The good ol' base on balls by Tim Kurkjian Tuesday was a big day for walks. Cincinnati's Aaron Boone drew his first of the season after going 71 at-bats without one. Detroit's Deivi Cruz went 60 at-bats before drawing his first walk, so maybe he'll challenge last year's total of 13. Wednesday night, Henderson drew a free pass off Jose Mesa to pass Ruth.
Walks can be great things for a hitter.
They wear out pitching staffs, they crowd the bases, they create deep counts, which can allow a hitter the chance to see everything a pitcher throws in the course of one at-bat. They are a major reason why Ted Williams had a career on-base percentage of .483, and had three seasons of .500 or better. They're a big reason why Henderson will skate into the Hall of Fame. Not everyone likes to, or can, walk. This sets up an interesting race.