Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishments or statistics. Today’s tidbit is focused on switch hitters and the long ball.
As usual, keep in mind that not all Negro League game stats have been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books. (In 2020, the Negro leagues from 1920-48 were designated major leagues.)
I consider today’s tidbit a “timely” one. On this date (April 8) in 1993, Indians’ 2B Carlos Baerga had an historic day, as Cleveland topped the Yankees 15-5 (in Cleveland). Not only did Baerga enjoy a four-for-five day, but in the nine-run bottom of the seventh, he did something no other major leaguer had done before – the switch-hitting Baerga homered from both the left-handed and right-handed batters’ boxes in the same inning.
The bottom of the seventh started with Yankee southpaw Steve Howe on the mound and the Indians holding a 6-5 lead. After a leadoff single by 3B Alvaro Espinoza, Baerga (batting righty) homered to right-center on a 3-2 offering from Howe. And, the Indians just kept on hitting. By the time Baerga came up again in the frame, the Indians had scored eight runs on seven hits (and one hit batsman); the score was 14-5; the bases were empty (Espinoza had just hit a three-run homer); there were two outs; and right-hander Steve Farr had replaced Howe on the mound. This time, Baerga was in the left-handed batter’s box and he found the second “Steve” he faced in the inning to again be to his liking – knocking another homer to right-center (this time on a 2-0 pitch). That knocked Farr out of the game, and Neal Heaton came on to get the final out of the inning. (Side note: Steves Howe and Farr had combined to surrender eight hits, one HBP, three homers and nine runs in 2/3 of an inning.) For the game, Baerga was three-for-four with five RBI.
Baerga’s accomplishment remained an MLB unicorn until 2002, when it was tied by Mark Bellhorn. Since that time, Kendry Morales has joined this club of three. (More of these to in a minute, but first, back to Baerga.)
The two long balls were Baerga’s first of the season (It was just April 8, after all) – in which he would hit 21 long balls (.321-21-114 … ultimately career highs for Baerga across the board). That season, Baerga would hit 15 home runs in 405 right-handed at bats and six long balls in 214 left-handed at bats.
Baerga played in 14 MLB seasons (1990-99, 2002-05 … Indians, Mets, Padres, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Nationals). His career stat line was .291-134-774, with 731 runs scored and 59 steals. The three-time All Star hit 20 or more homers twice, drove in 100 or more runs twice and hit .300 or better in five seasons.
Mark Bellhorn matched Baerga’s homers from both side of the plate in one inning on August 29, 2002, as his Cubs topped the Brewers 13-10 in Milwaukee. Cubs’ SS Alex Gonzalez opened the top of the fourth (a scoreless tie at the time) with a walk off Brewers’ southpaw Andrew Lorraine. Next up was Bellhorn (playing first base and batting in the six hole). Bellhorn, batting righty, took a 1-0 offering from Lorraine to left-center for a two-run Cubs’ lead. Bellhorn found himself at the plate again in the inning, with the Cubs up 6-0, two-runners on, two outs and righthander Jose Cabrera on the hill. Now batting lefty, Bellhorn hit a 2-2 pitch for a homer to right, expanding the lead to 9-0.
The home runs were Bellhorn’s 22nd and 23rd – in a season in which he would hit a career-high 27 (.258-27-56 in 146 games). For the game, he would go two-for-four, with five RBI. That season, Bellhorn hit 17 home runs in 323 at bats left-handed and 10 home runs in 122 at bats right-handed. He would have just one other two-homer game in his MLB career. For his career, he hit 42 homers in 1,462 at bats hitting left-handed and 27 homers in 645 at bats hitting right-handed.
Bellhorn played in 10 MLB seasons (1997-98, 2000-007 … A’s, Cubs, Rockies, Red Sox, Yankees, Pads, Reds), going 230-69-246, with 324 runs scored (in 731 career games).
Kendrys Morales had his two-homer/righty-lefty inning on July 30, 2012, as his Angels topped the Rangers 15-8 in Texas. The two long balls came in the top of the sixth inning. Morales, at DH and batting cleanup, came up to the plate batting left-handed versus right Roy Oswalt. Albert Pujols, who had just doubled, was on second with n0 outs and the scored tied at three apiece. Morales untied the game with a two-run home run on a 1-2 pitch. He came up again in the frame with two outs, the Angles up 8-3 and lefty Robbie Ross on the mound. Batting right-handed, Morales hit a 3-2 pitch for a Grand slam to right-center. Ross ended the game two-for-five with six RBI. The two homers were his tenth and eleventh of the season (during which he would go .273-22-73).
Morales played 13 MLB seasons (2006-10, 2012-19 … Angels, Mariners, Twins, Royals, Blue Jays, A’s, Yankees), going .265-213-740, with 584 runs in 1,363 games. His best season was 2009, when he hit .306-34-108 for the Angels (all career highs). Over his career, he hit 164 home runs in 3,437 left-handed at bats and just 49 long balls in 1,419 right-handed at bats. He had 22 multi-homer games.
For those who like to know such things:
- Per Baseball-Almanac.com, there have been 377 instances in which a player homered from both sides of the plate in an MLB game;
- Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher share the record for most regular-season games with homers from both sides of the plate with 14;
- Carlos Beltran and Nick Swisher each homered form both sides of the plate in a game with a record five different MLB teams;
- The Yankees’ Bernie Williams is the only player to homer from both sides of the plate in two post season games (ALDS in 1995 & 1996). Chipper Jones and Milton Bradley did it once each.
Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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