Plunk Everyone

Kevin Kouzmanoff has been hit by more pitches this season than any other San Diego Padre has ever been hit by in a single season. He's been plunked twice by the Mets, Giants and Rockies, and once each by the Nationals, Phillies, Dodgers, Marlins, Cubs, Braves, Diamondbacks and Mariners. That means he's been plunked by every team in the NL East and West (except the Padres of course), but only one of the 6 NL Central teams. He's been hit 3 times by pitchers born in February, but hasn't been plunked by anyone born in April, July, November or December. 57% of his 14 HBPs were thrown by pitchers born after 1980, and he's one of only 4 players this season who has been hit by 3 pitchers who are under 6 feet tall. Kouzmanoff has score 5 runs after reaching base on a plunk, but he hasn't been hit with the bases loaded this year.

In the 14 plate appearances in which Kevin Kouzmanoff has been plunked, he's managed to swing at 16 pitches. That leads the league in the category of total swings in plate appearances that end in a plunking. Chase Utley, despite being hit 26 times, only swung the bat 9 times in those trips to the plate. Here's the top 10 list for most swings in HBP plate appearances:

Player	HBPs	Swings
Kevin Kouzmanoff	14	16
Chris Iannetta	13	15
Scott Rolen	10	15
Carlos Quentin	20	14
Ryan Garko	14	14
Jason Giambi	20	14
David Dellucci	11	14
Lance Berkman	7	13
Nate McLouth	12	13
Kevin Youkilis	12	12

In the 14 games Kouzmanoff has been plunked, he's only had 1 home run, and 10 total hits. His batting average goes from .271 in games with no plunks to .208 in games when he gets hit. His slugging goes from .445 to .313, but of course his OBP goes up from .293 to .406. But, the Padres are still 9-5 when he gets hit by a pitch, so it appears to be better for the team when Kouzmanoff gets hit, than when he hits.

But once again, congratulations to Kevin Kouzmanoff for becoming the first Padre to get hit by 14 pitches in a single season, and for being the 2nd player this season to break a franchise single season plunk record. If Kouzmanoff can get hit by another 14 pitches next season, and the next 18 seasons after that, he'll break the all time career record for getting hit by pitches. Unless someone else breaks it first... then he'll need more. He only needs 12 more to be the Padres all time career leader.

Labels: Kevin Kouzmanoff