THIS guy again

On Saturday Livan Hernandez became the first Washington National to hit Craig Biggio with a pitch since they changed their name from the Expos. Yesterday Phil Mickelson became the first golfer not named Tiger to win The Masters on a weekend when Craig Biggio was plunked. But, the Nationals pitching staff did not throw Biggio anything to be hit by during Sunday's Astros win.

John Patterson will pitch the series finally for Washington this afternoon. Patterson has 16 career hit batters, but he has never hit Craig Biggio with a pitch. However, even if Patterson bounces one off some part Biggio's person, we may not get plunk #275 because Doug Eddings is scheduled to be today's home plate umpire. Eddings enraged baseball fans on a national level during last year's ALCS, but months before that he became the first umpire ever to refuse to give Biggio first base after a plunk, and subsequently ejected Biggio from the game last August.

Shawn Chacon plunked Biggio on April 10, 2002 for the Colorado Rockies, but he is the only pitcher to have done so on this date.