If Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo continues to play his cards right he’ll end his career as the all-time MLB leader in times being hit by pitch.
When discussing what all-time baseball records will withstand the test of time there are several which come to mind. Barry Bonds’s intentional walk record won’t be touched nor will Rickey Henderson‘s career stolen base title. Another record is the number of times a hitter is hit by a pitch, and Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is positioned nicely to break this record.
The game of baseball has evolved over the past handful of years, much like it did periodically over the course of time in the past. The Houston Astros intentionally walked one person last year, and that came in the World Series. Analytically driven teams don’t give free passes anymore.
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The Moneyball driven analytics stressed “why give the other team outs”, therefore stolen bases have relatively become a thing of the past. Along those same lines, pitchers do not pitch on the inner half of the plate as much anymore. Combine that with a lack of retaliation as a part of baseball’s unwritten rules (you can’t tell me if the Alex Bregman carry the bat to first thing was pulled twenty years ago guys wouldn’t be chomping at the bit to put one in his earhole), and players just don’t get hit by pitches like they used to.
After nine years of taking his spot in the batter’s box, Anthony Rizzo has been hit 145 times. He is currently tied with Jose Guillen (how many times did that hot head get hit intentionally) for 24th on the all-time list.
The all-time leader in this category is Hughie Jennings and if you haven’t heard of the guy, don’t worry, no one outside of the nineteenth century has either. Jennings played mostly in the 1890s and led all of baseball five years in a row in being hit by pitch (look this cat up some time, he hit .401 in 1896 with no homers and 121 runs batted in, while being hit a career-high 51 times).
In 18 years Jennings was hit a total of 287 times. Rizzo, who has led the majors three out of the last five years, has been hit by a pitch 145 times through nine years. Before the season began he was on pace to overtake the all-time total if he’d play as long as Jennings.
There are a lot of variables involved as this plays out and not playing games this year doesn’t help the cause. I am thinking with Rizzo being 29 years-old he can settle into a designated hitter role in the future and easily play another nine years.
I for one would like to see this record broken. Come on Anthony Rizzo, once the baseball season resumes you have to lean into a few more pitches.