Here are the 10 most valuable hit-by-pitches in 2011, ranked by Win Probability Added for the team whose batter was plunked.
| Date | Batter | Tm | Opp | Pitcher | Score | Inn | RoB | Out | RBI | WPA ▾ | Play Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-22 | Justin Turner | NYM | OAK | Brad Ziegler | tied 2-2 | b13 | 123 | 2 | 1 | 0.35 | *ENDED GAME*:Hit By Pitch; Duda Scores; Murphy to 3B; Reyes to 2B |
| 2011-09-23 | Todd Frazier | CIN | @PIT | Joel Hanrahan | down 3-2 | t9 | 123 | 2 | 1 | 0.31 | Hit By Pitch; Phillips Scores; Stubbs to 3B; Bruce to 2B |
| 2011-05-12 | Adam Jones | BAL | SEA | Brandon League | down 1-0 | b12 | 12- | 0 | 0 | 0.22 | Hit By Pitch; Lee to 3B; Guerrero to 2B |
| 2011-06-21 | Placido Polanco | PHI | @STL | Jason Motte | down 2-1 | t8 | 123 | 1 | 1 | 0.21 | Hit By Pitch; Victorino Scores; Utley to 3B; Howard to 2B |
| 2011-07-08 | Rob Johnson | SDP | @LAD | Javy Guerra | down 1-0 | t9 | 12- | 0 | 0 | 0.21 | Hit By Pitch; Maybin to 3B; Rizzo to 2B |
| 2011-05-12 | Vladimir Guerrero | BAL | SEA | Brandon League | down 1-0 | b12 | 1– | 0 | 0 | 0.18 | Hit By Pitch; Lee to 2B |
| 2011-08-09 | Kosuke Fukudome | CLE | DET | David Pauley | tied 2-2 | b14 | 123 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | *ENDED GAME*:Hit By Pitch; Cabrera Scores; Kearns to 3B; Santana to 2B |
| 2011-08-21 | Jonny Gomes | WSN | PHI | Brad Lidge | tied 4-4 | b10 | 123 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 | *ENDED GAME*:Hit By Pitch; Zimmerman Scores; Morse to 3B; Werth to 2B |
| 2011-08-21 | Jason Donald | CLE | @DET | Jose Valverde | down 8-7 | t9 | 1– | 0 | 0 | 0.16 | Hit By Pitch; Fukudome to 2B |
| 2011-08-04 | Darwin Barney | CHC | @PIT | Daniel McCutchen | down 6-4 | t8 | 12- | 0 | 0 | 0.15 | Hit By Pitch; Johnson to 3B; Castro to 2B |
| 2011-09-26 | Jerry Hairston | MIL | PIT | Jason Grilli | down 9-8 | b8 | 12- | 1 | 0 | 0.15 | Hit By Pitch; Schafer to 3B; Braun to 2B |
There are actually 11 there since the last 2 were tied.
Interesting, Brandon League has two consecutive HBP on here, boith coming in the bottom of the 12th against the Orioles. At the time, the Mariners were up 1-0, the Orioles had a runner on first with no outs, and a 33% chance of winning the game. Two hit batters later, the bases were loaded and the Orioles’ odds of winning were up to 74%. Another two batters later, J.J. Hardy singled home two as the Orioles walked off with the win. Oopsies.
The HBP from Valverde to Jason Donald ultimately set up this highlight-reel game-winning DP by Austin Jackson:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=18296893
… which finished off a weekend series sweep of Cleveland. The Tribe came to Detroit hot on the Tigers’ heels, 1.5 games back; the sweep left them 4.5 back, and they never got any closer.
Jackson’s throw also preserved Valverde’s “perfect” season — 49 saves in 49 tries.
The Padres’ Ernesto Frieri had two consecutive run-scoring HBPs on June 20 at Fenway — a combined 0.14 WPA for those two plate appearances. Frieri hit eight batters in his first 37.2 IP in 2011. He finished in a tie for sixth in the NL with nine hit batsmen despite pitching only 63 innings. The first batter reached base 29 times in Frieri’s 59 appearances (OBP .492).
Okay, 2.71 ERA, 132 ERA+ . . . but he was really shaky, especially before the All-Star break.
The Padres’ Ernesto Frieri had two consecutive bases-loaded HBPs in the seventh inning of a June 20 game at Fenway. (Combined WPA for the two plate appearances was 0.14 — Boston won the game 14-5.) Frieri put up a 132 ERA+ last season, but he was very shaky doing it. He hit eight batters in his first 37.2 IP (nine HBP for the season), and in his 59 appearances the first batter he faced reached base 29 times (.492 OBP).
On June 20 the Padres’ Ernesto Frieri hit two batters in a row in the seventh inning of a 14-5 loss at Fenway. (Combined WPA for the two plate appearances was 0.14.) Frieri put up a 132 ERA+ last season, but was very shaky doing it. He hit eight batters in his first 37.2 IP, and the first batter he faced reached base 29 times in his 59 appearances (.492 OBP).
And your 2011 Rod “My Little Scavenger” Kanehl Award winner is . . . Justin Turner.
In 1963, Casey Stengel had a standing offer of $50 to any Met who got hit by the pitch with the bases loaded. Rod Kanehl was the only one who collected. Stengel called him “my little scavenger.” I hope that offer is still out there–Justin could probably use the fifty bucks.
