The Greatest Pinch Hitters in Baseball History
These guys were some of the most clutch players to ever step up to the plate, and they all made their mark on the game.
When it comes to baseball, there are a lot of statistics that are used to measure a player's worth. Batting average, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases; the list goes on and on. But there's one stat that often gets overlooked: pinch-hitting.
Pinch-hitting is an art unto itself. It's not easy coming into a game cold and trying to get a hit off of a pitcher who's been throwing for the better part of three hours. But when it's done well, it can be the difference between winning and losing.
So with that in mind, here are the five greatest pinch hitters in baseball history.
Episode Breakdown
Cliff Johnson
Cliff Johnson was one of the most feared pinch hitters of his generation. He played for 15 seasons (1972-86) and spent time with eight different teams. His longest stint was with the Houston Astros from 1972-77.
Cliff Johnson was born to be a designated hitter, as he never found a position in the field that he could master. For example, although he caught only 66 games for Houston in 1976, he led the NL in passed balls. He spent time at both first base and in the outfield, but it was as a pinch hitter that he really excelled.
Johnson's value to the Astros was chiefly as a pinch hitter. In 1974, his first full season, Johnson hit five homers off the bench for the Astros. In three years with the Yankees, he hit 20 home runs in only 380 at-bats. In 1983 he had the best season of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, hitting 22 home runs and reaching career highs in games, at-bats, doubles, and RBIs.
Some of his career highlights include winning two world series titles (both w/ the Yankees.) Cliff also held the MLB record for pinch-hit home runs with 20 until he was surpassed by Matt Stairs in 2010.
Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess
Smokey Burgess was an amazing pinch hitter but had an all-star career BEFORE he became king of the clutch moments. Hey played from 1949 to 1967 for five teams, his longest tenure being six seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He got the nickname Smoky because for several possible reasons. Some explanations include that he grew up in North Carolina in the Smoky Mountains. Another account states his father had a similar nickname, and it stuck to him too. Finally, Burgess was known for his lack of speed on the basepaths and that he did not smoke tobacco. Both of these characteristics have been known to have caused his teammates to refer to him as "Smoky," too.
Smoky made his name by being an excellent hitter during his playing career. He did try his hand at different fielding positions, but none worked out. At catcher, he routinely ranked among league leaders in passed balls. Total Baseball rates his defensive contribution to his teams as a -96. He also was regularly at the top of the league in stolen bases allowed and errors by a catcher.
After his accident in the service, his fielding abilities weren't as good as they used to be, which prevented him from playing well defensively at any position. Burgess himself stated:
“I’m no Roy Campanella… But I’ll tell you one thing. I’m not as bad a catcher as most people think.”
Smoky had his best season in 1966 with the White Sox, where he compiled 20 pinch hits, tying the league record set by Ed Coleman in 1936.
Some of his career highlights include being a 9-time all-star (1954, 1955, 1959–1961, 1964), winning a World Series in 1960 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and being inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
Smoky is the perfect example of a player who would have achieved much more and played longer if the DH position existed when he played. I made the same case for a player named Smead Jolly. You can check out that episode here.
Manny Mota
Manny Mota was born in the Dominican Republic and played Major League Baseball for 20 seasons from 1962 to 1982. He spent time with the Giants, Pirates, Expos, and Dodgers. His best seasons came during his time in Pittsburgh, where he was hailed as one of baseball's premier hitters. His reputation as an amazing pinch-hitter, however, didn't start until his 12th season in the league.
From 1974-79, while Mota was playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he averaged ten pinch hits for six straight seasons. The Dodgers appeared in the 1974, 1977, and 1978 World Series thanks to his reliable plate play. In 1979, he wrote his name in the record books by becoming the all-time leader in pinch hits. His record stood until 2001.
Part of his success as a pinch hitter came from his unique swing. He used a compact move that often half-swung just to push the ball beyond the reach of the first baseman for a hit.
Mota's best season came in 1973 when he hit .314 with 25 RBI and 23 walks. He was named an All-Star that season for the only time in his career.
Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs is probably best known for his heroics with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008, when he hit a clutch pinch-hit home run in the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. But he was actually one of the best pinch hitters of his generation, compiling a .262 career batting average with 23 career pinch-hit homers.
Matt played for 13 MLB teams and spent one year in Japan over the course of his 19 seasons. He played for more teams than any position player in MLB history. Edwin Jackson holds the overall record of 14 teams, but he was a pitcher.
His ability to pinch hit made him a valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "Matt Stairs – Professional Hitter"
In fact, in a different timeline, Stairs might have been a Hall of Famer. That's how good of a hitter he was. Noted baseball analysts Bill James and Joe Posnanski have theorized that Stairs is probably a far more talented hitter than his career stats suggest. Stairs didn't have 500 plate appearances until age 29. During that season, he recorded 100 RBI. He never saw 500 at-bats in a season again.
Bill James contends:
"You put him in the right park, right position early in his career ... he's going to hit a LOT of bombs."
Joe Posnanski said he believes he would have generated enough offense to have been worthy of Hall of Fame consideration
Lenny Harris
Lenny Harris is the all-time leader in pinch hits with 212. He played for 18 seasons between 1988 and 2005 for ten different teams. His best season came in 2000 with the Cincinnati Reds, when he hit .302 with 11 RBI in just 73 at-bats.
Harris was never an everyday player, but he made the most of his limited opportunities. He never got more than 333 plate appearances in a season from 1993-2005. Despite his limited appearances, he was a career .265 hitter with 43 home runs and 215 RBI.
On Oct. 7, 2001, he broke Manny Mota’s record with his 151st pinch hit. He also amassed the most pinch-hit opportunities in MLB history (804)
Harris played the 2003 season with the Florida Marlins and was part of their World Series-winning team. He is one of only 28 players in MLB history to have played on a World Series-winning team with three different franchises.
Despite his success, Harris was never selected to an All-Star team.
Conclusion:
These five players were some of the best pinch hitters in baseball history. They all excelled at getting on base and driving in runs when their team needed them the most. So the next time you're watching a game and see a player come in to hit for someone else late in the game, remember that they could also become another one of these all-time greats.