Molitor 16 1991 Milwaukee Brewers AL  
Tony Oliva 16 1968 Minnesota Twins AL  
Rafael Palmeiro 16 2002 Texas Rangers AL  
Manny Ramirez 16 2006 Boston Red Sox AL  
Ruben Sierra 16 1993 Oakland Athletics AL  
Ken Singleton 16 1979 Baltimore Orioles AL  
Ichiro Suzuki 16 2006 Seattle Mariners AL  
Robin Ventura 16 1993 Chicago White Sox AL  
Carl Yastrzemski 16 1974 Boston Red Sox AL 100
Dmitri Young 16 2003 Detroit Tigers AL  
Current Through End of 2007 Regular Season


Did you know that the difference between the American and National League leaders for intentional bases on balls is eighty seven (87)? Consider now the totals for each respectively: thirty-three (33) and one-hundred twenty (120). Are Willie McCovey, Sammy Sosa & Barry Bonds truly more feared at the plate than their American League counterparts? Tell us on Baseball Fever.

The code to write the single season intentional bases on balls league splits was developed in 2005, launched during 2006 and made possible by your support — please continue helping us create these kinds of pages by supporting our site.

The National League single season record for intentional bases on balls was set in 2004 by Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants. The American League single season record for intentional bases on balls is on this page. Is either the Career Leader for Intentional Bases on Balls?
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