baseball statistics Baseball statistics play an important role in evaluating the progress of a player or team. Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itsel ...

, bases on balls per nine innings pitched (BB/9IP or BB/9) or walks per nine innings (denoted by W/9) is the average number of bases on balls, (or walks) given up by a

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of bases on balls allowed by nine, and dividing by the number of innings pitched. It is a measure of the bases on balls ability of a pitcher.

Leaders

All but one of the top 25 single-season leaders in BB/9IP through 2018 pitched in the period of 1876-84. George Zettlein was the all-time single-season leader (0.2308 in 1876), followed by

Cherokee Fisher William Charles "Cherokee" Fisher (November 1844 – September 26, 1912) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the National Association from 1871 to 1875 and the National League in 1876 and 1878. Career Fisher was a pit ...

(0.2355 in 1876) and

George Bradley George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League, the oldest le ...

(0.2755 in 1880).Single-Season Leaders & Records for Bases On Balls per 9 IP , Baseball-Reference.com
/ref> The highest single-season modern day baseball performance was by Carlos Silva (0.4301 in 2005). The all-time career leaders in BB/9IP through 2022 were

Candy Cummings William Arthur "Candy" Cummings (October 18, 1848 – May 17, 1924) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher in the National Association and National League. Cummings is widely credited with inventing the curveball. ...

(0.4731),

Tommy Bond Thomas Ross Bond (September 16, 1926 – September 24, 2005) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. He was best known for his work as a child actor for two nonconsecutive periods on ''Our Gang'' (''Little Rascals'') comedies (fir ...

(0.4787), and

Al Spalding Albert Goodwill Spalding (September 2, 1849 – September 9, 1915) was an American pitcher, manager, and executive in the early years of professional baseball, and the co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company. He was born and raised ...

(0.5114), all of whom played in the 1870s and 1880s. The active career leaders in BB/9IP through 2022 were

Corey Kluber Corey Scott Kluber (born April 10, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. He made his M ...

(1.9683),

Michael Pineda Michael Francisco Pineda Paulino (born January 18, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. ...

(1.9719), and Hyun Jin Ryu (1.9914).Active Leaders & Records for Bases On Balls per 9 IP , Baseball-Reference.com
/ref>

References

Pitching statistics {{Baseball-stub