So I look at the leaderboards today, and I notice that White Sox leftfielder Carlos Quentin has already been plunked 6 times this year, and is on pace to get nailed 39 times by the end of the season. If he could maintain that pace, he would be in pretty elite company - the all time record for HBP in a season is Ron Hunt’s astonishing 50 in 1971, followed by Don Baylor’s 35 in 1986, and Craig Biggio’s 34 in 1997.

Of course, that plucky munchkin David Eckstein has also been plunked 6 times so far, and Reed Johnson of the Cubs has been hit 5 times, but who is most likely to keep up the insane pace?

The answer is clearly Quentin, who has already demonstrated that he is the greatest at getting hit by pitches in the history of the game. So far in his pro career, Carlos Quentin has been hit by a pitch every 16 plate appearances. This is an insanely high rate, when you consider that modern master Biggio was hit every 43.8, 80’s champ Baylor was plunked every 35.2, and HBP god Ron Hunt was hit “only” every 25.3 plate appearances.

In 2004, Quentin set the all-time minor league record for getting hit by the pitch by getting plunked 43 times across 2 levels, and in 2005, he set the all-time Pacific Coast League record for HBP by getting hit 29 times.

And Quentin’s propensity for getting hit by the pitch didn’t just start in the pros either. When I was at Stanford, he set the NCAA Division I record by getting hit by 5 pitches in a single game against Florida State. 5 plate appearances, 5 HBP! That was insane.

So get used to seeing images like the photo above, because going forward, if Quentin can avoid the injury bug that has plagued him thus far in his major league career, you can expect him to mount a serious threat to Ron Hunt’s record each and every season.

Somebody had to say it. So SI’s Albert Chen said it. And what he said was, “it’s time to bench Craig Biggio”  — or something to that effect.

From SI’s “Fungoes” blog:

Biggio is Houston’s leadoff hitter and everyday second baseman, and he is hitting .237 with a .284 on-base percentage. This is not simply the case of a slow start; last year, the 41-year-old hit .264/.325/.468, and only .178/.253/.388 on the road. His speed is fading, and his defense is now subpar. The time has come: On the cusp of the 3,000 hits, Craig Biggio must sit. Biggio should no longer be an everyday player. The punchless Astros rank 22nd in the majors in runs scored and have scored two runs or fewer in five of their first 19 games, and Biggio isn’t helping.

What do you think? Is it time for Biggio to pass the torch? Chen says Astros prospect Hunter Pence is more than ready to take Biggio’s spot in the Astros’ lineup. And if Pence’s stats are to be believed, Chen is right.

But Pence is not the next Biggio. Pence plays center field (he would bump Chris Burke to second). The next Biggio is already here. But he doesn’t play for the Astros. He plays for the Phillies. And his name is Chase Utley.

Consider this: Both Utley and Biggio play second base (though Biggio started his career at catcher and briefly attempted to play the outfield). Going into last night’s games, Utley led the NL in being hit by pitches. Biggio has the all-time record. Going into last night’s game, Utley led the NL in doubles (he hit two more last night). Biggio was only the second player to hit 50 doubles and steal 50 bases in a season. Both are speedy guys who bring an unprecedented level of focus and hustle. Both like to get dirty. Both lead by example.

I mean, I’m sure they’ve got their differences (one’s a little more country, one’s a little more rock and roll), but the similarities are remarkable. And considering how hard it’s going to be to say goodbye to Biggio, it’s nice to know that there’s somebody else already in the league who’s bringing it Biggio-style every night.

In a recent piece, Houston Chronicle columnist John Lopez praises Craig Biggio for his integrity, despite the fact that Lopez and the Astros’ second baseman have had their disagreements in the past:

I freely admit I like Craig Biggio as a ballplayer and a person. Maybe it’s because in 1990, I was a 28-year-old sportswriter new to the big city and Biggio was a 24-year-old rising baseball star in just his second full big-league season. In the 16 years since, pretty much every time I’ve walked into the Astros clubhouse, there’s been Biggio … and until recently Jeff Bagwell, of course. Even if the time you spend with players is controlled and provides a look at mere slices of their respective lives, you get to know things about them over that kind of span. You understand the people they really are.

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