Ernie Clement is the best in MLB history at this one thing
Photo credit: https://www.sportsnet.ca
Ernie Clement has always been known for his defence. His gold glove nomination last year is proof of that. But that is not his whole story. It turns out, the Blue Jays third baseman is very good at doing one offensive thing extremely well: pinch hitting.
Well saying a player who has .247. career batting average is a good hitter, many seem like a bold claim, Clement's numbers as a pinch hitter don't lie.
After his pinch hit double in Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox, his career numbers as a pinch hitter are as follows:
.419 average (13-31)
Five doubles
One home run
Eight RBIs.
Five doubles
One home run
Eight RBIs.
Yes, the sample size is small, but it is still a remarkable achievement. Many other great players were also great pinch hitters. Willie McCovey hit 16 dingers coming off the bench, while fellow Hall-of-Famer Harold Baines had a .316 average.
But they are both significantly better everyday hitters than Clement.
If one looks for a reason why, it could start with Clement's relaxed attitude, which can lower the pressure of entering a baseball game cold.
With the left-handed Addison Barger now seeing more opportunities at third, Clement could very well be entering more games as a pinch hitter.
While Clement will never be known as an offensive powerhouse, he did .380 in his brief stint with Toronto in 2023 before clubbing 12 home runs last year.
Now, he can be a secret weapon off the bench.
Source: Sports Illustrated
| POLL | ||
MAI 4 | 63 ANSWERS Ernie Clement is the best in MLB history at this one thing Is Ernie Clement the best pinch hitter ever? | ||
| Yes | 21 | 33.3 % |
| No | 42 | 66.7 % |
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