# baseball: leadoff walks and runs scored?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2004, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000 "2004-06-24T12:55:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/1 "2004-06-24T12:55:02Z")

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I don’t know if the James abstract deals with this, but I think I heard once that nearly 75% of leadoff walks score. Is this true? I imagine that the statistic, even if true, might vary with position in the batting order. None-the-less, after watching the Cubs give one away last night as three leadoff walks in three consecutive innings became the winning runs, I’m wondering if there is, in fact, a stat that addresses that. I’ve also thought that if that is true, it would be a great way to make some $ on bar bets. any help, dopers? xo C.

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/2 "2004-06-24T20:45:11Z")

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Can’t believe it - no baseball nuts all day? Ok - how about this: where can I find out what proportion of leadoff walks (in an inning) score? thanks.

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**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/3 "2004-06-24T21:05:51Z")

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> [@CC](#):
>
> None-the-less, after watching the Cubs give one away last night… (snip)

I’ve nothing add, other than, show some respect. The Cubs didn’t give it away, the Cardinals **took** it from them. 😉

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/4 "2004-06-24T21:13:58Z")

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:smack: Ok, the Cards took three leadoff walks and a passed ball from the Cubs. But the question remains - what percentage of leadoff walks turn into runs?

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**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/5 "2004-06-25T00:53:26Z")

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Here’s a site that reports a study covering every ML game for 29 years:

[http://www.diamond-mind.com/newsletter/en021213.htm](http://www.diamond-mind.com/newsletter/en021213.htm)

If I read it correctly, 40% of the time a leadoff batter scored.

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-leadoff-walks-and-runs-scored/252000/6 "2004-06-25T02:20:18Z")

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Ah, the SDMB - ya gotta love it. Thanks, dude.