Pitchers and Catchers are beginning spring training, with the Red Sox and Indians starting camp yesterday, and the other 28 teams kicking things off between today and Sunday. This is a special time, when the pitching batteries get to do their sinister plotting before the regular position players (aka targets) have gotten to their spring training sites. You didn't think it was just because pitchers and catchers need more work in the spring did you? No - they like to plan, and work on secret things that they don't want the regular position players and hitters to know. In some cases they work on new and clever ways to hit batters without looking like they're trying to. In other cases they have extensive meetings to review studies of whether or not it's even possible to miss batters like Jason Kendall, Carlos Quentin and Chase Utley.
These are the subjects of many of the reports turned in by pitchers and catchers, but those are advanced topics. They all have to do a report, or so the headline leads me to believe when it says "pitchers and catchers report", and while the veterans and leading minds tackle the tough and top secret topics like who to hit with pitches and how hard to hit them, the rest of the pitchers and catchers are left to their own discretion what to do for their reports. Unfortunately, I fear most of the pitchers and catchers have probably paid too much attention to major sports news outlets and they all be reporting on nothing but Brett Favre (wanting to avoid the more sensitive topics closer to their own sport). But, just to help them out with their reports, maybe we can think of some better topics here.
So, if you're a pitcher or catcher and need help with your report, I give you full permission to use the following information about the final HBP totals in the various winter leagues. Maybe you can write it up as a study comparing the leagues, or maybe if you're one of these people listed you can write it as the classic "what I did on my winter vacation" report. Or, you can make a diorama. That's always fun too.
Arizona Fall League HBP Leaders (Batting):| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Casper Wells | Mesa Solar Sox | 8 | 96 | 0.083 |
| Chris Pettit | Scottsdale Scorpions | 7 | 164 | 0.043 |
| Kevin Frandsen | Scottsdale Scorpions | 7 | 152 | 0.046 |
| Tyler Greene | Peoria Saguaros | 5 | 99 | 0.051 |
| Eric Young | Phoenix Desert Dogs | 3 | 122 | 0.025 |
| Brandon Snyder | Surprise Rafters | 3 | 72 | 0.042 |
| Mike Baxter | Peoria Saguaros | 3 | 101 | 0.03 |
| Emmanuel Burriss | Scottsdale Scorpions | 3 | 93 | 0.032 |
| Michael McKenry | Phoenix Desert Dogs | 3 | 98 | 0.031 |
| Kevin Russo | Peoria Javelins | 3 | 123 | 0.024 |
| Brian McFall | Surprise Rafters | 3 | 73 | 0.041 |
Arizona Fall League HB Leaders (Pitching):| Name | Team | HB | Batters Faced | HB per BF |
| Sergio Perez | Scottsdale Scorpions | 6 | 106 | 0.057 |
| Rowdy Hardy | Surprise Rafters | 5 | 103 | 0.049 |
| Gaby Hernandez | Peoria Javelins | 4 | 136 | 0.029 |
| Joe Woerman | Peoria Javelins | 3 | 62 | 0.048 |
| Jeff Sues | Scottsdale Scorpions | 3 | 71 | 0.042 |
| Dan Cortes | Surprise Rafters | 3 | 132 | 0.023 |
| Jeff Manship | Phoenix Desert Dogs | 3 | 167 | 0.018 |
| Kevin Pucetas | Scottsdale Scorpions | 3 | 146 | 0.021 |
| Phil Hughes | Peoria Javelins | 3 | 124 | 0.024 |
| Tommy Hanson | Mesa Solar Sox | 3 | 124 | 0.024 |
| Shane Lindsay | Phoenix Desert Dogs | 3 | 96 | 0.031 |
Hawaii Winter League HBP Leaders (Batting):
| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Darin Holcomb | Honolulu Sharks | 6 | 110 | 0.055 |
| Tommy Giles | Waikiki Beach Boys | 4 | 84 | 0.048 |
| Chris Carter | North Shore Honu | 4 | 101 | 0.04 |
| Todd Frazier | Waikiki Beach Boys | 4 | 116 | 0.034 |
| James Skelton | West Oahu CaneFires | 3 | 87 | 0.034 |
| Gregory Burns | West Oahu CaneFires | 3 | 124 | 0.024 |
| Adam Loewen | West Oahu CaneFires | 3 | 38 | 0.079 |
| Matt McBride | North Shore Honu | 3 | 151 | 0.02 |
| Cyle Hankerd | West Oahu CaneFires | 3 | 106 | 0.028 |
| Mark Hallberg | West Oahu CaneFires | 3 | 136 | 0.022 |
| Tony Thomas | Waikiki Beach Boys | 3 | 136 | 0.022 |
Hawaii Winter League HB Leaders (Pitching):
| Name | Team | HB | Batters Faced | HB per BF |
| Chris Salberg | West Oahu CaneFires | 7 | 136 | 0.051 |
| Steve Edlefsen | Waikiki Beach Boys | 6 | 72 | 0.083 |
| Jason Godin | North Shore Honu | 5 | 137 | 0.036 |
| Rob Harmon | Waikiki Beach Boys | 4 | 73 | 0.055 |
| Scott Shaw | Honolulu Sharks | 4 | 124 | 0.032 |
Dominican Winter League HBP Leaders (Batting):
| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Juan Francisco | Gigantes del Cibao | 7 | 210 | 0.033 |
| Timo Perez | Tigres del Licey | 7 | 273 | 0.026 |
| Luis Terrero | Aguilas Cibaenas | 7 | 115 | 0.061 |
| Esteban German | Azucareros del Este | 6 | 199 | 0.03 |
| Angel Berroa | Azucareros del Este | 5 | 93 | 0.054 |
| Dusty Brown | Azucareros del Este | 5 | 99 | 0.051 |
Dominican Winter League HB Leaders (Pitching):
Mexican Pacific League HBP Leaders (Batting)
| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Jesse Gutierrez | Caneros de los Mochis | 7 | 300 | 0.023 |
| Sergio Contreras | Yaquis de Obregon | 7 | 182 | 0.038 |
| Jose Rodriguez | Algodoneros de Guasave | 7 | 347 | 0.02 |
| Carlos Gastelum | Naranjeros de Hermosillo | 6 | 285 | 0.021 |
| Oswaldo Morejon | Aguilas de Mexicali | 6 | 325 | 0.018 |
| Todd Jennings | Aguilas de Mexicali | 6 | 175 | 0.034 |
| Kit Pellow* | Tomateros de Culiacan | 6 | 96 | 0.063 |
| Ruben Rivera | Venados de Mazatlan | 5 | 210 | 0.024 |
| Geronimo Gil | Naranjeros de Hermosillo | 5 | 235 | 0.021 |
| Brian Myrow | Venados de Mazatlan | 5 | 117 | 0.043 |
| John Lindsey | Venados de Mazatlan | 5 | 187 | 0.027 |
* - Besides being hit 6 times for Tomateros de Culiacan, Kit Pellow was also plunked 4 times for Algodoneros de Guasave for a total of 10 plunks in 112 plate appearances in the Mexican Pacific League. He also managed to get 23 plate appearances for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican League, but didn't get plunked there.
Mexican Pacific League HB Leaders (Pitching):
| Name | Team | HB | Batters Faced | HB per BF |
| Pablo Ortega | Venados de Mazatlan | 7 | 451 | 0.016 |
| Alfredo Caudillo | Aguilas de Mexicali | 7 | 298 | 0.023 |
| Edgar Gonzalez | Naranjeros de Hermosillo | 7 | 277 | 0.025 |
| Oscar Villarreal | Aguilas de Mexicali | 6 | 252 | 0.024 |
| Miguel Ramirez | Naranjeros de Hermosillo | 6 | 296 | 0.02 |
Puerto Rican Winter League HBP Leaders (Batting)
| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Randy Ruiz | Indios de Mayaguez
| 7 | 137 | 0.051 |
| Joe Thurston | Leones de Ponce
| 6 | 167 | 0.036 |
| Jorge Padilla | Lobos de Arecibo | 6 | 214 | 0.028 |
| John Rodriguez | Cangrejeros de Santurce
| 6 | 108 | 0.056 |
| Luis Matos | Criollos de Caguas
| 5 | 184 | 0.027 |
| Jose Leon | Lobos de Arecibo | 5 | 158 | 0.032 |
Puerto Rican Winter League HB Leaders (Pitching):
| Name | Team | HB | Batters Faced | HB per BF |
| Josue Matos | Gigantes de Carolina | 6 | 220 | 0.027 |
| Angel Garcia | Cangrejeros de Santurce
| 5 | 112 | 0.045 |
| Hector Mercado | Leones de Ponce
| 5 | 312 | 0.016 |
| Chris Kelly | Lobos de Arecibo | 5 | 160 | 0.031 |
| Orlando Roman* | Criollos de Caguas
| 5 | 225 | 0.022 |
* - Orlando Roman also hit 2 of the 24 batters he faces pitching for Indios de Mayaguez for a total of 7 hit batters and 249 batters faced. He also faced 27 batters in the Caribbean Series, but didn't hit anyone.
Venezuelan Winter League HBP Leaders (Batting)
| Name | Team | HBP | Plate Appearances | HBP per PA |
| Brendan Katin | Aguilas de Zulia | 11 | 221 | 0.05 |
| Max Ramirez | Tiburones de La Guaira | 8 | 203 | 0.039 |
| Luis Gonzalez* | Caribes de Anzoategui | 8 | 208 | 0.038 |
| Jose Lopez | Cardenales de Lara | 7 | 187 | 0.037 |
| Jesus Guzman | Leones del Caracas | 7 | 374 | 0.019 |
* - Luis Gonzalez also got hit once for Leones del Caracas, for a total of 9 HBPs in 276 plate appearances in the Venezuelan League.
Venezuelan Winter League HB Leaders (Pitching):
| Name | Team | HB | Batters Faced | HB per BF |
| Tracy Thorpe | Cardenales de Lara | 6 | 187 | 0.032 |
| Tony Armas | Leones del Caracas | 6 | 109 | 0.055 |
| Darwin Cubillan | Leones del Caracas | 5 | 132 | 0.038 |
| Yorman Bazardo | Tigres de Aragua | 5 | 237 | 0.021 |
| Harold Eckert | Tiburones de La Guaira | 5 | 173 | 0.029 |
| Henry Bonilla | Tiburones de La Guaira | 5 | 357 | 0.014 |
| Marcel Prado | Aguilas de Zulia | 5 | 68 | 0.074 |
Caribbean Series Plunks:
(In case your not familiar with the Caribbean Series, every year the winning teams from the Venezuelan, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Domincan winter leagues get together and play a round robin tournament called the Caribbean Series. Each team plays each other team twice.)
Team Venezuala won the Caribbean series this year, but it was Mexico who took the title for getting hit by the most pitches, with 3 plunks in their 6 series games. Christian Quintero got hit twice for Mexico, by Giancarlo Alvarado of Puerto Rico, and Oneli Perez from the Dominican team. Mexico's 3rd HBP was recorded by Agustin Murillo against Edward Buzachero of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican team led the tournament in hitting batters, with 3 - two against the Mexican team, and one more against the Dominican Republic when Travis Minix hit Ronny Paulino. That was the only plunk taken on behalf of the Dominican team. Rounding out the Caribbean Series HBP list, Jose Cobos, representing Mexico, hit Luis Maza, of the Venezuelan team, and Andrew Lorraine, pitching for Venezuala, hit Jesus Feliciano of Team Puerto Rico.
Labels: Winter ball
