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Carlos Santana leads MLB in walks

...when it comes to walking, Carlos Santana is one of the very best we've ever seen.

By Jason Lukehart
Jim Rogash

In last Sunday's 4-1 win over the Yankees, Carlos Santana drew his 82nd walk of the season, which was also the 400th walk of his career. That was the 606th game of Santana's career, which makes him one of the fastest players in MLB history to walk 400 times. I'll grant you that 400 is an arbitrary number, significant only because of the human fondness for round numbers, but the point still stands: Carlos Santana walks a ton.

Fewest games to reach 400 walks with the Indians:

  1. Jim Thome: 597 games
  2. Carlos Santana: 606 games
  3. Mike Hargrove: 625 games
  4. Andre Thornton: 668 games
  5. Larry Doby: 671 games
  6. Toby Harrah: 706 games
  7. Travis Hafner: 709 games
  8. Al Rosen: 730 games
  9. Tris Speaker: 734 games
  10. Rocky Colavito: 765 games
In the last 100 years, the timespan for which full game-by-game data exists, only 18 players have reached 400 career walks in fewer games than Santana. The record for fewest career games to reach 400 walks is held by Max Bishop, who got there in just 486 games, back in the 1920s. Ted Williams was the second fastest, and since World War II, Frank Thomas got there the quickest.

Santana is also behind only Thome in walk rate for the Indians (min: 1,000 PA):

  1. Jim Thome: 17.4%
  2. Carlos Santana: 15.6%
  3. Roy Cullenbine: 15.1%
  4. Brian Giles: 15.0%
  5. Les Fleming: 14.5%
  6. Mike Hargrove: 14.3%
  7. David Justice: 14.2%
  8. Larry Doby: 13.8%
  9. Andre Thornton: 13.4%
  10. AL Rosen: 13.4%

Santana's 84 walks so far this season lead MLB. Indians who led MLB in walks:

  • Jake Graney: 1917 (94) and 1919 (105)
  • Ray Chapman 1918 (84)

Rocky Colavito led the American League in 1965, and Jim Thome led the American League in 1997, 1999, 2002, but National Legaue leaders Joe Morgan, Jeff Bagwell, and Barry Bonds topped them in those seasons, which means if Santana can hold onto his lead over Jose Bautista (80) and Giancarlo Stanton (76), he'll become the first Tribesman in 95 years to lead MLB.

Embrace the walk, Tribe fans!

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