Mike Hampton, slugger

Rob Neyer devoted a whole column to Hampton’s hitting, examining it in the context of other great-hitting pitchers. The last pitcher to hit 5 in one season was Bob Gibson, in 1972. Elsewhere on ESPN.com, Jayson Stark listed the following pitchers who’ve hit five or more since 1968:

Earl Wilson, 1968, 7

Ferguson Jenkins, 1971, 6

Sonny Siebert, 1971, 6

Rick Wise, 1971, 6

Bob Gibson, 1972, 5

Johnny Odom, 1969, 5

Wilson’s season represented the fourth time he topped 5 HR in a season, and his 35 career HRs ranks #2 all time among pitchers to Wes Ferrell (38). Rick Wise’s season included a game in which he hit two homers and threw a no-hitter. He had another two-homer game later that season.

At the other end of the spectrum, I believe Ron Herbel is the worst-hitting pitcher of all time, with a career average of .029 (that’s 6 for 206). In his first season he was 0-for-47, then 1-for-49 in his 2nd season. After that 1-for-96 start, he got hot, banging out four hit over the next two years, two of them doubles. Bob Buhl gets an honorable mention for an 0-for-70 season in 1962, but his .089 career average was much more robust than Herbel’s.

I’ve been fascinated by the hitting records of pitchers ever since Steve Carlton homered against the Dodgers in the 1978 NL Championship Series. The next year, Dodger rookie pitcher Rick Sutcliffe drove in 17 runs, furthering my interest in the subject. Nolan Ryan homered in his first game as a Houston Astro, against the Dodgers, in 1980. Fernando Valenzuela hit ten home runs in his career, as did J.R. Richard. Don Robinson was widely acknowledged as the best-hitting pitcher while I was growing up. In his 15 seasons, he hit .231 with 13 HRs—not exactly Babe Ruth, but good for a couple of pinch-hit chances every year.

My head is filled with this kind of stuff—it’s a wonder I can remember where I parked my car. Oh, wait—I live in New York City and don’t have a car. Whew…