2006 plunks by batting order slot
David Eckstein was hit again last night, bringing the league-wide total number of plunks by leadoff batters to 95. But, because of the difference in plate appearances lead off batters get compared to batters lower in the order, the #1 slot is only 2nd in plunks per plate appearance, behind the #6 batters this season. Batters hitting 1st in the order have been plunked 0.0128 times per plate appearance, or once every 78.4 PAs, while #6 batters have been hit 0.0129 times per PA, or once every 77.7 plate appearances. Last year, #1 batters were plunked most overall, narrowly edging #2 batters 229 to 228, but it was #8 batters who were plunked most often per plate appearance. Only 2 of Biggio's 4 plunks this season have come while batting leadoff.
| HBP | PA | HBP/PA | PA/HBP | HBP | PA | HBP/PA | PA/HBP | |
| bat order | 2006 | 2005 | ||||||
| 1st | 95 | 7447 | 0.0128 | 78.4 | 229 | 22886 | 0.01 | 99.9 |
| 2nd | 74 | 7283 | 0.0102 | 98.4 | 228 | 22281 | 0.0102 | 97.7 |
| 3rd | 71 | 7120 | 0.01 | 100.3 | 210 | 21955 | 0.0096 | 104.5 |
| 4th | 76 | 6950 | 0.0109 | 91.4 | 219 | 21476 | 0.0102 | 98.1 |
| 5th | 66 | 6791 | 0.0097 | 102.9 | 202 | 20916 | 0.0097 | 103.5 |
| 6th | 85 | 6605 | 0.0129 | 77.7 | 177 | 20362 | 0.0087 | 115 |
| 7th | 68 | 6411 | 0.0106 | 94.3 | 191 | 19770 | 0.0097 | 103.5 |
| 8th | 68 | 6239 | 0.0109 | 91.8 | 213 | 19326 | 0.011 | 90.7 |
| 9th | 35 | 6072 | 0.0058 | 173.5 | 128 | 18536 | 0.0069 | 144.8 |
Leadoff batters have recorded more plunks than any other spot in the batting order in 8 of the past 18 seasons, but they've recorded the most plunks per plate appearance in only 3 of those seasons. #3 batters have been plunked most per plate appearances in 5 of the past 18 seasons.
The batting order slot with the most overall plunks has also held the lead in plunks per plate appearance in 13 of the past 18 seasons. And, the batting order slot where Craig Biggio has been plunked most often has coincided with the slot where the most batter where plunked league wide in only 6 seasons.
3 Comments:
Oh plunk meister,
Why do you think the number 8 batters are getting so plunked? I would have thought that later in the lineup easier to strike out, so less pitching insdie ... or are pitchers getting tired ?
Unfortunately, even if number 8 batters are more likely to strike out in many cases, there are still plenty of pitchers who can't find the strikezone. (I'm more and more convinced that the vast majority of plunks are pitches that aren't going where they were intended).
But this year, Jason Kendall has been plunked 5 times batting in the 8th spot, and last year Mike Lieberthal and Jason Larue both got plunked in double digits batting 8th - so, there have been a number of good get-hitters batting there. Also, those 3 guys are catchers - catchers get put in the 8th spot a whole lot, particularly in the National League, and catchers also tend to get hit a lot (and former catchers).
Oh let's not forget that the our plunk -here (the Bigg man himself) was originally a catcher!
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