New York Yankees: All-time switch hitter team
By Ed Stein
It doesn’t matter if an opposing manager puts in a righty or lefty to pitch. This team of New York Yankees switch hitters can handle both.
I was recently reading an article about the MLB all-time switch hitter team. One of the first things I noticed was how many New York Yankees were on the main team or listed as backups. It seemed like the right place to start an All-Bronx Bombers switch hitter team.
Putting the team together was a little harder than anticipated. Not because it was hard to find a switch hitter for every position, but because there were so many good players to choose from.
Honorable Mention – Putting the recent scandal on the shelf for a moment, Carlos Beltran had a borderline Hall of Fame career. By the time he made it to the Yankees, he was 37, and his game was in decline. Beltran still put up good numbers in two-and-a-half seasons, as evidenced by his .797 OPS.
Designated Hitter
New York Yankees fans, this is a morsel to whet the appetite. How many teams would love to have Bernie Williams as their centerfielder? He didn’t make the cut for this team, but it doesn’t mean his bat can’t be taken advantage of as the DH.
Williams played all 16 MLB seasons in pinstripes. Among his accomplishments are four World Series titles, five All-Star selections, four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award, and the 1998 American League batting title. Although his production tailed off in later years, Williams still finished with a .297 career batting average.
His 2,336 hits are fifth in team history, which places him ahead of Joe DiMaggio. He also places seventh in RBI (1,257) and sixth for runs (1,366). His 449 doubles are third and more than Mickey Mantle, Dimaggio, and Babe Ruth.