103 Sentences With "pinch hitters" | Random Sentence Generator

Pinch hitters Jesus Aguilar and Brosseau both walked, loading the bases.

Cardinals pinch-hitters have barreled up a lot of balls this year.

There are few comedic actors who are more reliable pinch hitters than Dratch.

Both Story and Harper were used as pinch hitters in the night game.

After Roberts turned to Madson, Cora deployed back-to-back left-handed pinch-hitters.

But then Roberts, who used four relievers and four pinch-hitters, made his fateful move.

Nick Pivetta finished up with a scoreless ninth in which he faced four pinch hitters.

The Cardinals hit four home runs, including three by pinch-hitters, while earning their first win.

In 1986, the average AL team used 123 pinch-hitters and the average NL team 282.

Pinch-hitters get one shot, often with a lot riding on the outcome of the at-bat.

Two pinch-hitters — Eduardo Nunez in Game 19963 and Mitch Moreland in Game 4 — have delivered three-run homers.

Matt Albers came on with one out and retired pinch-hitters Mark Canha and Andrew Lambo to end the threat.

Arizona's pinch-hitters have gone 5-for-9 with four RBIs and four runs scored to open the season. 3.

Menechino noted that many pinch-hitters start warming up later in the game, but Suzuki has adopted a different habit.

"You can talk about the hitting of Rua and the pinch hitters and the ABs," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.

Kelly had his starter's back, stranding the runner by striking out the pinch-hitters Matt Kemp, Joc Pederson and Cody Bellinger.

Adams is expected to serve as a bench bat for the Braves, whose pinch-hitters are just 22.21-for-216 this season.

Managers bring on pinch-hitters because matchups and situations deem it prudent—a power-hitting lefty against a flamethrowing right-hander, etc.

Blackmon came to bat after pinch hitters Gerardo Parra and Matt Holliday opened the inning with consecutive singles against Brewers closer Jeremy Jeffress.

Yet Francona has made it all work, earning widespread acclaim for his aggressive, opportunistic managing in October, expertly deploying relievers and pinch-hitters.

The heavy use of pinch-hitters was especially surprising since the game was played in an American League park, so pitchers weren't hitting.

Three of the next four batters were right-handed pinch-hitters — Freese, Chris Taylor and Hernandez — and all would reach base and score.

Arguments by managers, coaches, players bring the loss of either one pitching change or two pinch-hitters — at discretion of the opponent. 2.

Mets manager Terry Collins, knowing Miami was out of pinch hitters, could have intentionally walked Ozuna, forcing the potential tying run to second base.

He removed Ynoa after just 43 pitches, starting the cascade of pinch-hitters and relievers that flowed during the next 53 hours 40 minutes.

Both appeared as pinch hitters and both failed to reach base, dropping Cabrera to 0-for-13 in the last four games and a .

Pinch-hitters, pinch-runners, and defensive subs will never become extinct, but they're a greatly reduced species, something like the tourist's bison herd at Yellowstone.

Looking for every extra edge in a playoff chase, the Philadelphia Phillies tried most everything — stealing and bunting, plus plenty of pinch-hitters and pitchers.

Two days after he used all of his position players and his entire bullpen in a loss, he used five relievers and three pinch-hitters in Game 33.

The Dodgers take roster depth to extremes in September; on Wednesday, Roberts used five pinch-hitters in the seventh inning and five relievers to get the final nine outs.

The Padres then loaded the bases with two out, but Jackson struck out Perdomo, who had to hit because the Padres were out of pinch hitters, to end the game.

With one on and two outs, he allowed a single to Rafael Devers on an 0-2 count before plunking consecutive batters, pinch hitters Brock Holt and Mitch Moreland, with two-strike pitches.

After blowing an early 2-0 lead, the Brewers were tied 53-2 in the seventh when pinch hitters Curtis Granderson and Eric Thames drew inning-opening walks from Giants reliever Hunter Strickland (3-5).

Entering Tuesday's games, among major league pinch-hitters with at least 40 plate appearances this season, Johnson was tied for first with four home runs and was second in on-base-plus-slugging percentage with an .

The American League uses far fewer pinch-hitters now than it did in the 1980s and 43s, a time before expansion and interleague play, when teams never had to worry about doing without the designated hitter.

Vogelbach was the third of three consecutive pinch hitters to face Astros right-hander Hector Rondon (563-256), who recorded the first two outs in the eighth courtesy of two splendid diving catches from center fielder Jake Marisnick.

The new rule takes away the ability to change a pitcher for a single batter, which Maddon and others said is unfair since MLB still allows pinch hitters, which can be substituted at any time during nonactive plays.

To put it in greater context, only six pinch hitters have hit an "ultimate grand slam"—which is apparently a real thing that means you hit a walk-off grand slam when trailing by three runs—since 1925.

Masks provide a fast, temporary benefit, so they're great pinch hitters to bring in when your skin is dealing with a situation that needs a quick fix — like when you're traveling on an arid, moisture-sucking airplane and need hydration, stat.

Pinch hitters Mitch Moreland and Josh Rutledge both had RBI singles, Dyson (22014-23, 20 ERA) wild pitched a run home, Dustin Pedroia singled home two runs, Chris Young drew a bases-loaded walk and Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly.

Turner's walk scores Harper as Nationals edge Mets in 210 NEW YORK — The New York Mets pulled out all the stops — starting position players promoted Friday from Triple-A and employing starting pitchers as pinch-hitters and pinch-runners — to try and win Friday night.

Without Pujols, manager Mike Scioscia was forced to use OF Ben Revere and C Martin Maldonado as pinch hitters when they were the potential go-ahead run in the sixth and slumping SS Danny Espinosa with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth.

Once Miley was pulled after five and two-thirds scoreless innings, it was almost like a shift change at a factory for the Dodgers: four of the five pinch-hitters or substitutes Roberts proceeded to call on as the game played out were left-handed batters, to face the Brewers' right-handed relief pitchers.

He flowered as a hitter with the Astros of the mid-1960s; became the Expos' first star player; and played nine seasons with the Mets in two stints: in the 1970s, when they won their second National League pennant, and then in the '80s, when he became one of baseball's most accomplished pinch-hitters.

Pinch hitters are selected for a given inning just before the team goes up to bat. Players can select any player in the field except the catcher.

They had only 137 in 2015 which ranked 25th out of the 30 teams. Cardinals pinch hitters are hitting .563 (9-for-16) with six homers and nine RBIs.

271 with 3 home runs and 33 RBI. Palmeiro had a low percentage of swings that miss (7.9%) and was considered one of the game's best pinch hitters with 120 career pinch hits.

The season saw Donnels appear in 66 games for the Dodgers, continuing as one of the primary pinch hitters off the bench. He became a free agent at the end of the season.

Gosselin in 2016 In 2016 Gosselin batted .277/.324/.368 with Arizona, with two home runs, and 13 RBIs, in 220 at bats. He led all big league pinch hitters in hits, with 20.

It has since been used throughout limited overs cricket, with the aggressive batsmen known as "pinch-hitters." However, "pinch hitter" usually refers to an aggressive batsman moved up the batting order from his usual place, used in situations where scoring runs quickly becomes more important than keeping wickets in hand. Pinch hitters are known for their big hitting and high strike rates. However, they sometimes lack the technique of higher-class batsmen and therefore often go out for low scores through their excessive attacking.

Harry Elwood "Moose" McCormick (February 28, 1881 – July 9, 1962) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball between 1904 and 1913 for the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadelphia Phillies. McCormick also served in the United States Army during World War I and as a civilian director of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Under manager John McGraw of the Giants, he was one of the first pinch hitters in the game's history and was considered one of the best pinch hitters in the game.

This is because National League relievers actually pitch to pitchers less often than NL starters do for a number of reasons, chiefly because relievers are usually active in later innings when pinch hitters tend to be used in the pitcher's batting spot.

Student Canteen was the first noontime variety show on Philippine television. It was originally a radio show on DZXL that was brought to CBN in 1958. It was hosted by Eddie Ilarde, Pepe Pimentel and Leila Benitez. Alternating as pinch- hitters were Bobby Ledesma and Bobby de Veyra.

He batted .349 as a pinch hitter, (fifth in the league among pinch hitters), and he tied for the league lead with three pinch-hit home runs. His 15 pinch-hit RBI led the majors and were second for a single season in Astros' history to Orlando Merced's 17 in 2001.

Pinch hitters are often used to replace a starting player because of injury or when the pinch hitter is thought to have a better chance of reaching base or helping other runners to score. In the National League of MLB, the Central League of NPB, and various other minor leagues, pinch hitters are often substituted for the pitcher in the middle or late innings of a game. This is because pitchers are often poor hitters and may become less effective after six to seven innings of pitching. Thus, as the manager often plans to replace the pitcher in the next inning, the major downside of using a pinch hitter, namely that the player being replaced cannot re-enter the game, is taken away.

Retrieved June 6, 2020 He remained with the White Sox organization for three years and later played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago Cubs, distinguishing himself as one of the best pinch hitters in the majors. During the 1985 season, Bosley hit .328 and was voted the best pinch hitter in baseball.

In two player games, each player can select their own team, but they have to be from the same league. Once the starting pitcher is selected, the player can choose a specialty ball and stamina level. With more stamina, pitch speed and accuracy last longer. When batting, players are allowed up to four pinch hitters in each game.

He was also one of the most proficient pinch-hitters in baseball history with a .320 batting average (63-for-197) – the highest in major league history upon his retirement, breaking the .312 mark held by Frenchy Bordagaray. In , he finished third in the MVP voting after leading the major leagues in batting average, hits and runs batted in.

The pitcher must continue using this hand for the duration of the at bat, with some exceptions for injury and the use of pinch hitters. Following this choice, batters can then select with which hand they will bat. Right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish throws with his left hand when training. He does this to keep both arms strong and balanced.

Over 2007 and 2008, Dobbs led the majors in pinch-hit RBIs. In 2007, he finished in first place with 18 pinch-hit RBIs, the most in the major leagues. In 2008, his pinch-hitting prowess continued as he led the majors with 22 pinch hits and a .355 batting average while finishing second among pinch hitters with 16 RBIs.

The option simply favors the chosen attribute when the computer randomly generates the players. Each new team gets about $30,000 and 18 players (5 pitchers, 8 batters, and 5 pinch hitters) to start. From there, games are played and games that are won earn money for the team. Players on created teams can be modified and improved as well as traded amongst other created teams.

For the first of four times, he led the majors pinch-hitters with 15 hits in 51 at-bats (.294). Then, in 1976 he posted a career-high .316 (50-for-158) as he went on to set his pinch-hit single-season record of 25, breaking the previous mark of 24 established by Dave Philley in 1961 and tied by Vic Davalillo in 1970.

On July 18, the Philadelphia Phillies used four pitchers as pinch hitters and pinch runners against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jack Scott, Clarence Mitchell and Les Sweetland hit, while Tony Kaufmann ran for Scott. On September 30, in a game against The Washington Senators, New York Yankee Babe Ruth smashed his 60th home run of the year, a record that would hold for 39 years.

In his late career, he became known as one of the top pinch hitters in the Major Leagues. He set an MLB record with seven consecutive pinch hits in , and the following season made 21 pinch hits to fall one shy of the then-MLB all-time record.The Associated Press, October 12, 1954 He missed the 1944 season while serving in the Army with the Military Police unit.

Taguchi agreed to a one-year deal worth $925,000 with the St. Louis Cardinals for the season. Taguchi returned to the Cardinals in 2007 and had another solid season, batting .290 as a part-time player, with 307 at-bats in 130 games. He was one of manager Tony La Russa's most valuable pinch-hitters; of 46 games in 2007 where he's shown to have had just 1 AB, Taguchi picked up 15 hits.

A ninth-inning one-out rally consisting of four singles, with Tenace's the second and the rest coming from pinch hitters, won the game against Cincinnati's ace relief pitcher, Clay Carroll. He hit a three-run home run in the A's Game 5 loss. Before Game 6 of the 1972 Series, he was the target of a death threat. In Game 7, he was once again the hero, driving in two runs in a 3–2 victory for Oakland.

Marlon Ordell Anderson (born January 6, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was widely known for his clutch hits, and writers for publications including The New York Times and Newsday had referred to him as one of the best pinch-hitters in the game.In Mets' Master Plan, Accent Is on Winning New York Times, June 13, 2006, by Murray ChassMets survive L.A. slugfest Newsday, July 20th, 2007, by David Lennon. Reprinted in Newsday Mets blog.

In 2020, he used 0.37 pinch hitters per game, the lowest rate of any manager in major league baseball. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was shortened to 60 games. In addition, the playoffs were expanded to include eight teams from each leagues instead of the regular six. Despite this, the Angels finished the season at 26–34 to finish in fourth place in the AL West, missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

The player has to wait until the game starts before substituting players with pinch hitters, who can play any position. Pinch runners are not implemented. Unlike Major League Baseball, R.B.I. Baseball implements the mercy rule—if one team is ahead by ten or more runs after any number of completed innings, the game ends immediately. Additionally, while the statistics shown on the screen for each player in the original game were reasonably accurate, their playing attributes were not always accurate.

In a 13-season career, Brown was a .257 hitter with 84 home runs and 322 runs batted in in 1,051 games played. On June 19, 1963, coming off the bench, Brown became the 11th American League batter to hit a home run in his first at bat. A popular figure among Tigers fans, Brown may not have had the defensive skills to make the everyday lineup but he has been considered one of the premier pinch hitters in MLB history.

Despite opening up their next series with a four-run lead, the Braves gave up seven unanswered runs in a 7–4 loss to the Cardinals. Atlanta also gave up an MLB record three home runs to pinch hitters. In the second of the three-game series against the Cardinals, the Braves allowed nine unanswered runs in a 12–2 loss. After the loss, the Braves were the only team in the National League to have not won a single game yet.

Wills attempted to advance to third, but was thrown out by Willie Mays. Larsen then induced a flyball out by Gilliam and the inning was over. Between the two halves of the sixth the two teams had scored a combined 11 runs and used six pitchers, three pinch hitters, two defensive replacements, and a pinch runner. Ron Perranoski entered as the new pitcher for the seventh, Camilli took his place as the new catcher, and Ron Fairly replaced Wally Moon at first base.

On September 10, , he is credited as having become the first pinch hitter in major league history; he batted for Hank O'Day and struck out. Conventional wisdom indicates that this must have been an injury situation since a rule allowing pinch hitters in non- injury situations was not instituted until . The first pinch-hitter under that rule is generally agreed to be Jack Doyle‚ on June 7‚ 1892. The Giants won the 1889 World Series, but morale was low on the club.

Daugherty signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent on January 5, . Assigned to the Astros' triple A affiliate the Tucson Toros, Daugherty responded by tearing up the Pacific Coast League by hitting .390/.488/.525 over 42 games. Despite these numbers, he found little playing time with the parent club, as perennial all-star Jeff Bagwell occupied first base and manager Art Howe seemed to prefer using Kevin Bass, Chris Donnels and Chris James as his primary pinch-hitters. Daugherty was 1 for 3 in just four games with Houston.

The Cubs threatened again in the next inning with singles by Lance Johnson and Sammy Sosa. Rich Rodriguez relieved Gardner, but loaded the bases with a walk to Mark Grace and allowed a single to Matt Mieske which scored two more runs and extended the Cubs' lead to 4–0. John Johnstone relieved Rodriguez and closed the inning without further scoring. After getting one out in the top of the 7th, Steve Trachsel allowed a single and a walk to pinch hitters Brent Mayne and Armando Ríos respectively.

Functionally, the game plays similarly to R.B.I. Baseball, but with a few notable fun exceptions. For example, the umpires are anthropomorphic rabbits, players become unconscious when they are forced out or knocked out by the ball, and there are different, more kid-friendly animations for events such as home runs and close plays at the plate. If neither team has won after the 12th inning, the game ends in a tie, similar to the Japanese League. Like in real baseball, typical gameplay includes pinch hitters and pinch runners, stolen bases, four types of pitches and players with different attributes.

Players can manage a game between teams from 14 different World Series contests, or enter in or load the statistics for other teams. For example, players can manage either the Brooklyn Dodgers or New York Yankees in a rematch of the 1955 World Series. Two players can manage against each other, one player can manage against a computer manager, or the computer can manage both teams. Game play is limited to managerial decisions: setting lineups, pitching changes, pinch hitters and other substitutions, defensive positioning, and offensive decisions such as when to bunt, steal or hit and run.

He had one base hit in eight at-bats in the Phillies' World Series loss. He continued to platoon with Philadelphia in 1984 before leaving the team as a free agent. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985 and served as one of the team's pinch hitters. Prior to the start of the 1986 season, during spring training, Pittsburgh released Lezcano, which ended his Major League career. In 1291 games over 12 seasons, Lezcano posted a .271 batting average (1122-for-4134) with 560 runs, 184 doubles, 34 triples, 148 home runs, 591 RBI, 37 stolen bases, 576 bases on balls, .

The pinch hitter assumes the spot in the batting order of the player whom he replaces. The player chosen to be a pinch hitter is often a backup infielder or outfielder. In Major League Baseball (MLB), catchers are less likely to be called upon to pinch-hit, because most teams have only two catchers, while pitchers are almost never used as pinch hitters, because they tend to be worse hitters than other players on the team. The American League of MLB, the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the KBO League (in Korea), and various other leagues, use the designated hitter rule, such that pitchers seldom bat.

In the fifth inning, Phillies second baseman Tony Taylor preserved the perfect game with his strong defensive play. A diving catch and a throw from the knees kept Mets catcher Jesse Gonder off of the bases. Bunning also made plays at the plate, hitting a double and driving in two runs in the sixth inning. By the end of the game, even the Mets fans were cheering Bunning's effort; he had only reached a three-ball count on two batters, and retired shortstop Charley Smith on a pop-out, and pinch-hitters George Altman and John Stephenson on strikeouts, to complete the perfect game.

Kapler used 1.25 pinch hitters per game, more than any other manager in major league baseball. Both new and veteran players responded positively to Kapler, and a number of them highlighted his steadiness as a factor in turning around slumping years. In the Covid-shortened 2020 season, he managed the team to an record that far exceeded expectations in what was expected to be a rebuild year, and surpassed the record of Kapler's former team, the Phillies. The Giants felt just short of making the playoffs, which they would have made had they won their last game of the season, which they lost by one run.

Bert Campaneris' single that followed a fielder's choice and a stolen base by Bill North gave the A's a temporary tie in the third inning. But a double by Bobby Grich and Tommy Davis' single put the Orioles ahead to stay in the fourth. A four-run outburst in the fifth, featuring homers by Brooks Robinson and Bobby Grich, locked up the game and sent Hunter to the showers. When Cuellar yielded a single to Jesús Alou and a double to Claudell Washington, both pinch-hitters, to open the last of the ninth, he was pulled in favor of Grimsley, who got the last three outs without trouble.

When the decision to remove a pitcher is made, the manager may also elect to double switch, delaying the new pitcher's turn at bat. A designated hitter reduces the need for late-inning pinch hitters. Advocates of the designated hitter point to the fact that it has extended many careers, and, in a few cases, created long, productive careers for players who are weak fielders or have a history of injuries, such as Edgar Martínez and David Ortiz. Hall of Fame members George Brett, Carl Yastrzemski, Paul Molitor, Harold Baines and Martinez continued their careers longer than they ordinarily would have without the rule.

Hilldale's regular lineup included Biz Mackey as the catcher, Tank Carr at first base, Frank Warfield, the manager, at second, Judy Johnson at third, Jake Stephens at shortstop, Clint Thomas in left field, George Johnson in center field, and Otto Briggs in right field. Briggs was the leadoff hitter, while Warfield batted second in four of the six games, Carr batted third, Mackey was cleanup hitter, Judy Johnson hit fifth, Thomas sixth, and George Johnson seventh. Their starting pitchers were Rube Currie, Phil Cockrell, Scrip Lee, and Nip Winters, with Red Ryan pitching in relief. From the bench, Louis Santop, Namon Washington, and Newt Robinson played as pinch hitters or defensive replacements.

During his time in baseball, Paschal was described as a five-tool player who excelled at running, throwing, fielding, hitting for average, and power. However, his playing time with the Yankees was limited because they already had future Baseball Hall of Famers Ruth and Earle Combs, and star Bob Meusel, in the outfield. Paschal was considered one of the best bench players in baseball during his time with the Yankees, and sportswriters wrote how he would have started for most other teams in the American League. He was one of the best pinch hitters in the game during the period, at a time when the term was still relatively new to baseball.

In Game 4, Shotton helped to thwart Bill Bevens' no-hit bid in the ninth inning, sending into the game two pinch hitters and two pinch runners in an attempt to overcome a 2–1 deficit. The gambit worked, as Dodger pinch hitter Cookie Lavagetto drove home both pinch runners, Al Gionfriddo and Eddie Miksis, with his opposite-field double — Brooklyn's only hit — for a 3–2 victory.Retrosheet With Durocher's suspension over, Shotton retired again, this time to a front office post as "managerial consultant" in the Dodgers' vast farm system. But the 1948 Dodgers did not respond to Durocher's return; they even (briefly, on May 24) fell into the NL cellar.

A diving catch and a throw from the knees kept Mets catcher Jesse Gonder off the bases. Bunning also had a good day at the plate, hitting a double and driving in two runs in the sixth inning. By the end of the game, even the Mets fans were cheering Bunning's effort; he had reached a three-ball count on only two batters, and retired shortstop Charley Smith on a pop-out, and pinch-hitters George Altman and John Stephenson on strikeouts, to complete the perfect game. Bunning, who at the time had seven children, said that his game, pitched on Father's Day (although Father's Day did not officially become a holiday until 1972), could not have come at a more appropriate time.

Initially, Díaz' presence on the roster gave the Cardinals a capable hitter with upside who could play shortstop and fill a void until the return of Rubén Tejada, who had injured himself late in spring training. Tejada himself was a replacement signed as a free agent during spring training to replace the already-established starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who also had injured himself and was projected to be unable to play significantly longer than Tejada. On April 8, Díaz's first major league home run contributed to the Cardinals becoming the first team in major league history to hit three pinch hit home runs in the same game. Jeremy Hazelbaker and Greg Garcia were the other pinch hitters as the Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Braves, 7–4.

Johnson joined the Cincinnati organization on August 29, 1997 and was assigned to the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association, where he was used as a pinch hitter, going 0-for-4 before the close of the AAA season. The Reds had acquired Johnson as insurance in case something happened to pinch hitter Lenny Harris, then considered the best pinch hitter in the National League and now regarded as one of the best pinch hitters of all-time. Harris remained healthy and the Reds fell out of the playoff race, though, and Johnson did not receive a September recall. Johnson went to Spring training with Cincinnati in 1998 but was cut after Harris was re-signed and showed no signs of slowing.

Stengel's use of platooning meant more players saw more use, and he was generally more prone to put in a pinch hitter or replace his pitcher than other managers. Although only once in Stengel's time (1954) did the Yankees lead the league in number of pinch hitters, Stengel was known for using them in odd situations, once pinch-hitting for Moose Skowron in the first inning after a change of pitcher. Additionally, according to James, Stengel "rotated lineups with mad abandon, using perhaps 70 to 100 different lineups in a 154 game season". Although Stengel was not the first Yankee manager to use a regular relief pitcher—Harris had seen success with Joe Page in 1947—his adoption of the concept did much to promote it.

Then he played on loan to Tidewater, the Mets' Triple-A affiliate, in 1972. Finally, he reached the majors in 1973 with the Athletics, playing for them during part of the season before joining the Montreal Expos (1973–77), Minnesota Twins (1978–80), Baltimore Orioles (1981–82) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1982–84). Morales spent nine seasons in the minor leagues before turning into one of the premier pinch-hitters in major league history. One main problem held up his advance: as a catcher, he was a defensive liability, leading four different minor leagues in errors. Indeed, during his majors career, he appeared in the field in only 104 of his 733 total games, and he never collected more than 242 at-bats during a regular season.

Though the full season mode is based on the 1994 schedule, it does NOT include the new (and current) three divisions/wild card format introduced for the 1994 season; instead it uses the old two division (per league) format. Couched in what the packaging billed as "huge arcade style graphics," games could be played on either natural or artificial grass (depending on the home team) during day or night. The game also featured scoreboard animations for double and triple plays, home runs, grand slams, pitching changes, pinch hitters, and sometimes strike outs. The SNES version is the first ever baseball video game to include the Atlanta Braves' distinctive Tomahawk Chop theme song, which is actually advertised on the back of the game box.

In 1989, a designated hitter was allowed in the All-Star Game for the first time. Between 1989 and 2010, the designated hitter rule was applied based on the league in which the host team plays; it was used for games played in American League ballparks in each such instance, both teams used a designated hitter while in National League ballparks, managers have scheduled the pitcher to hit, though pinch hitters have almost always been used in practice. This allows a deserving nonstarter to make a plate appearance. In 2010, Major League Baseball announced the designated hitter rule would apply for every All-Star Game; while the 2010 game was already to have the DH, the 2011 game was the first played in a National League park with a DH.

On September 26, 1961, he propelled the Reds into the World Series with his two-run home run off Cubs pitcher Bob Anderson, scoring Vada Pinson. He finished 22nd in voting for the 1961 NL MVP. He was hitless in three official at bats and four plate appearances during the 1961 World Series, which the Reds lost in five games to the New York Yankees. Lynch in 1961 Lynch is considered one of baseball's all-time best pinch hitters. He had 116 pinch hits during his career, which ranks him 10th on the all-time list. Lynch is third on the all-time pinch hit home run list (he was first when he retired) with 18, with five of those coming during the 1961 season while driving in 25 runs.

Traditionally an infielder, Brookens found himself behind the plate in a game against the Texas Rangers on July 20, 1985. With regular catcher Lance Parrish hurt and Bob Melvin and Marty Castillo removed from the game in favor of pinch-hitters, Brookens (who had never caught a pro game before, even in the minors) filled the role and wound up catching five innings (11th through the 15th) before Detroit finally won the game. On August 20, 1980, Brookens went 5-for-5 with a triple and a home run, and also started a triple play in an 8–6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. On September 18, 1984, Brookens hit an eighth inning solo home run into the left field seats at Tiger Stadium off of Milwaukee Brewers lefty Mike Caldwell on a 3-2 fastball.

A defensive substitution in the game of baseball occurs when a currently non- playing player is placed into the field in place of another player, typically due either to injury or the appearance of a pinch hitter. In the American League, a pinch hitter is usually substituted for the position player in whose place he batted (although another common substitution is pinch-hitting a utility infielder for a second baseman and subsequently switching him for the shortstop in the field while moving the shortstop over to the now-vacant second base position). In the National League, which does not use the designated hitter rule, pinch hitters sometimes bat for pitchers. However, another common pitcher-substitution strategy in the NL is the double switch, in which a pitching change is coupled with a pinch-hitter who is also defensively substituted for a second player.

Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 17 runs to progress to the Semi-Finals of the Twenty20 Cup Partly due to Mal Loye's boundary-filled 73, off just 32 balls, Derbyshire Phantoms conceded 189 runs in their game with Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford. After Loye was dismissed, Lancashire tried to employ pinch hitters such as Dominic Cork and Glen Chapple to get the runs flowing quickly, who hit at just over a run a ball – but still below the average run rate for the innings. Derbyshire made it to 121 for 3 despite Gary Keedy taking the wickets of Michael di Venuto and Jonathan Moss early on, but Keedy dug out another wicket, and that set the doors in the Old Trafford pavilion in motion. Derbyshire lost five wickets for 18 runs, part-time off-spinner Andrew Crook joining in with Keedy to grab two for 35.

Many of the pre-game and in-game strategic decisions in baseball revolve around a fundamental fact: in general, right-handed batters tend to be more successful against left- handed pitchers and, to an even greater degree, left-handed batters tend to be more successful against right-handed pitchers. A manager with several left- handed batters in the regular lineup, who knows the team will be facing a left-handed starting pitcher, may respond by starting one or more of the right-handed backups on the team's roster. During the late innings of a game, as relief pitchers and pinch hitters are brought in, the opposing managers will often go back and forth trying to create favorable matchups with their substitutions. The manager of the fielding team trying to arrange same-handed pitcher-batter matchups and the manager of the batting team trying to arrange opposite-handed matchups.

Johnson entered Spring training in 1995 as a 27-year-old career Minor Leaguer whose minimal prospect status had long- since evaporated, although his 1994 campaign had caused Pittsburgh to reevaluate his power potential. Johnson won Pittsburgh's first base job in the strike-shortened 1995 season, although his playing time was irregular, at best. Still, Johnson started 63 games at first base for Pittsburgh, more than any other player. Johnson's playing time was hindered by his struggles at the plate, as he finished the season at .208/.326/.421. Johnson had his moments in 1995, though, as he hit 13 homers in only 221 at-bats, emerged as one of the premier pinch hitters in the National League, and displayed a smooth glove at first base. Johnson retained his job as Pittsburgh's first baseman in 1996, this time garnering much more playing time than in 1995, as he started 83 games for the Pirates.

Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 17 runs to progress to the Semi-Finals of the Twenty20 Cup After Mal Loye's boundary-filled 73, off just 32 balls, Derbyshire Phantoms were probably happy that they escaped with conceding 189 runs in their game with Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford. Lancashire tried to employ pinch hitters such as Dominic Cork and Glen Chapple to get the runs flowing quickly, but they disappointed slightly, hitting at just over a run a ball. Derbyshire's chase looked possible despite Gary Keedy taking the wickets of Michael Di Venuto and Jonathan Moss, two danger men, early on - as they were 121 for 3 - but Keedy dug out another wicket, and that spurred a collapse to 139 for 8, part-time off-spinner Andrew Crook joining in with two for 35. Derbyshire needed some big hits from the specialist bowlers in the end, and crumbled to 172 with three balls remaining, James Anderson getting the honour of taking the last wicket.

Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 17 runs to progress to the Semi-Finals of the Twenty20 Cup After Mal Loye's boundary-filled 73, off just 32 balls, Derbyshire Phantoms were probably happy that they escaped with conceding 189 runs in their game with Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford. Lancashire tried to employ pinch hitters such as Dominic Cork and Glenn Chapple to get the runs flowing quickly, but they disappointed slightly, hitting at just over a run a ball. Derbyshire's chase looked possible despite Gary Keedy taking the wickets of Michael Di Venuto and Jonathan Moss, two danger men, early on – as they were 121 for 3 – but Keedy dug out another wicket, and that spurred a collapse to 139 for 8, part-time off-spinner Andrew Crook joining in with two for 35. Derbyshire needed some big hits from the specialist bowlers in the end, and crumbled to 172 with three balls remaining, James Anderson getting the honour of taking the last wicket.

He helped the Giants win the 1923 National League Pennant. Lucas finished 11th in voting for the 1927 National League MVP. That year, he had a won–loss record of 18–11, with 19 complete games, 4 shutouts, 2 saves, 239 innings pitched, and a 3.38 ERA. Lucas was 6th in voting for the 1929 NL MVP for leading the league in WHIP (1.204), hits allowed per 9 innings pitched (8.90), and 28 completed games. He had a 19–12 won–loss record, with 2 shutouts and a 3.60 ERA. Lucas finished 14th in voting for the 1931 NL MVP. While Lucas led the National League in shutouts with 4 in 1928, completing 28 games in 1932 and walks/9IP (1.33) in 1936. He appeared in 19 games as a fielder, mostly at second base, but occasionally at third base, shortstop, or the outfield. Lucas pinch hit 505 times over his 16 seasons; his 114 base hits as a pinch hitter rank him among the most prolific pinch hitters in Major League Baseball history.

His time in Hanshin drew the attention of Mets manager Bobby Valentine, formerly the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines and a long-time supporter of NPB, and Johnson was signed by the Mets on February 22, 2000. He and Valentine both had an appreciation of the Japanese style of play and quickly became friendly, with Johnson recommending several other Western players in Japan capable of Major League play that culminated in the signing of Timo Perez from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Johnson's pinch-hitting prowess and power tantalized Valentine, though he ultimately lost the job in Spring training to incumbent Matt Franco, who had been one of the best pinch hitters in the National League for the previous three seasons. The Mets were plagued by incompetence and injuries early in 2000, though, which led to the release of Rickey Henderson, a career-threatening injury to Darryl Hamilton, and a season-ending injury to Rey Ordóñez. Franco's pinch hitting numbers dipped a bit with increased pressure on the team and Johnson was recalled mid-season, though he was underwhelming despite some clutch pinch hits, including a home run, although overall he batted .182/.333/.318 in 22 at-bats.