contending Cubs?

The Chicago Cubs really are contending for first place in the NL Central division, but they haven't shown it recently, and the Astros handed them their 3rd straight loss by a 5-2 score last night. Craig Biggio broke a 1-1 tie in the 6th inning with an rbi single, but neither he nor Jason Kendall were hit by a pitch. It was the fifth time this season two players with over 200 career HBPs have played in the same game, but neither of them has been plunked in any of those games. Before Biggio and Kendall faced each other this year, there hadn't been a game involving two players with over 200 plunks since Hughie Jennings and Tommy Tucker faced each other in 1899. Kendall and Biggio currently have a combined 499 plunks - which is more than the next 3 players on the active list combined.

Tonight could be the night when Kendall and Biggio reach 500 combined plunks, but the question is which one will get plunked first? Carlos Zambrano is pitching for the Cubs, and he's tied for the National League lead in hitting batters with 9. But, he hasn't plunked Biggio since the 2003 season when he did it on May 31st and August 12th.

Craig Biggio recorded his 255th career plunk on August 8, 2004 against Sunny Kim of the Expos. For those of you who don't know what an Expo is, or used to be, ask your parents.