Best hitting pitcher poll

[Bothrops Atrox]

Here is the poll. I don't think Ruth or Ankiel are eligable.

[jjpm74]

All these guys were great hitting pitchers:

Guy Hecker
Martin DiHigo
Dave Foutz
Red Lucas
Kid Gleason
Monte Ward
Babe Ruth
Bob Caruthers
George Mullin
Bob Lemon
Red Ruffing
Doc Crandall
Wes Ferrell
Don Newcombe

[jjpm74]

I voted other. Statistically, Bob Caruthers is the best hitting pitcher of all time if we're not counting Babe Ruth. In the 19th century, there wasn't as much specialization, so many pitchers were also fielders. Guys like Dave Foutz and Kid Gleason were accomplished pitchers who made the transition to a star hitter. Monte Ward is another example of a good pitcher who could also hit and field. Martin DiHigo and several NeL and pre-NeLers would also give anyone in the poll a run for their money.

[dgarza]

Statistically, Bob Caruthers is the best hitting pitcher of all time if we're not counting Babe Ruth.

That's who my "Other" vote goes to.

[KCGHOST]

In the poll I went with Ferrell who is clearly the top of this group. However, I was really tempted to go with Jack Stivetts who had a career OPS+ of 106. I really discount Parisian Bob because he played more games at non-pitching positions than he did as a pitcher.

[RuthMayBond]

Double Duty Radcliffe?

[soberdennis]

I was looking at some of the hitting stats. When I saw that Ferrell slugged .621 one year, he sold me.

[jjpm74]

In the poll I went with Ferrell who is clearly the top of this group. However, I was really tempted to go with Jack Stivetts who had a career OPS+ of 106. I really discount Parisian Bob because he played more games at non-pitching positions than he did as a pitcher.

Career wise, Caruthers was pretty evenly split between pitching and fielding. Here's his overall breakdown according to baseball-reference where he is credited with 728 total games:

OF: 366 50.3%
P: 340 46.7%
1B: 13 1.8%
2B: 9 1.2%

In his 1886 season, where he posted an OPS+ of 200, he pitched 44 games and fielded 45. In 1887, where he posted his highest batting average at .357 and an OPS+ of 168, he fielded 61 games as a fielder and 39 as a pitcher. The only year during his career where he played a full season and played primarily as a fielder was his 1892 season where he played a field position for 132 games and pitched 16. 1887 is the only other year in Caruthers' short career where he has more than a few games more in the field than he did on the mound. In 1885, he pitched significantly more than he fielded another position. That was actually his best ERA+ year (158) and his lowest OPS+ year (83).

[Proctor, CF]

Let me think: "Who is the greatest hitting pitcher ever?"

Okay, I got it: It's "Other"*

____________________________________


* AKA "the greatest hitting hitter ever."

[George H Ruth]

I wouldn't say he was an amzing hitter but you have to give Mike Hampton some props.

Tom Glavine is the best when it comes to sacrafice bunts.

[Sirmudgeon]

Fool's gold

Of these, gotta be Wes Ferrell. From "Other", Caruthers was good, but not solely a pitcher. Nor was Double Duty Radcliffe. Of the current crop, that guy Micah ain't just some more iron pyrite under the saguaro. He can rake, and as much as it pains me to admit it, he's probably a better hitter than any of my Gi'nts right now, with half-apology to Benjy Molina.

Benjy Molina, a cleanup hitter, for Pete's sake. Time to adjust the set, there's something sick and wrong with this picture.

And yes, hitting is just one more way in which Koufax supersedes Pedro.

[Bothrops Atrox]

I had Caruthers on the poll originalym but decided that since he wasn't a full-tim pitcher, not to include him.

[bluezebra]

Does anyone have Ruth's batting stats as a pitcher?

Bob

[Blackout]

walter johnson hit .400

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Does anyone have Ruth's batting stats as a pitcher?

Bob

From 1914-1917 he had 38 extra base hits and 108 total hits in 361 AB. It should be noted that he never got to truly develop as a hitter during this time. He also pinch hit on many occasions and much like Cobb, was not a historically good pinch hitter.

According to Jenkinson's extensive research, from 1915-1918, he lost 27 home runs in Fenway park (compared to today's dimensions) and lost another 17 in away games compared to today's dimensions. But who here really cares about details anyway