Expert: Tom Schott - 5/2/2007

Question
has there ever been a pitcher that batted better than the designated hitter in the american league?  also, is there a player that was as good a batter as he was a pitcher in either league?  thanks so much.

Answer
Nancy,

 To my knowledge, there has never been a pitcher who hit as well as a DH, but this is not a good comparison at all because the pitcher will get far fewer at bats than the DH, assuming both these players are regulars.

 On the other question, there's no question that Babe Ruth would have probably made the Hall of Fame as a pitcher if he had not been such a great hitter. Ruth averaged 20 wins a season for the 10 years he appeared as a pitcher with a lifetime ERA of 2.28. And you already know what kind of hitter he was.

  If you want to consider a single season for a pitcher, I doubt if anyone will ever top Hall of Famer Walter Johnson, who in 1925 won 20 games and lost 7 with an ERA of 3.07; that same year he hit .433 in 97 at bats and had a slugging percentage of .533. It doesn't get any better than that.

Hope this helps.

Tom