Matt Wallner, Hit By Pitch Savant

Good article! My first thought: he could be the reincarnation of Ron Hunt, who used to hold the record for being hit by pitches. But Ron Hunt was later "lapped" by guys like Craig Biggio and even Don Baylor. Nevertheless, getting hit by pitches DOES require a certain amount of extra effort!

One thing he is clearly doing is trying to take the up and in pitch away from the pitchers.  He is one that needs to get hands extended for big swings and the up and in will not get that done.  So he strides toward the plate and if the pitcher misses up and in at all, there is good chance wallner is going to first. I think it is more than just getting on, but telling pitchers if you want to come up and in to me, you better hit your spot or I will be on first base. If you do miss your spot it will need to be either up out of zone, or back out over the plate. 

Forest Lake kids are good at wearing pitches; boys and girls. If they don't take the HBP you're likely to hear a parent call out "we've got ice".

Has Wallner ever missed time from getting HBP?  Matt “Cement Bones” Wallner has an interesting ring to it.

The greek god of hbp

9 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

For nearly 70 years, I played hockey.  Sixty of those were as a goalie.  I know what getting hit by a fast-moving solid object feels like.  Goalie equipment was pretty flimsy in the 50's and 60's.  You learn that the pain is usually short-lived and that bruises go away (although usually replaced by new ones).  Hat's off to Wallner for standing his ground.

Amen: look at those 4 seamers in the mid-90s.  And the graph below shows how Wallner is taking away inside pitches with his shoulder, elbow and foot. Nice article.

39 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

It's not worth the extra base IF he gets injured and is out multiple games.  If his approach is to get more hittable pitches, and he can take advantage of that, then fine but put some armor on then.

Could not agree more. A dangerous technique, if indeed intentional. A miscalculation on his part could easily translate into a broken hand or wrist.

Sometimes a pitch fools ya. 

31 minutes ago, wornsmooth said:

Could not agree more. A dangerous technique, if indeed intentional. A miscalculation on his part could easily translate into a broken hand or wrist.

Sometimes a pitch fools ya. 

 

 

In the clip above he uses his elbow pad.  For the high and tight,  ones on the elbow he will feel nothing.  If it hits the meaty part of hit bicep, likely a bruise.  He is willing to take some pain.  The feet ones concern me a bit, however,  this is a style he has likely had for years.   He may just have stronger bones, also a likely higher pain tolerance.  I doubt we will see any change in his style and he will continue to rack up HBP.  

Yeah, when you're wearing the armor the real vulnerable points are the exposed bone areas like hands, feet and knees. Meat bruises and heals, but Buxton's ribs and Altuve's hand aren't as elastic.

It sounds like few of the 90+ HBPs are to wrists, hands, and shins, which seem to cause the IL-type injuries.

Getting hit by a pitch and not getting hurt is actually something you can work on.  Yes, he may bet on the hand or wrist, as he did the other week.  However, you move your body when a bell comes at you, you can either move away and due a dance to avoid it, or you can move your body so it is more likely to hit a safer area of the body.  He clearly has been doing this his whole career.  Graig Biggio was hit 287 times and never went on IL from it.  Some guys get hit and go right on IL.  It is always a risk to be hit by a pitch, but it is not that he is standing up there trying to hit his more exposed areas risking it more, he is just not trying to jump out of way, or he is letting it his his elbow pad. He should get the big Papi elbow pad, that thing was huge, and he never played the field and did not need to protect his throwing arm.