The 10 most valuable hit-by-pitches in 2011

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
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/4/2012.

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.

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Max
Max
12 years ago

Yay! The Mets actually did something best in the league…2011 New York Mets: Hit By Pitch Champions!

Dr. Remulak
Dr. Remulak
12 years ago

One of the great highlights of the Mets 2011: Turner’s walk-off HBP. Can the magic be repeated this year?

John Autin
Editor
12 years ago

The game-ending plunking of Turner was the only HBP all year by Ziegler.

John Autin
Editor
12 years ago

Vladdy and Adam Jones were hit by consecutive pitches from Brandon League in that 5/12/12 game, setting up J.J. Hardy’s behind-to-game-winning hit.

Those were the only HBP by League last year out of 250 batters faced.

John Autin
Editor
12 years ago

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.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
12 years ago

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.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
12 years ago

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).

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
12 years ago

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).

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
12 years ago

The Rob Johnson HBP (#5 on the list) loaded the bases for San Diego with no outs in the top of the ninth inning, Dodgers leading 1-0. The next three batters went strikeout, strikeout, fly ball. Arrrgh.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
12 years ago

Test — Ernesto Frieri — Rob Johnson

Morten Jonsson
Morten Jonsson
12 years ago

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.

Jeff Allen
Jeff Allen
12 years ago

Walk-off HBP are just behind walk-off balks and walk-off K-Rod-can’t-catch-a-ball-tossed-by-his-catcher’s as the most “you gotta be kidding me” way to end a game.