Sports Consigliere: Five Greatest Switch Hitters in Baseball History

Recently 3 of the 5 greatest switch hitters in the history of baseball squared off against each other in the Cardinals and Braves series. For the Cardinals, Carlos Beltran former Royal, Astro, and Met great and Lance Berman former Astro teammate of Carlos went against future first ballot Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. Professional hitting is hard enough just ask any pitcher who were all probably great hitters until this level but to do this from both sides of the plates is quite a remarkable skill. With this skill you also never give the pitcher on the other team the advantage depending on their arm. Not to mention it makes life easier for the manager. To round out this list are all time Yankee great Mickey Mantle and Oriole great Eddie Murray. Two names that could be on my list but are not are Roberto Alomar and Pete Rose, two All-Time Greats but sluggers that can hit for average are the most important hitters in baseball as they hit home runs and also drive in runs which leads to wins. Singles hitters (Pete Rose) need help. So here is my list:

#1 Mickey Mantle is the easiest spot on the list. Mantle was voted on the All-Century Team. He is also a 20 time All-Star, 3 time MVP and four time home run king. Mantle played in 12 World Series and won 7 of them. Mantle’s power was unmatchable. He was infamous for tape measure shots including many over 500 feet. To go along with his incredible power, retired as the #4 home run hitter of all-time, Mantle was blessed with great speed. His one downfall was his health. Mantle was often injured, many of them serious. It would have been interesting to see what his career would have been like if he didn’t play so many games hampered with injuries. Regardless he finished in the fabled 500 home run club and had the most storied World Series career with the most home runs, runs, total bases and RBIs in World Series history.[1] Mickey Mantle’s average season based on 162 games looks like a .298 average, 113 Runs, 36 Home Runs and 102 RBIs [2]. Mantle held onto baseball 4 seasons too long with rapidly declining numbers. Mickey said that his regretted not finishing a .300 hitter. In my mind he was and I will think of the prime years of Mantle including two 50 home run seasons and the phenomenal Triple Crown.

#2 Chipper Jones is an Atlanta Braves lifer, one of the few players in this generation that has stayed with the same team his whole career. With the Braves Jones played in three World Series and won one of them. Chipper is the only switch hitter in baseball history to have a .300 average and over 400 home runs. In 1999, his lone MVP season he had one for the ages, batting over .300, hitting 40 home runs and doubles, 100 walks, 100 RBIs, 100 Runs and 20 stolen bases,[3]the only player to ever eclipse these marks in the same season. To start his career he hit 20 home runs in 14 consecutive seasons, tying a major league record. This batting champion is also a seven time all-star and two time Silver Slugger. One nice quality of Chipper was his unselfishness when he agreed to move to left field so the Braves could sign Vinny Castilla. He also had chances to be sign elsewhere as a free agent but showed his loyalty by sticking with the same team that drafted him #1 overall as a shortstop. 2012 will be his last season and we will see him in the Hall of Fame in 5 years. Chipper’s average season looks like 106 runs, 28 home runs, 106 RBIs and a .304 batting average.[4] Mike Schmidt is normally considered the greatest third baseman in the history of the game but I’m taking the Brave. In fact Chipper has almost a 40 point higher lifetime batting average. [5]

#3 Lance Berkman, in 1997 was named the National Player of The Year and lead Rice University to its first ever College World Series. When Berkman was finished at Rice he ended up with the third most home runs in college baseball history. Berkman stayed in Houston when the Astros drafted him and he became a member of The Killers B’s. Lance would help lead the Astros to four playoff births as well supplant Jeff Bagwell as the premier hitter of The Killer B’s. In 2005 the Astros made their first ever World Series in franchise history. The following year Berkman had his best year including the National League switch hitting record for RBIs and tied Chipper Jones for switch hitting home runs in the NL, finishing with 45 homers and 136 RBIs. Lance’s career achievements include six seasons of more than 30 home runs, six All Star appearances, four seasons finishing in the top 5 for MVP votes and two 40 plus home run seasons. An average season for the Texan would be a .296 average, 101 runs, 33 home runs and 109 RBIs [6]. In his first season with the Cardinals in 2011 he would win Comeback Player of The Year and win the World Series. Berkman is on the cusp of the Hall of Fame. He has 359 lifetime home runs and I believe a shoe in with 400.

lance berkman Pictures, Images and Photos

#4 Carlos Beltran is your prototypical five tooled player: he can hit for average, hit for power, has speed, can throw and can field. The former People’s Most Beautiful People started in Kansas City where in four full seasons hit at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in each one and hit 100 RBIs and scored 100 runs as well. Kansas City would not be able to afford this burgeoning superstar and traded Beltran in the middle of 2004 to the star filled Houston Astros and would fit in perfectly with the Killer B’s. The Astros made the playoffs and Beltran became a national known superstar when he tied a playoff record of eight home runs(without even playing in the World Series) including five consecutive games. The Puerto Rican would become the biggest prized free agent after the impressive performance and in the prime of his career sign with the New York Mets. With the Mets, Beltran would increase his home runs but decrease his stolen bases. In 2006 he hit a career high 41 home runs and would win back to back Silver Slugger awards. 2009 and 2010 were injury plagues seasons and with the 2011 Mets going nowhere he was traded to San Francisco. At the end of 2011 Beltran signed with the Cardinals to try to replace Albert Pujols’ production. In St Louis he found the fountain of youth and is currently leading the National League in home runs. Beltran is a six time all star with an average season of 109 runs, 28 home runs, 27 stolen bases, 106 RBIs and a .283 batting average.[7] Like Berkman, Carlos will need 400 home runs so about 3 more seasons or 1 MVP which could happen this year to make the Hall of Fame.

carlos beltran Pictures, Images and Photos

#5 Eddie Murray is in the Hall of Fame not because of greatness in his prime but because of tremendous consistency. Murray never hit more than 33 home runs but did finish in the 500 Home Runs Club, 504 to be exact. The former World Series Champion also finished in the top 5 of MVP voting four times. Murray was an eight time All-Star and three time Silver Slugger. Murray also batting over .300 seven times. One of the all time Oriole’s average season would be 87 runs, 27 home runs, 103 RBIs and a .287 batting average.[8]