RetroSimba

(Updated May 22, 2018)

Allen Watson may be best remembered as a hitter rather than a pitcher for the Cardinals. In 1995, he set a batting standard for big-league pitchers.

Watson, a left-hander for the Cardinals from 1993-95, is the last big-league pitcher to hit .400 or better for a season with 20 or more at-bats, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Watson hit .417 (15-for-36) for the 1995 Cardinals.

In 2011, Reds left-hander Dontrelle Willis came close to becoming the first pitcher to hit .400 or better in 20 or more at-bats since Watson. Willis hit .387 (12-for-31).

Before Watson, the last pitcher to achieve the feat was Steve Blass, who hit .417 (10-for-24) for the 1973 Pirates.

Watson, who played one season of high school baseball, attended New York Institute of Technology. As a designated hitter in 1991, he ranked fifth in the nation among college hitters. The Cardinals selected him in the first round of the June amateur draft that year as a pitcher.

Watson advanced swiftly through the Cardinals’ minor-league system and established his ability to hit professional pitching. He hit .346 (9-for-26) for Class AA Arkansas in 1992 and .364 (8-for-22) for Class AAA Louisville in 1993 before being promoted to the Cardinals in July that year.

A left-handed batter, Watson hit .231 (6-for-26) for the 1993 Cardinals and .158 (6-for-38) for the 1994 Cardinals.

In 1995, Watson had four doubles and five RBI along with that .417 batting average.

On July 20, 1995, Watson evened his record at 3-3 by earning the win in the Cardinals’ 8-6 victory over the Mets. He also went 1-for-1 with a walk and a RBI, boosting his batting average to .500 and his slugging percentage to .714. Boxscore

Two days later, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote, “Perhaps the Cardinals should consider moving pitcher Allen Watson to first base.”

While there’s no indication the Cardinals considered such a move, the idea had merit. Watson was an erratic pitcher for St. Louis. He was 7-9 with a 4.96 ERA in 1995.

Although he won his first six decisions with St. Louis, Watson’s three-year record with the Cardinals was 19-21 with a 5.07 ERA when he was traded, along with pitchers Rich DeLucia and Doug Creek, to the Giants in December 1995 for shortstop Royce Clayton.

In an eight-year big-league career, Watson hit .257 (45-for-175) with 13 doubles and 19 RBI.