Intentional Bases on Balls Single Season National League Leaders on Baseball Almanac

Single Season Leaders for Intentional Bases on Balls in the National 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 National League intentional bases on balls. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.

"I think Barry Bonds gets intentionally walked too much. I don't mean this as a fan of Bonds, which I am not. Nor do I mean it as a fan of the Giants, which I also am not. I don't even mean it as a general baseball fan, which I actually am. No, I simply mean it as someone interested in strategy and tactics. I think putting Barry Bonds on base nearly once a game is a tactical error, and I also think this can be proven mathematically." - Blog Columnist Martell on BabBlog.com (Should Barry Bonds Be Intentionally Walked, 2004)

Intentional Base on Balls Single Season National League Leaders 'Top 100'
Name	IBB	Year	Team	League	Rank
Barry Bonds	120	2004	San Francisco Giants	NL	1
Barry Bonds	68	2002	San Francisco Giants	NL	2
Barry Bonds	61	2003	San Francisco Giants	NL	3
Willie McCovey	45	1969	San Francisco Giants	NL	4
Albert Pujols	44	2009	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	5
Barry Bonds	43	1993	San Francisco Giants	NL	6
Barry Bonds	43	2007	San Francisco Giants	NL
Willie McCovey	40	1970	San Francisco Giants	NL	8
Barry Bonds	38	2006	San Francisco Giants	NL	9
Cliff Floyd	37	2002	Florida Marlins	NL	10
Cliff Floyd	37	2002	Montreal Expos	NL	10
Ryan Howard	37	2006	Philadelphia Phillies	NL
Sammy Sosa	37	2001	Chicago Cubs	NL
Barry Bonds	35	2001	San Francisco Giants	NL	13
Ryan Howard	35	2007	Philadelphia Phillies	NL
Barry Bonds	34	1997	San Francisco Giants	NL	15
Albert Pujols	34	2008	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Barry Bonds	32	1992	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL	17
Vladimir Guerrero	32	2002	Montreal Expos	NL
Kevin Mitchell	32	1989	San Francisco Giants	NL
Barry Bonds	30	1996	San Francisco Giants	NL	20
Barry Bonds	29	1998	San Francisco Giants	NL	21
Dale Murphy	29	1987	Atlanta Braves	NL
Adolfo Phillips	29	1967	Chicago Cubs	NL
Ernie Banks	28	1960	Chicago Cubs	NL	24
Mark McGwire	28	1998	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Albert Pujols	28	2006	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Jeff Bagwell	27	1997	Houston Astros	NL	27
Miguel Cabrera	27	2006	Florida Marlins	NL
Will Clark	27	1988	San Francisco Giants	NL
Roberto Clemente	27	1968	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Albert Pujols	27	2005	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Tony Gwynn	26	1987	San Diego Padres	NL	32
Fred McGriff	26	1991	San Diego Padres	NL
Stan Musial	26	1958	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Tim Raines	26	1987	Montreal Expos	NL
Duke Snider	26	1956	Brooklyn Dodgers	NL
Jim Thome	26	2004	Philadelphia Phillies	NL
Barry Bonds	25	1991	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL	38
Leo Cardenas	25	1965	Cincinnati Reds	NL
Howard Johnson	25	1988	New York Mets	NL
Ted Kluszewski	25	1955	Cincinnati Redlegs	NL
Willie McCovey	25	1973	San Francisco Giants	NL
Spike Owen	25	1989	Montreal Expos	NL
Bill Russell	25	1974	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Mike Schmidt	25	1986	Philadelphia Phillies	NL
Ted Simmons	25	1977	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Willie Stargell	25	1967	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Warren Cromartie	24	1980	Montreal Expos	NL	48
Leon Durham	24	1985	Chicago Cubs	NL
Brian Giles	24	2002	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Luis Gonzalez	24	2001	Arizona Diamondbacks	NL
Vladimir Guerrero	24	2001	Montreal Expos	NL
Eddie Murray	24	1989	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Dave Parker	24	1985	Cincinnati Reds	NL
Rusty Staub	24	1968	Houston Astros	NL
Garry Templeton	24	1985	San Diego Padres	NL
Dave Winfield	24	1979	San Diego Padres	NL
Hank Aaron	23	1968	Atlanta Braves	NL	58
Johnny Bench	23	1972	Cincinnati Reds	NL
Miguel Cabrera	23	2007	Florida Marlins	NL
Orlando Cepeda	23	1967	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Will Clark	23	1992	San Francisco Giants	NL
Chili Davis	23	1986	San Francisco Giants	NL
Vladimir Guerrero	23	2000	Montreal Expos	NL
Chipper Jones	23	2002	Atlanta Braves	NL
Derrek Lee	23	2005	Chicago Cubs	NL
Fred McGriff	23	1992	San Diego Padres	NL
Dave Parker	23	1978	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Dave Rader	23	1973	San Francisco Giants	NL
Frank Robinson	23	1961	Cincinnati Reds	NL
Garry Templeton	23	1984	San Diego Padres	NL
Lance Berkman	22	2006	Houston Astros	NL	72
Barry Bonds	22	1995	San Francisco Giants	NL
Barry Bonds	22	1989	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Barry Bonds	22	2000	San Francisco Giants	NL
Adrian Gonzalez	22	2009	San Diego Padres	NL
Shawn Green	22	2002	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Vladimir Guerrero	22	2003	Montreal Expos	NL
Todd Helton	22	2005	Colorado Rockies	NL
Todd Helton	22	2000	Colorado Rockies	NL
Ted Kluszewski	22	1956	Cincinnati Redlegs	NL
Albert Pujols	22	2007	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Ted Simmons	22	1979	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Willie Stargell	22	1973	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Hank Aaron	21	1971	Atlanta Braves	NL	85
Ernie Banks	21	1961	Chicago Cubs	NL
Andre Dawson	21	1990	Chicago Cubs	NL
Prince Fielder	21	2009	Milwaukee Brewers	NL
Prince Fielder	21	2007	Milwaukee Brewers	NL
Todd Helton	21	2003	Colorado Rockies	NL
Todd Helton	21	2002	Colorado Rockies	NL
Willie McCovey	21	1971	San Francisco Giants	NL
Mark McGwire	21	1999	St. Louis Cardinals	NL
Eddie Murray	21	1990	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Mike Piazza	21	1996	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Manny Ramirez	21	2009	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL
Ted Sizemore	21	1977	Philadelphia Phillies	NL
Willie Stargell	21	1974	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL
Rusty Staub	21	1967	Houston Astros	NL
Darryl Strawberry	21	1988	New York Mets	NL	100
Garry Templeton	21	1986	San Diego Padres	NL
Name	IBB	Year	Team	League	Rank
Current Through 2009 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.

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The American League single season record for intentional bases on balls was set in 1957 by Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox then tied in 1993 by John Olerud of the Toronto Blue Jays. The National 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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