The Yankees' Ron Blomberg was baseball's first DH.
The early part of a baseball season is about uncovering early clues to help answer all the questions that accumulated in the offseason. Heading into the 2011 season, one of the concerns facing the Yankees was whether Jorge Posada would adapt to his new role as a fulltime DH. With three homeruns in his first four games, the early signs look good. And, if Posada continues his smooth transition from behind the plate, the real question may be whether he can become the best DH in franchise history.
Many Yankee fans probably know that the team’s first DH was Ron Blomberg, who was also the first DH in baseball history. However, Bloomberg was never primarily a designated hitter. In 1973, the bulk of the job went to Jim Ray Hart. Since then, the team has featured a revolving door of designated hitters, not only from year to year, but often within a season. In fact, on 19 occasions, the Yankees used at least 10 designated hitters, including 2010, when 16 different players performed the role. As a result, there haven’t been many opportunities for a Yankee DH to post prolific numbers.
Yankees’ Primary DH, 1973-2010
| Player | Year | G | PA | R | HR | RBI | BA | OBP | SLG |
| Jim Ray Hart | 1973 | 105 | 370 | 30 | 12 | 50 | 0.256 | 0.325 | 0.416 |
| Roy White | 1974 | 53 | 239 | 35 | 3 | 22 | 0.264 | 0.345 | 0.370 |
| Ed Hermann | 1975 | 34 | 118 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 0.286 | 0.356 | 0.429 |
| Carlos May | 1976 | 81 | 332 | 39 | 3 | 34 | 0.256 | 0.341 | 0.339 |
| Carlos May | 1977 | 54 | 189 | 21 | 2 | 15 | 0.222 | 0.293 | 0.299 |
| Cliff Johnson | 1978 | 39 | 123 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 0.217 | 0.325 | 0.396 |
| Jim Spencer | 1979 | 71 | 220 | 44 | 18 | 37 | 0.280 | 0.364 | 0.606 |
| Eric Soderholm | 1980 | 51 | 173 | 26 | 8 | 22 | 0.307 | 0.384 | 0.523 |
| Bobby Murcer | 1981 | 33 | 113 | 14 | 5 | 20 | 0.284 | 0.345 | 0.490 |
| Oscar Gamble | 1982 | 74 | 268 | 32 | 12 | 38 | 0.264 | 0.366 | 0.485 |
| Don Baylor | 1983 | 136 | 570 | 82 | 21 | 83 | 0.303 | 0.363 | 0.500 |
| Don Baylor | 1984 | 128 | 540 | 81 | 25 | 85 | 0.262 | 0.340 | 0.481 |
| Don Baylor | 1985 | 140 | 562 | 71 | 23 | 91 | 0.232 | 0.332 | 0.432 |
| Mike Easler | 1986 | 130 | 500 | 58 | 11 | 70 | 0.304 | 0.359 | 0.443 |
| Ron Kittle | 1987 | 49 | 161 | 21 | 12 | 27 | 0.278 | 0.304 | 0.550 |
| Jack Clark | 1988 | 112 | 485 | 63 | 21 | 72 | 0.243 | 0.386 | 0.434 |
| Steve Balboni | 1989 | 82 | 261 | 29 | 14 | 52 | 0.255 | 0.307 | 0.502 |
| Mel Hall | 1990 | 54 | 184 | 20 | 4 | 18 | 0.239 | 0.261 | 0.375 |
| Kevin Maas | 1991 | 109 | 436 | 54 | 17 | 43 | 0.211 | 0.326 | 0.386 |
| Kevin Maas | 1992 | 62 | 239 | 24 | 7 | 26 | 0.238 | 0.301 | 0.374 |
| Danny Tartabull | 1993 | 88 | 388 | 57 | 20 | 70 | 0.260 | 0.374 | 0.508 |
| Danny Tartabull | 1994 | 78 | 347 | 47 | 13 | 42 | 0.224 | 0.314 | 0.416 |
| Ruben Sierra | 1995 | 46 | 200 | 29 | 6 | 42 | 0.260 | 0.325 | 0.424 |
| Ruben Sierra | 1996 | 61 | 270 | 31 | 7 | 34 | 0.275 | 0.348 | 0.428 |
| Cecil Fielder | 1997 | 89 | 392 | 45 | 13 | 58 | 0.263 | 0.357 | 0.422 |
| Darryl Strawberry | 1998 | 81 | 291 | 36 | 20 | 44 | 0.254 | 0.361 | 0.552 |
| Chillli Davis | 1999 | 132 | 540 | 69 | 19 | 73 | 0.270 | 0.369 | 0.449 |
| Shane Spencer | 2000 | 33 | 131 | 15 | 4 | 12 | 0.233 | 0.298 | 0.422 |
| David Justice | 2001 | 85 | 344 | 49 | 16 | 43 | 0.228 | 0.323 | 0.436 |
| Jason Giambi | 2002 | 63 | 277 | 43 | 12 | 37 | 0.271 | 0.397 | 0.489 |
| Jason Giambi | 2003 | 69 | 305 | 37 | 16 | 41 | 0.220 | 0.377 | 0.452 |
| Ruben Sierra | 2004 | 56 | 221 | 27 | 13 | 41 | 0.236 | 0.281 | 0.458 |
| Jason Giambi | 2005 | 60 | 235 | 31 | 8 | 22 | 0.209 | 0.404 | 0.367 |
| Jason Giambi | 2006 | 70 | 306 | 55 | 21 | 66 | 0.224 | 0.373 | 0.531 |
| Jason Giambi | 2007 | 57 | 233 | 27 | 9 | 30 | 0.246 | 0.365 | 0.426 |
| Hideki Matsui | 2008 | 66 | 273 | 29 | 7 | 33 | 0.285 | 0.355 | 0.423 |
| Hideki Matsui | 2009 | 140 | 562 | 71 | 23 | 91 | 0.232 | 0.332 | 0.432 |
| Marcus Thames | 2010 | 41 | 144 | 18 | 9 | 24 | 0.291 | 0.326 | 0.530 |
Source: Baseball-reference.com
To date, the Yankees have had 166 different players fill the role of DH, but if the team stays true to plan, Posada could become a rare full-timer. In the 38 seasons since the rule was instituted, no Yankee has had more than 570 plate appearances as a DH, and only eight have had as many as 400. If he can stay healthy, Posada would not only join this list, but could also find himself sitting atop it.
Most of the records set by a Yankee DH are held by Don Baylor, who won two silver slugger awards in his three seasons in pinstripes. In addition to being the only Yankee DH so honored, Baylor is also the franchise’s only fulltimer to fill the role in more than one season. It remains to be seen if Posada’s future in the Bronx will last long enough to join Baylor, but if he continues to excel as a DH, it could wind up extending his Yankee career.
Yankees’ DH Records
| Games | 140 | Don Baylor, Hideki Matsui |
| PAs | 570 | Don Baylor |
| R | 83 | Don Baylor |
| H | 151 | Don Baylor |
| 2B | 31 | Don Baylor |
| HR | 25 | Don Baylor |
| RBI | 91 | Don Baylor, Hideki Matsui |
| AVG | 0.303 | Don Baylor |
| OBP | 0.386 | Jack Clark |
| SLG | 0.500 | Don Baylor |
| OPS | 0.863 | Don Baylor |
Note: Rate stats based on minimum 400 plate appearances.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
[…] the exception of Don Baylor from 1983 to 1986, the Yankees have rarely had a full-time DH. Jorge Posada’s 90 games as a DH last year is surpassed by only seven other Yankees and ranks as […]
[…] by the franchise’s historic reluctance to install a full-time DH, the Yankees could decide to use the DH slot as a merry go-round for the team’s veterans. […]
[…] by the franchise’s historic reluctance to install a full-time DH, the Yankees could decide to use the DH slot as a merry go-round for the team’s veterans. […]
[…] an OPS+ of 100, Kevin Maas is an unlikely candidate for a team of offensive misfits, but the Yankees haven’t had many full-time DHs, and, when one hitter has been entrusted with the role, he’s usually been very productive. As a […]