This may have come up before, but I don't remember.

Hit batsmen should have the same positive/negative effect on offense/pitching as a walk.

Offensively, it's certainly somewhat of an art, and the same players have the highest HBP total very year.

From a pitching POV, it's something negative that the pitcher has complete control of, so he should certainly lose a point.

And if I lose this game by one point at season'e end, it will be because Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch on what would have been ball four. So instead of getting a point for the BB, he gets nothing.