Getting Hit Hard in 2009

What do Trevor Cahill and Jeff Suppan have in common? They are the only two pitchers qualified for the ERA title (1 IP per team game) who have allowed opponents to slug .500 or more this season. Suppan sits at .512 while Cahill is at .505. Suppan will shortly fall off the qualified list, as he is currently injured and hasn't pitched since July 27. His fellow Brewer, Braden Looper, is poised to take his place on the list as he has allowed opponents to slug .499 this year. Jeremy Guthrie (.499), Armando Galarraga (.494), and Jamie Moyer (.491) are also nearby.

Since 1954, forty-four qualified pitchers have allowed opponents to slug .500 over a season. Twenty have cracked the .520 plateau:

Name	Year	Team	SLG
Jim Deshaies	1994	MIN	.583
Jose Lima	2000	HOU	.578
Darrell May	2004	KCR	.555
Bill Gullickson	1994	DET	.552
Brian Anderson	2004	KCR	.545
Dave Mlicki	2001	DET/HOU	.545
Brandon Backe	2008	HOU	.544
Jose Lima	2005	KCR	.544
Eric Milton	2005	CIN	.543
Terry Mulholland	1994	NYY	.539

The abbreviated 1994 season and Jose Lima are both well-represented. Pitchers just didn't have as much time to a) drop their slugging percentage to something more respectable or b) get replaced before reaching the usual 162 innings to qualify. The other seven seasons all took place this decade, which makes sense as slugging percentages league-wide have reached new heights. Here's the .500+ opponent slugging allowed list prior to 1994:

Name	Year	Team	SLG
Don Newcombe	1958	LAD/CIN	.514
Jack Lamabe	1964	BOS	.507
Bob Knepper	1987	HOU	.502

Yep, that's it.

A high slugging percentage allowed is fueling Jeff Suppan's run at another distinction. He likely will not reach the required 162 innings, but if the season ended today he would be only the ninth qualifying pitcher to allow an OPS of .900 or higher. The current list of eight is the highest slugging allowed list jumbled a bit:

Name	Year	Team	OPS
Jim Deshaies	1994	MIN	.965
Jose Lima	2000	HOU	.942
Dave Mlicki	2001	DET/HOU	.927
Brandon Backe	2008	HOU	.920
Jose Lima	2005	KCR	.917
Bill Gullickson	1994	DET	.912
Brian Anderson	2004	KCR	.911
Darrell May	2004	KCR	.906

Suppan has allowed opponents to put up a .900 OPS this year. Cahill, if you're wondering, is second with an .856 OPS allowed.