New York Mets History: Vince Coleman Draws Five Walks in Game

Vince Coleman was not a player who would be mistaken as having excellent plate discipline during his career. However, on this day in 1992, the New York Mets outfielder displayed virtually unprecedented patience.

Chances are, if one is going to tie a Major league record for walks in a game, even if that contest goes into extra innings, they will be one of two types of players. Either they will be a pesky contact type with a great batting eye that works the count, or they will be a feared slugger that teams are pitching around to keep from beating them. Well, New York Mets outfielder Vince Coleman was neither.

In 1992, Coleman had a grand total of 27 walks in 261 plate appearances, three of which were intentional. The former Cardinals speedster was not the same player he had been during his heyday, but he still had solid speed and was a capable basestealer; or the exact type of player that one would want to keep off the bases. Someone forgot to give that memo to the Pittsburgh Pirates on this day in 1992, as Coleman tied a then National League record with five walks in the Mets 4-2 loss in 16 innings.

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Yes, it was an extra inning contest, so maybe those five walks do not seem as impressive. And yes, three of those walks were intentional, counting for the entirety of the intentional walks he would receive that year. However, this is a feat that is rarer than pitching a no hitter, or hitting three home runs in a single game.

The fact that the mark was tied by Coleman, who had a below average 8.0% walk rate in his career, and was not anything close to an extra base threat, is remarkable. It is also interesting that Coleman was batting leadoff in that game, so it is not as though he was being walked to get to the pitcher’s spot in the lineup. Instead, the Pirates took their chances with Kevin Bass, who went 0-7 with two strikeouts.

In the end, as the Pirates won the game, that strategy to walk Coleman did not hurt them. He was stranded each time he reached base, and was thrown out stealing to end the bottom of the first. Coleman, ironically enough, also accounted for the last out, as he grounded out on one of the six strikes he would see all night.

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In an interesting decision, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitched around Vince Coleman in their contest with the New York Mets. Five walks later, Coleman entered the record books, but the Pirates came away with the victory.