Carlos Quentin has been selected to this year’s All-Star Team for the American League, and he’s been hit by 19 pitches already this year. You may have been wondering, is he the most plunked All Star ever? Not quite. Jason Kendall went to the 1998 All-Star game having already amassed 20 HBPs that year. But he was playing for the National League. Quentin is the most plunked American League All-Star ever. Don Baylor had more plunks at the All-Star break in 1986 than Quentin does now, but Baylor was passed over for the mid summer classic – because, you know, people didn’t understand the genius they were witnessing at the time or realize he was on his way to a 35 HBP year.
Anyway, here’s the complete list of people who made the All-Star team, and had been hit by at least 15 pitches at the time of the game. Only one of them – Craig Biggio in 1998 – got hit by a pitch in the All-Star game he went to with 15+ plunks on the season.
Jason Kendall – 20 – 1998
Carlos Quentin – 19 – 2011
Shea Hillenbrand – 16 – 2005
Craig Biggio – 16 – 1996
Craig Biggio – 15 – 1998
Chase Utley – 15 – 2007
Plunk Signal