From Mackey to Mickey and Much More … A Look at MLB’s Switch-hitting Leaders

Who was the first switch-hitter not named Mickey Mantle to reach 40 home runs in a single MLB season?

 

On August 11, 1956, in the seventh inning of a Yankees’ 10-5 loss to the Orioles (in New York), Yankees’ CF Mickey Mantle took the Orioles’ Hal Brown deep to RF for a three-run home run – becoming the first MLB switch-hitter to reach 40 home runs in a season. Just over one month later (September 18, 1956), Mantle popped his fiftieth long ball of the campaign (off Billy Pierce in the eleventh inning of a 3-2 Yankees’ win in Chicago) – becoming the first switch- hitter to reach 50 home runs in a single season. (Mantle finished the year at .353-52-130; winning the Triple Crown.)

Mantle is still the only switch hitter to hit 50 home runs in a season. (He did it once again with 54 long balls in 1961). Mantle remained the only switch-hitter to reach 40 homers in a season for (appropriately) 40 years.  Since 1996, six switch-hitters have joined Mantle in the 40-home run club.

As noted above, the question leading into this post is “Who was the first switch-hitter not named Mickey Mantle to reach 40 home runs in a season?”

The answer is Mets’ catcher Todd Hundley, who hit his 40^th round tripper of the 1996 season in the seventh inning of a Mets’ September 8 win over the Braves in Atlanta. (Side note: Another switch-hitter, the Braves’ Chipper Jones, in just his  second full MLB season, hit his 30^th home run of the campaign in the same game. Jones, by the way, was at shortstop for that contest.)  It didn’t take long for a third switch-hitter to join the 40-homer club. Nineteen days after Hundley’s blast, the Padres’ switch-hitting 3B Ken Caminiti, hit his 40^th long ball of the 1996 season.  Hundley finished the 1996 season at .259-41-112, achieving  would be his career high in home runs, RBI, runs scored (85), hits (149) and doubles (32).

Before we go on to look at some additional switch-hitting record holders, a little more about Todd Hundley. Hundley had some good baseball genes. He was the son of Randy Hundley, who played catcher  in 14 MLB seasons (1964-77) – and was a one-time All Star (1969 Cubs). The younger Hundley also played in 14 MLB seasons (1990-2003) and outdid his father with two All Star selections and a .234-202-599 stat line to his father’s .236-82-281.

Todd Hundley was a second-round draft pick (Mets) in 1987 (out of William Fremd High School). He made his major-league debut (as a 20-year-old) on May 18, 1990. Over his 14-season MLB career (1990-2003 … Mets, Dodgers, Cubs), he topped 20 home runs in four seasons and 100 RBI once. Hundley’s best MLB seasons were clearly 1996 and 1997. He followed his 1996 .259-41-112 stat line with .273-30-98 in 1997.

One – or 41 – for the Record Books

In 1996, when Todd Hundley hit 41 home runs, they were the most home runs in a season by a player in the catching position. Johnny Bench (who hit right-handed) had hit 45 in 1970, but six of those came when he was in the lineup as an outfielder and one as a first baseman.  Right-handed hitting Javy Lopez broke Hundley’s record in 2003 with 42 long balls as a catcher (43 overall), still the most home runs in a season while in the lineup as a catcher.  Right-handed hitting Salvador Perez hit 48 home runs in 2012 (the most for a player playing primarily as a catcher), but 15 of those came as a DH.

Now let’s get back to a look at switch-hitting leaders.

Note: Batting average leaders in 100+ game seasons: Tuck Turner, 1894 Philadelphia Phillies (National League), .418 (Turner played 82 of 132 games);  Tommy Tucker, 1889 Baltimore Orioles (American Association), .372; Roger Connor, 1885 New York Giants (National League), .371.  Mickey Mantle‘s .365 average for the 1957 Yankees is the highest average for a switch-hitter in a post-1900 season in which his team played 100 or more games.  

Biz Mackey – Career and Single-Season Batting Average

Hall of Famer Biz Mackey was not only a great defensive catcher, but also a versatile fielder and  an offensive force. You’ll find his average at the top of the list for switch-hitters in both the single-season and career categories. Thank you, MLB for adding Negro League stats from 1920-1948 to the MLB  record books. Mackey played in 22 seasons (all in the Negro Leagues), suiting up at every defensive position (617 at C; 60 at 1B; 33 at 2B; 60 at 3B; 70 at SS; 145 in LF; 2 in CF; 22 in RF). He even took the mound seven times (three starts), albeit to a 7.52 ERA.  From 1920 through 1929, Mackey hit .348-45-454 in 582 games – never averaging below .312 in any season. He played in five East-West All Star Games and in 26 Negro Leagues post-season games (hitting .327).

Just Ask Another Hall of Fame Catcher How He Measured Up

“In my opinion, Biz Mackey was the mater of defense of all catchers,”

                         Hall of Famer Roy Campanella

                          (From Biz Mackey’s Baseball Hall of Fame Bio)

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Mickey Mantle – Career and Single and Season Home Runs

Mickey Mantle is the power leader among MLB switch hitters. There have been just two seasons of 50 or more home runs by switch-hitters in MLB history and both belong to Mantle. There also have been just  11 seasons of 40 or more homers by switch-hitters in MLB history (including Mantle’s two 50-HR seasons) and Mantle has four of those.

He is, as expected, also at the top of the switch-knitting career home runs list.  Mantle played in 18 MLB seasons (1951-68), going .298-536-1,509. The Hall of Famer was an All Star in sixteen seasons, a three-time AL MVP and  a one-time Gold Glover. He led the league in home runs four times, runs scored five times, total bases three times; RBI once and batting average once. Over his career, Mantle hit 30 or more home runs in nine campaigns.

A Career Saved

When Mickey Mantle was 14-years-old, osteomyelitis (aggravated by a football injury) led doctors to recommend amputation of Mantle’s leg. His parents sought a second opinion and the condition was treated with heavy doses of penicillin – saving the leg and Mantle’s future in sports.

Mantle holds the World Series records for home runs (18), RBI (40); runs scored (42), total bases (123) and walks (43).

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Mark Teixeira and Eddie Murray – Single-Season and Career RBI Leaders

Mark Teixeira sent the mark for single-season RBI among switch hitters in 2005 – a season in which the Rangers’ first baseman played all 162 games and hit .301-43-144. Teixeira played in 14 MLB seasons (2003-2016 … Rangers, Braves, Angels, Yankees). He was a three-time All Star, hit 30+ home runs in nine season and drove in 100+ runs in eight. He finished with a.268-409-1,298 stat line. He also won five Gold Gloves.

Those Were the (College) Days My Friends

In three seasons at Georgia Tech (1999-2011), Mark Teixeira played in 140 games, hitting .409, with 36 home runs and 165 RBI. He was the fifth player chosen in the June 2001 MLB draft.

Teixeira and Nick Swisher share the record for the most times hitting a home run from both sides of the plate in a single game at 14.

 

Hall of Famer Eddie Murray tops all switch hitters in career RBI at 1,917 (in 21 MLB seasons – 1977-97 … Orioles, Dodgers, Mets, Indians, Angels). While he drove in 100 or more runs in six seasons, he only led the league in RBI once, with 78 in the strike-shortened 1981 season. The Hall of Famer and eight-time All Star is also one of just two switch-hitters to reach 500 career home runs. He hit 30 or more home runs in five seasons and 20 or more in another 11.  Murray was the 1977 AL Rookie of the Year, an All Star in eight seasons and a three-time Gold Glover at first base. Over his career, Murray hit 19 Grand Slam home runs, the most by any switch-hitter.

Eddie Murray holds the MLB career record for career sacrifice flies with 128.

 

 

Pete Rose and Willie Wilson – Single-Season and Career Base Hits

Pete Rose can be fond atop the switch-hitter leaderboard in single-season and career base hits. In fact, he leads all batters in MLB history in career safeties. Rose played 24 MLB seasons (1963-86 … Reds, Phillies). He is the MLB leader in games played (3,562); plate appearances (15,890); at bats (14,053); and hits (4,256).

Pete Rose was an All Star Game starter at five different positions: 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF.

Rose’s  final career line was .303-160-1,314, with 2,165 runs scored. He was a 17-time All Star and led the league in hits seven times (ten seasons of 200+ hits); runs four times; doubles five times; and batting average three times.

For the Love of the Game

“I’d walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball.

                                                 Pete Rose

Tied with Rose atop the single-season leader in base hits in season (among switch-hitters) is Willie Wilson, who collected 230 safeties in 1980 (for the Royals), while putting up a .326-3-49 line with a league-topping 133 runs scored. Wilson played in 19 MLB seasons (1976-1994 … Royals, Cubs, A’s). The two-time All Star won one batting title, led the league in hits once, triples four times and stolen bases once. He retired with a .285-41-585 stat line, with 1,169 runs scored and 668 stolen bases. He stole 30 or more bases in 11 seasons (forty or more in seven of those seasons), with a high of 83 (in 95 attempts) in 1979.

A Surprise on the “Hit List”

Omar Vizquel recorded the fourth-most MLB base hits among switch hitters (44^th All Time), with 2,807 safeties over 24 seasons (1989-2012 … Indians, Mariners, Giants, White Sox, Rangers, Blue Jays).  He hit .272 over 2,968 games – hitting .300 or better in just one season.

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Other Switch-Hitter Leaders:

Runs Scored:  Season:  Max Carey, 1922 Pirates (140).    Career: Pete Rose (2,165)

Doubles: Season: Jose Ramirez, 2017 Indians (56). Career: Pete Rose (746)

Triples: Season: George Davis, 1893 Giants (27). Career: Roger Connor (293)

Total Bases: Jimmy Rollins, 2007 Phillies (380). Career: Pete Rose (5,752)

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball Almanac.com; The BaseballCube.com; Mickey Mantle SABR bio by James Lincoln Ray.

 

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