Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker wasn't thrilled that his team was hit with several pitches against the Seattle Mariners (and other opponents of late) in the midst of their late-season run. Houston is fighting like hell to hold on to an AL Wild Card spot, or perhaps find a way to surprise us all and win the AL West over the Texas Rangers.
However, what Baker didn't realize is that we have the receipts. After Tuesday's loss to Seattle, Baker made a small gesture, but one that seemed to insinuate his Astros have been the victims of far too many HBPs.
"I'm tired of our guys getting hit. It makes guys a lot bolder when they don't have to hit," Baker said, per Chandler Rome.
Baker is well within his right to make such a comment, of course. It had better be correct, though, or else he was bound to be ripped apart on social media. And cue the music for Mariners fans, please:
Houston Astros do far more hitting than getting hit
Rival fanbases love to hate on Houston, specifically since the 2017 sign-stealing scandal which helped the Astros win the World Series that very year. Now, those responsible have (somewhat) been punished since, but the players went relatively unscathed.
That doesn't give opposing pitchers the right to plunk Houston hitters at a greater rate than they would others. Most HBPs are accidental, or just said pitcher hoping to throw an inside pitch. In this case, though, it's factually untrue.
Perhaps Baker was merely hoping to rally his troops. Baker is a players' manager, after all. He tends to let the veterans run the clubhouse, as it should be on a team like the Astros which has so much experience with, well, winning.
But by no means are the Astros hit more than other teams. Sorry, Dusty.
