Plunk Everyone

HBPs of note: August 16, 2009

Prior to yesterday, Chone Figgins had been through 512 plate appearances without getting hit by a pitch, leading the league in that category. He'd only been hit 5 times in his 3,863 plate appearances for the 2nd lowest career plunk rate in the Majors. The only player who's been plunked less often in his career is Garrett Anderson. Anderson, before yesterday, had been hit 6 times in 8,843 plate appearances. He was the only player in major league history with over 8000 plate appearances but 6 plunks or less. So, a guy with a career plunk rate of one every 773 plate appearances, and another guy with a career rate of one plunk every 1,474 plate appearances both got hit by a pitch yesterday. In related news, 2 monkeys typing randomly at computer keyboards both typed Shakespeare's Othello, though heavy intervention by a spell check program is suspected. And, two congressman had a truthful and rational discussion on healthcare at the same time - though not with each other.

Just to add to the improbability, Figgins got hit in the 12th inning, in his 7th plate appearance of the day, facing Brian Bass. He also got his 1000th career hit in that game.

In Milwaukee, Felipe Lopez got plunked for the Brewers in the 5th inning against the Astros, marking the 500th HBP in Miller Park History. In the 6th inning of that same game, Carlos Lee got his 40th career plunk which coincidentally was the 40th plunk ever thrown by Braden Looper.

Adam Dunn got hit twice at Great American Ballpark, bringing his career total there to 25. He's the 2nd most plunked player at that park, behind Jason Larue, but these were Dunn's first two plunks as a visitor in Cincinnati. His first one of the day was his 60th career plunk. His 2nd one left him tied with Lance Berkman as the 8th most plunked player born in Texas, but they're both 206 plunks behind Don Baylor for the record among native Texans.


And Jamey Wright threw his 134th career plunk, which is a lot.





felipe lopez 500th miller park plunk.

Labels: HBPs of note