Weekend: mets at houston, pbr at cooperstown

The Astros used the long standing theory of how to beat Pedro Martinez last night - wait until he leaves and beat his relievers. They also pulled into a wildcard tie, but Craig Biggio once again was not hit by a pitch.

Kris Benson pitches for the Mets tonight, he hit Biggio with a pitch on May 6, 2004, but Biggio has never been plunked on July 29th.

Saturday it will be Tom Glavine facing the Astros, and he hardly ever plunks anyone. But, Biggio has been hit twice on July 30th. Mike LaCoss plunked Biggio on July 30, 1989, and Hector Carrasco hit him on that date in 1996.

Sunday's Mets starter is Kaz Ishii. Ishii has never hit Biggio, but has delivered 16 plunks in 101 appearance. Greg Maddux hit Biggio with a pitch on July 31, 1993.

Also on Sunday, Peter Gammons, [edit]Jerry Coleman, Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I, too, will be at the Hall this weekend, hoping to see important artifacts of plunk history like the plaques of plunk leader Hughie Jennings, and all time plunker Walter Johnson (203 hit batters), and the famous elbow pad worn by Craig Biggio when he broke the modern era hit by pitch record. If I get a chance, I might even ask why Wade Boggs only got hit 23 times, and Sandberg only tallied 34 plunks - Craig Biggio had 34 in 1997 alone.

No pitcher who has hit Craig Biggio with a pitch has been elected to the Hall so far. In fact, only 5 have even gotten a single Hall of Fame vote, led by Darryl Kile's 7 votes. Sid Fernandez has 2 Hall of Fame votes, and Tom Browning, Ron Darling, and Jose Rijo only got one member of the Baseball Writers Association of America to vote for them. Most of the Hall of Fame caliber pitchers who have plunked Biggio are still playing, but Orel Hershiser is up for election next year for 2006 induction and should get a reasonable amount of consideration.