Plunk Everyone

Jason Kendall got plunked last night, for the 236th time in his career. He got hit by Carlos Martinez, who had never hit anyone before. Kendall has been hit by a pitch 37 times on Tuesdays. Only 90 other active players - 15.6% of players who have batted in 2009 - have 37 total HBPs, but Kendall has that many on Tuesdays. Carlos Delgado is 2nd among active players in Tuesday plunks with 24, but Craig Biggio had 47 HBPs on Tuesdays. The Marlins, who threw Kendalls 236th plunk, have a total of only 180 career HBPs among every guy who has batted for them this year. So, if you take every player who's batted for the Marlins this year, and add their total career plunks together, and then somehow get another player with 55 HBPs onto their team, they still wouldn't have as many career HBPs as Jason Kendall. 6 other teams also don't have as many career plunks on this year's team as Kendall, and Kendall is only 6 behind the combined total of all this year's Texas Rangers.

In Anaheim, David Ortiz got plunked with the bases loaded, so Red Sox fans can be re-assured that even though Ortiz has no home runs this year, a bases loaded HBP is just as good as a solo homer. Although usually it's not as good as a bases loaded homer, depending on your perspective. Ortiz was the 11th batter this year to get an RBI plunk.

67 batters have been plunked on Tuesdays this year, including 12 yesterday, giving Tuesday a commanding lead on Sundays (54) for the most plunk-full day of the week. It's only slightly ahead of Thursdays in terms of plunks per plate appearance, but Tuesday still leads that category for now. A batter has been plunked once every 94.5 plate appearances this year.

Labels: HBPs of note, Jason Kendall