Plunked! The Most Hit-Batsmen by Kansas City Pitchers in the '00's

by Freneau on Jan 28, 2009 5:16 PM EST in Kansas City Royals News

Even for a pathetic blogger who lives in his mom's basement, I just couldn't pull the trigger on a Hit Me Greinke One More Time title. That song did come out a decade ago (wow... just wow... suicide now).

Most HBPs by a Royal Pitcher During the '00's:

Zack Greinke: 28
Jeff Suppan: 26
Mike Wood: 21
Runelvys Hernandez: 20
Dan Reichert: 19

Greinke, Suppan and Runelvys are all in the top ten in innings pitched this decade (1, 2 & 4th respectively) so their totals are exactly where you'd expect them to be. That can't be said for the other two however, so mad props to Mike Wood and Dan Reichert for battling their way into the top five.

Tweet Comment 30 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Interesting to compare

1970s
1. Dennis Leonard – 42
2. Dick Drago – 29
3. Paul Splitorff – 28
4. Steve Busby – 23
5. Jim Colborn – 15

1980s
1. Mark Gubicza – 32
2. Bud Black – 29
3. Larry Gura – 27
4. Danny Jackson – 22
5. Bret Saberhagen – 17

1990s
1. Kevin Appier – 39
2. Hipolito Pichardo – 27
3. Mark Gubicza – 26
4. Jeff Montgomery – 22
5. Mike Boddicker – 21

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 28, 2009 5:23 PM EST reply actions

but pitchers don't go inside anymore!!!!!!

our national innocence has been destroyed by it donchaknow

by Freneau on Jan 28, 2009 5:29 PM EST up reply actions

But our HBP/BB totals haven’t correlated in the ‘00s the majority of the time. Baird always implemented the pitch to contact mantra. Pitchers, almost always, need to use the entire plate to be effective. It’s not some macho “show ‘em who’s boss” mentality, but a vital orchestration for success. I understand the lack of HBP thing is a Braves emphasis (and a likely Royals one), but still. Use the entire plate, dammit.

The Nation at large. I'll be playing the role of RR Resident Optimist this offseason. What role will you assume?

by Royals Nation on Jan 28, 2009 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

hey, you'd have to say Baird's philosophy got through!

wow did those guys ever pitch to contact. Serious, serious contact…

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by Matt Klaassen on Jan 28, 2009 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

This is my favorite part of Greinke's game.

I love it when he comes in high on hitters. Over the last two years I think he has been the only pitcher on the entire staff willing to brush back. It is an unexpected part of Zack, personality wise.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jan 28, 2009 5:29 PM EST reply actions

remember when Greinke plunked Toriiiii in the face?

Don't Stop Believing!

by KC Chris on Jan 28, 2009 5:41 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

So you're saying

that Runelvys has thrown the 4th most innings for the Royals this decade?

How f’ng sad is that?

I just got back from your mom's basement.

by Warden11 on Jan 28, 2009 7:08 PM EST reply actions

but he ate the most

at the buffet!

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Jan 28, 2009 9:10 PM EST up reply actions

So I guess it goes without saying

that the greatest Royal headhunter of all-time is the Goob?

Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.

by jonfmorse on Jan 28, 2009 8:32 PM EST reply actions

Yep

All-Time Royals Plunkers
1. Gubie 58
2. Leonard 52
3. Gura 40
4. Ape 39
5. Splitt 34…

9. Planet Zack 28

Mike Wood is pretty high at 16th, DJ Carrasco is 24th, Banny and Gobble are 34th

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 28, 2009 9:13 PM EST up reply actions

Montgomery's numbers are surprising

given that he was a reliever. It just reinforces my memory that he wasn’t very useful.

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Jan 28, 2009 9:11 PM EST reply actions

The important stat

is how many of those hit batsmen led to brawls?

by Royal from Queens on Jan 29, 2009 12:03 AM EST reply actions

The best Runelvys hit batsmen

Carlos Guillen

I love this because it shows both Hernandez and Farnsworth, which makes it twice as fun. I’m not gonna defend the pitch, but the announcers are really annoying except for…

My favorite quotes:
“You know when big boy got there, it was gonna get on.”
“…and Affeldt is no twirp.”

by Joseph Landis on Jan 29, 2009 12:11 AM EST reply actions

I apologize for the link

Bad code, I guess.

Here’s the page, I found it at

In the last Paragraph.

by Joseph Landis on Jan 29, 2009 12:14 AM EST up reply actions

Fun blast from the past

Are the Tigs announcers always that crappy? I had never heard the Tigers broadcast of that one.

Also, I love Bonderman and the always funny “it takes 5 guys to hold me back when I really don’t want any piece of this fight but I want to look like it anyways” which is funny since he’s basically being hugged the whole time.

by sterlingice on Jan 29, 2009 2:12 PM EST up reply actions

I enjoyed that clip

That was awesome. It made me laugh because although I was expecting Runelvys to hit him, my jaws still dropped when he did.

BTW, that clip also contained a special guest appearence by… LIMA TIME!

by Royal from Queens on Jan 29, 2009 12:25 AM EST up reply actions

Another comment about that clip

My goodness were those Tigers announcers obnoxious.

by Royal from Queens on Jan 29, 2009 12:29 AM EST up reply actions

But...

Have they ever been almost assaulted by Milton Bradley? I think not.

by Joseph Landis on Jan 29, 2009 12:53 AM EST up reply actions

"The game was close so, that was important. If I hit a guy, I want him to be hurt, at least feel it." - Zack Greinke

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Jan 29, 2009 2:26 AM EST reply actions

Excepting the 00s, notice that...

…the pitchers who hit batters are pretty decent performers. That means that HBP is part of the repertoire. I mean, even a control guy like Saberhagen used it to his advantage.

Maxim: For every team, each decade’s HBP list will normally be dominated by some of the team’s best pitchers—-even if corrected for longevity (so, go with per game or per season stats). – TL

by timlacy on Jan 29, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions

that would be interesting...

worth checking out. HBP/IP correlation with pitching WAR…

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by Matt Klaassen on Jan 29, 2009 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Let me know.

I’ve been curious about this for some time—-for both the Royals and the Cubs. I was convinced either last year or in 07 that the Royals weren’t hitting enough batters. …If you’re joking, well, I retract. – TL

by timlacy on Jan 29, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions

…the pitchers who hit batters are pretty decent performers.

May have something to do with they had the most opportunities because they pitched the most innings. I wonder what the highest HBP/innings are.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 30, 2009 2:01 PM EST up reply actions

The Farns

will put some “fight” into this team. That boy has moxie!

meat

by kabrink on Jan 29, 2009 8:58 PM EST reply actions

HBP's don't make pitchers better

Sometimes there’s a positive to the pitcher’s team from a HBP. But there is always a negative. And I think the negatives outweigh the positives. Plunking isn’t a net positive, a skill or something in a pitcher’s repertoire. It’s a mistake: either a missed pitch or a mistake in judgement.

The immoderate moderator

by Scott McKinney on Jan 29, 2009 11:50 PM EST reply actions