Last updated on October 26th, 2023 at 07:35 am
A BB stands for a base on balls in baseball. Getting on base in any way you can when you are at bat is essential to scoring runs, and walking is one of the ways to do that. BB’s abbreviation means getting on base by walking on four balls when you are up at the plate.
So, why does BB mean a walk during a baseball game? What is the difference between BB, HBP, and IBB during a match? Why is BB an important baseball statistic for both hitters and pitchers to care about?
Here is everything you need to know about this common baseball stat abbreviation.
What are the Total Bases a Player Can Take on a BB?
A hitter can only take first base on a BB when batting at home plate. A walk only awards them one base, unlike a hit where the hitter can attempt to take second or third base. However, the baserunner can attempt stealing bases to move into scoring position after a walk, so pitchers try not to walk fast runners who can do just that.
What is the Difference Between BB, HBP, and IBB in Baseball?
A BB (base on balls) means that a player got on base via four balls in baseball. An HBP (hit by pitch) means that a hitter got on base because they got hit by the ball. Meanwhile, an IBB means an intentional base on balls or walk.
Are Walks Important in Baseball?
Getting on base is crucial to scoring runs in baseball. Walking is important because it illustrates that you have a good eye at the plate and didn’t swing at pitches outside the strike zone. Swinging at pitches outside the strike zone tends to lower your chances of a hit, so it is best to only swing at close pitches.
Being a baserunner is essential for some players with their speed. Some baserunners can steal a base and get into scoring position, which can help drive in an RBI in for the next batter via their single to the outfield. If the baserunner can get on third base with less than two outs, they can potentially score on a sacrifice hit.
While walking does not help raise or lower a player’s batting average (AVG), which happens during a successful base hit, it does count in your on-base percentage.
Who Had the Most Walks in Baseball in One Season?
According to Baseball-Reference, Barry Bonds holds the record for most walks in a single season with 232, which took place in 2004. Not only did Barry Bonds lead that year with walks, but he also holds the top three most walks in a season in 2002 and 2001.
The next player that had the most walks outside of Bonds was Babe Ruth.
Who Has the Most Walks in their Baseball Career?
According to Baseball Almanac, Barry Bonds holds the record for the most walks with 2,558. After that is Rickey Henderson with 2,190, and in third place is Babe Ruth with 2,062.
Check out the complete list from Baseball Almanac to see everyone with their walks in their career.
What Does BB/9 Mean for Pitchers?
BB/9 for a starting pitcher or relief pitcher represents the number of nine innings pitched against the number of walks they give up. Like how hitters can get on base via walking, which is a good thing, MLB pitchers want to limit how often they walk hitters since that does not help them retire a batter.
To help better tell the story of pitchers, you can use K/BB (strikeout percentage and walk percentage) to show how effective a pitcher is. Fan Graphs had Corbin Burnes as the best pitcher via K-BB% with a 30.4% in 2021. To get to that number, you take their K/9 percentage and minus that from the BB/9 to get that number.
For the 2021 season, Max Scherzer was the second-best pitcher with a 28.9% strikeout to walk ratio. In third place was Carlos Rodon with 27.9%, and Gerrit Cole was in fourth place with a 27.8% K-BB%.
How Do you Write a BB on a Baseball Scorecard?
The official scorekeeper during the game will write a BB next to the line from home plate to first base for that hitter. In addition to that, you will typically see a column line for the offense showing the number of walks hitters got during a game, so you can see what player got on base via a walk.
Can a Hitter Refuse a Walk in Baseball?
According to MLB Official Rules 5.05, a hitter must automatically go to first base after getting hit unless two things occur. First, if the hitter goes into the strike zone to get hit on purpose, they will not get first base and instead get a strike. Second, which might be rare, is if a hitter made no effort to get away from the pitch. However, the last one is up to the umpire to determine if the hitter attempted to move from the pitch.
Conclusion: What Does BB Mean in Baseball?
In summary, a BB is an abbreviation that means base on balls during a baseball game. Base on balls means that a player gets first base after seeing four balls during their at-bat. Getting on base via a walk does not help raise a hitter’s batting average. However, it does factor into an on-base percentage, which then goes into OPS.
Baseball statistics count the number of BBs a hitter might get throughout the year, but it also works well for pitchers and how good they are at limiting walks. Pitchers want to limit the number of players they let on base, so it is critical to lower the number of walks during every nine innings of pitching. By giving up a walk, you effectively gave a free pass to a hitter to reach base, which is what pitchers are trying to limit when they are on the mound.
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Greg Kristan, owner of The Stadium Reviews, LLC and TM Blast, LLC, brings his extensive experience visiting over half of the MLB ballparks, along with numerous MLS, NHL, NBA, and NFL venues, to provide in-depth coverage on the bag policy, food options, and parking. He has also been interviewed about his experiences on several sports podcasts.