Plunk Everyone

You've probably been sitting around wondering since the retirement of Jeff Kent, who is the active leader in HBPs as second basemen? And for that matter, who leads all the other positions in getting hit by pitches while playing at those positions?

Well, okay. I'll look into it.

Designated Hitters:
Jason Giambi passed Frank Thomas last season, to become the active leader in being plunked as a Designated Hitter, which puts into question the title of "Big Hurt". Thomas wasn't that active last season anyway, and now he's technically listed as a free agent, so he could contend for the active lead if someone actually signs him. But Giambi has already been hit twice as a DH this year, so Thomas better hurry up if he wants to get back in that race. Travis Hafner is the next closest with 48 DH plunkings.

Player	HBP at DH	Status
Jason Giambi	59	Active
Frank Thomas	57	Free Agent
Travis Hafner	47	Active
Mike Sweeney	32	Active
Josh Phelps	29	Minors (SF)
Jonny Gomes	24	Minors (CIN)
Manny Ramirez	21	Active
David Ortiz	19	Active
Jim Thome	19	Active

Right Field:
Jose Guillen has had the active lead in getting hit as a right fielder since he passed Gary Sheffield on May 12, 2007. There does not appear to be another right fielder who is likely to catch Guillen, so he should hold this lead until he leaves the game.

Player	HBP at RF	Status
Jose Guillen	99	Active
Gary Sheffield	80	Active
Vladimir Guerrero	76	Active
Jermaine Dye	55	Active
Magglio Ordonez	43	Active
Austin Kearns	43	Active
Manny Ramirez	36	Active

Center Field:
Aaron Rowand has been hit 91 times while playing center field (or at least while he was batting in between playing center field... you get the point). He passed Andruw Jones for that lead on May 28, 2008.

Player	HBP at CF	Status
Aaron Rowand	91	Active
Andruw Jones	82	Active
Mike Cameron	75	Active
Ken Griffey	72	Active
Juan Pierre	55	Active
Grady Sizemore	52	Active
Torii Hunter	51	Active
David DeJesus	49	Active

Left Field:
Luis Gonzalez hasn't officially announced his retirement yet, but the 30 major league teams seem to be pretty sure he's retired. He's still calling himself a free agent, but since he's not playing at the moment, the active lead among left fielders falls to Cliff Floyd. Floyd is on the DL for San Diego, which limits his activity, so if you want an active leader who has actually played left field this season, it's Matt Holliday.

Player	HBP at LF	Status
Luis Gonzalez	111	Free Agent
Cliff Floyd	70	Active
Shannon Stewart	64	Free Agent
Geoff Jenkins	64	Free Agent
Matt Holliday	47	Active
Reed Johnson	46	Active
Adam Dunn	45	Active
Josh Willingham	40	Active
Manny Ramirez	39	Active

Short Stop:
Derek Jeter has been hit by a lot of pitches as a Short Stop, with 136 so far, and he's been the active leader since taking his 51st plunk at Short on August 2, 2001. That put him ahead of Pat Meares among active shortstops. David Eckstein has been close behind Jeter for a long time, but since the Yankees will keep playing Jeter at short stop for the rest of time, and Eckstein is playing 2nd base this year, Jeter will probably hold this lead until he retires.

Player	HBP at SS	Status
Derek Jeter	136	Active
David Eckstein	120	Active
Miguel Tejada	96	Active
Alex Rodriguez	72	Active
Alex Gonzalez	64	Active

Third Base:
Scott Rolen has what you'd call a commanding lead among active third basemen. He's been the active leader since July 17th, 2002 when he passed Matt Williams.

Player	HBP at 3B	Status
Scott Rolen	106	Active
Alex Rodriguez	67	Active
Aramis Ramirez	65	Active
Aaron Boone	64	Retired
Mike Lowell	52	Active

Second Base:
Jeff Kent retired after last year, with 113 plunks at 2nd Base, and Damion Easley doesn't have a job this year, so that leaves Chase Utley as the active leader for second basemen. If he keeps up his rate of being hit by pitches from the last two years (leading the majors both years), he should hold onto this lead for a long time.

Player	HBP at 2B	Status
Jeff Kent	113	Retired
Damion Easley	103	Free Agent
Chase Utley	83	Active
Ray Durham	68	Free Agent
Rickie Weeks	62	Active
Adam Kennedy	59	Minors (TB)
Mark Grudzielanek	59	Free Agent
Placido Polanco	55	Active
Alfonso Soriano	46	Active
Jerry Hairston	45	Active

First Base:
Carlos Delgado has another one of those commanding leads at this position. He's held the active lead since the beginning of the 2006 season - he finished 2005 in a tie with Jeff Bagwell for the active lead at first base, but Bagwell never played again. Delgado is 37, and Giambi is behind him at age 38, so Derrek Lee, Paul Konerko or Mark Teixeira could inherit this lead in the next couple of years.

Player	HBP at 1B	Status
Carlos Delgado	154	Active
Jason Giambi	93	Active
J.T. Snow	63	Retired
Sean Casey	59	Retired
Derrek Lee	57	Active
Paul Konerko	57	Active
Mark Teixeira	50	Active

Catcher:
This falls closer to the category of preposterously insurmountable leads. Jason Kendall has been the active HBP leader among catchers since May 5, 2000 when he got hit for the 91st time as a catcher, and passed Mike MacFarlane. Jason LaRue and AJ Pierzynski are pretty good at getting hit by pitches, but they don't come close to Kendall, even added together.

Player	HBP at C	Status
Jason Kendall	227	Active
Jason LaRue	101	Active
A.J. Pierzynski	84	Active
Brad Ausmus	66	Active
Jorge Posada	60	Active

Pitchers:
Mike Hampton is active? You might not have seen much of him recently, but he's playing for the Astros this year, and he's the sole owner of the active lead among pitchers getting hit by pitches, now the Greg Maddux has retired and Scott Elarton is still a free agent. But, a whole lot of pitchers could catch him without too much effort. Brad Penny and Jake Peavy have even been hit twice in the same season, so they could catch Hampton if they match their career highs - though Penny being in the American League would make that unlikely for him. Elarton and the recently retired Matt Clement were the only active pitchers with a 3 HBP season to their credit, but now no active pitcher has been hit more than twice in as season.

Player	HBP at P	Status
Greg Maddux	5	Retired
Mike Hampton	5	Active
Scott Elarton	5	Free Agent
Livan Hernandez	4	Active
Roy Oswalt	4	Active
Brad Penny	3	Active
Jake Peavy	3	Active
Darren Oliver	3	Active
Jeff Suppan	3	Active
John Smoltz	3	Active
Pedro Martinez	3	Free Agent
Adam Eaton	3	Active
Shawn Estes	3	Active

Labels: Jason Kendall