Cleveland Indians: Tim Kurkjian talks with Brandon Guyer about HBP skills

Tim Kurkjian of ESPN recently conducted an interview with Cleveland Indians outfielder Brandon Guyer about what it’s like to be hit so often.

Cleveland Indians fans know Brandon Guyer for his postseason heroics a year ago, but fans of other MLB teams may know Guyer as the guy who gets hit all the time.

It is almost bizarre seeing one player get drilled by pitches so often, and it may draw up some painful little league memories for some fans.

Tim Kurkjian of ESPN recently conducted an interview with Guyer about the topic of being hit so often at the plate.

It is a fascinating read and one that allows fans to realize that Guyer is not trying to get beaned, but rather his swing may lead to the interesting statistic. From the article:

"It’s crazy. I’m not trying to get hit. I don’t want to get hit. I definitely don’t stand right on top of the plate. But when I stride — my natural stride — I kind of close myself off, my left [front] leg comes close to home plate. My left leg isn’t there when the pitcher starts his delivery, and then it is there when he finishes it. A lot of left-handers throw me inside, so I get hit a lot in the front leg."

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Fans may have noticed this about Guyer, but it is still shocking that it results in him getting hit so much. It is not like he sticks his leg out over the plate and plants it there every pitch.

The entire interview sheds more light on Guyer’s overall toughness and how his wife views him being known as the guy who gets hit so often.

The topic is still one that may seem amusing to fans, but that will quickly change if Guyer does end up getting hurt by one of these pitches. He has been fine up to this point, but a matter of centimeters can be the difference between a casual stroll to first base and a trip to the disabled list.

Next: Edwin slowly heating up

Anyone who has played baseball at any level knows how painful it is to get hit by a pitch, although not all of us are as tough as Brandon Guyer. And for now, his ability to get hit by pitches is something to marvel at instead of worry about.