Five of the Greatest-Hitting Pitchers Ever 6/14/16

Hey baseball fans!

Recently, NL pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Jake Arrieta have been asking the MLB to include them in the Home Run Derby during the All Star festivities in mid-July. This got me thinking: who are some of the greatest hitting pitchers in baseball history? Well, here are five of those pitchers in no particular order.

Number One: Don Larsen
Why? Yeah, the guy who pitched the only perfect game in World Series history in 1956 with the Yankees wasn't that bad of a hitter. He batted .242 in 596 career at-bats with an astounding slugging percentage (for a pitcher) of .371.

Number Two: Carlos Zambrano
Why? Zambrano may have been mostly known for his fire on the mound, but he could hit with fire, too. His six home runs in 2006 tied a Cubs franchise record, first set by Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins in 1971. Big Z actually hit out 24 home runs during his rocky career, which ranks tied for seventh on the all-time list of most homers hit by a pitcher.

Number Four: Don Drysdale
Why? He's in the Hall of Fame for his pitching ability, but his 29 career home runs sit right atop Zambrano on the all-time list. He reached double-digit RBIs in five seasons, posting a high of 19 in 1965.

Number Two: Walter Johnson
Why? Johnson, one of the greatest pitching pitchers of all time, is also one of the best hitting pitchers of all time. His 23 homers and 255 RBIs can only be described as legendary. He batted a career-high .433 at the age of 36 in 1925 with 20 RBIs in only 97 at-bats. Wow!

Number Five: Wes Ferrell
Why? Wes Ferrell was such a great hitter that his position description on his Baseball Reference page reads, "Pitcher and Pinch Hitter." His 38 career home runs are tops among all pitchers in history and his .280 lifetime batting average is not too shabby as well.

Honorable Mention: Bartolo Colon
Why? Because it's Bartolo Colon.

If these pitchers along with other great-hitting pitchers participated in a Home Run Derby of their own, what do you think would happen? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."