Plunk Everyone

HBPs of Note: July 8, 2009

Chad Durbin threw two plunks yesterday for the Phillies, and Chad Gaudin added one more for the Padres, which means that pair of Chads tied the all time record for most plunks thrown by guys named Chad in a single day. Remarkably, the last time three batters were plunked by Chads was exactly 8 years ago, on July 8, 2009. On that day, Chad Durbin did it all himself, plunking 3 batters against the Astros (two of them were Craig Biggio). Durbin is now the active leader in plunking people on July 8th with 5 - out of a career total of 36, so that's kind of weird.

The only other day three batters were plunked by Chads was September 22, 1998 when Chad Ogea hit three Yankees. Prior to 1996, the only season in which Chads threw at least 3 plunks was 1933 when Chad Kimsey hit 4 batters in 2 starts and 26 relief appearances. (There's a tiny chance he threw them all in one game, but hardly worth considering). Chads have hit 18 batters so far this season, so they have a reasonable shot at breaking the single season record for combined plunks by Chads, which is 32 in 2007. And Chad Durbin has hit 7 batters already, so he has a great chance of breaking the single season individual Chad record for plunks, which he already owns with 11 in 2001.

Chad Durbin's first plunk yesterday was the 35th of his career, and the 30th for Brandon Phillips. Also in non-Chad related news, Carlos Pena got his 45th career HBP yesterday, and Robinson Cano got his 20th. Pena's was also his 15th at Tropicana Field. Johnny Gomes holds the park record with 26, while Rocco Baldelli is 2nd with 17 plunks at Tropicana. Pena is third.


The Minnesota Twins have now gone 25 consecutive games without being plunked. They're only the third team this century to accomplish that non-feat - the Reds went 26 plunkless games last year, and the Padres dodged all pitches for 31 straight games in 2002.

Labels: HBPs of note