Plunk Everyone

Kelly Shoppach was sent packing by the Cleveland Indians earlier this week, traded for a player to be plunked later to the Tampa Bay Rays. This is good news for Shoppach and his apparent love for being hit by a lot of pitches, since the Indians did not seem interested in giving him a lot of playing time, even after the Victor Martinez trade. Even if he doesn't get more playing time though, Shoppach should find more pitches to get hit by. In 2009, pitchers in the American League Central Division had the lowest plunk rate of any division in the league, at 1 hit batter per every 132.6 plate appearances. If we exclude Cleveland from that calculation, Shoppach's division opponents hit batters once every 130.5 plate appearances. But the American League East had the highest pitchers' plunk rate of any division in the majors, with a batter being hit by an AL East pitcher once every 106.5 plate appearances. Tampa Bay's pitchers were actually showing below average in the division, at plunking batters, because teams pitcher in the AL East who weren't pitching for the Rays hit a batter every 101.5 plate appearances. Based on 2009 numbers, Shoppach should be able to get hit by 28.6% more pitches in the same number of plate appearances. (Obviously plunk rates in 2010 will be a little different depending on player movement, and restructured pitching staffs, but the AL East has consistently been a prime place to get hit by pitches - AL East pitchers have had the highest plunk rate by division in 7 of the last 10 seasons, and have never been lower than third place among divisions.

Shoppach got hit 18 times to lead the AL in 2009. If he gets hit 28.6% more often, as indicated by 2009 plunk rates, he'll be in the neighborhood of 23 HBPs. The Ray's franchise record for plunks in a season is 14 by Johnny Gomes in 2005. That record could very likely change hands in 2010.