08/14/2008 7:38 PM ET
Quentin plunked in sixth straight game
Slugger has been hit a Major League-high 20 times this year
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Carlos Quentin, being the humble young man that he is, doesn't speak much about his significant on-field accomplishments.

He doesn't talk a great deal about his breakout 2008 campaign, or the fact that he leads the American League with 32 home runs. He certainly doesn't frequently analyze his propensity for getting hit by pitches.

In this instance, Quentin lets the bruises speak for themselves.

Quentin was struck by a 2-2 pitch from Kansas City starter Kyle Davies during the first inning of Thursday's 9-2 victory for the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, marking the sixth straight game that he has played in which Quentin has been struck. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Quentin already had become the first player since 1920 to be hit in five straight games.

So, the pounding went on for the talented left fielder on Thursday.

"Carlos is a hit magnet," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He got hit a lot in the Minor Leagues, he got a record in college. The way he hits, stands over the plate ...

"If Carlos gets hit the way he gets hit, I don't mind that. But if he gets hit the way I don't think he should get hit, then it's a problem."

To put Quentin's record into perspective, Craig Biggio, who holds the career mark for being hit by a pitch at 285, never was hit by a pitch in more than three straight games. Don Baylor and Ron Hunt, who rank second and third career-wise for this statistic, each had four-game hit-by-pitch streaks.
As Guillen pointed out, Quentin's stance seemingly makes him a target. In 379 Minor League games, Quentin was hit by a pitch 112 times. That total included being hit a record 43 times in 2004 when he split time between Class A Lancaster and Double-A El Paso as part of the Arizona organization.

After being hit by Davies, Quentin showed a bit of frustration at the plate before making his way down to first base. Thursday marked the first game of the Kansas City series Quentin had played. He missed the first two because of soreness in his left forearm after getting hit by a Josh Beckett pitch Monday.

Ultimately, Quentin simply increased his Major League-best total of being hit to 20 times in 2008. It's a painful category for a player to excel.

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I love it! If he can't learn how to stand at home plate, while batting, then he deserves the bruises!

Hughie Jennings would be proud!

ALSO, Craig Biggio is as much the all-time leader in being hit by a pitch as I am President of the United States (I'm not President).

HUGHIE JENNINGS has the record Just because most people haven't heard of him doesn't take away his record