RetroSimba

(Updated Feb. 13, 2014)

Carl Sawatski had one special skill as a ballplayer. He could hit with power against right-handed pitching. In 11 big-league seasons, Sawatski hit 58 home runs _ all against right-handers.

In 1961, Sawatski delivered four home runs as a pinch-hitter for the Cardinals. No St. Louis pinch-hitter has slugged that many homers in a season since.

Like Sawatski, George Crowe also hit four pinch-hit home runs in a season for the Cardinals. Crowe did it twice, in 1959 and again in 1960.

When Sawatski, a catcher who batted left-handed, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Phillies in December 1959 for outfielder Bobby Gene Smith and pitcher Bill Smith, a headline in The Sporting News declared, “Sawatski to Supply Power Behind Platter.”

Said Cardinals manager Solly Hemus: “We got Sawatski for his bat. He’s not outstanding with the glove, but he’s improving.”

A backup to catcher Hal Smith, Sawatski hit .229 with six home runs (one as a pinch-hitter) in 78 games for the 1960 Cardinals.

The next season, Sawatski, 33, produced the kind of hitting the Cardinals expected. As a pinch-hitter, Sawatski hit .282 (11-for-39) with four home runs and 14 RBI for the 1961 Cardinals. Overall, he batted .299 with 10 homers.

Sawatski’s four pinch-hit homers were one behind the 1961 National League leader, Jerry Lynch of the Reds, and two behind the big-league record holder, Johnny Frederick of the 1932 Dodgers.

(Dave Hansen of the 2000 Dodgers and Craig Wilson of the 2001 Pirates now share the major-league record for pinch-hit home runs in a season. Each hit seven.)

A look at Sawatski’s four pinch-hit home runs in 1961:

Denting Drysdale

_ April 19, Dodgers 7, Cardinals 2, at Los Angeles: With the Dodgers ahead, 3-0, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for Hal Smith, led off the third inning with a home run off starter Don Drysdale. It was one of four homers Sawatski hit against the Hall of Fame pitcher in his career. Boxscore

Cubs crusher

_ June 5, Cardinals 10, Cubs 8, at St. Louis: Pinch-hitting in the seventh for shortstop Alex Grammas, Sawatski hit a two-run home run off reliever Joe Schaffernoth, giving the Cardinals a 6-5 lead and sparking a six-run Cardinals inning. Boxscore

Happy hooker

_ June 20, Reds 4, Cardinals 3, at Cincinnati: In the seventh inning, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for second baseman Bob Lillis, erased a 2-0 Reds lead with a three-run home run off starter Jay Hook. It was one of three homers Sawatski hit off Hook in his career. But the Reds scored a run in the bottom of the ninth, tying the score, and won with a run in the 11th. Boxscore

Doing it all

_ Aug. 6, Cardinals 3, Phillies 2, at St. Louis: In the seventh, with the Phillies ahead, 2-0, Sawatski, pinch-hitting for catcher Chris Cannizzaro, hit a two-run home run with two outs off starter Jim Owens. Sawatski stayed in the game at catcher. In the ninth, he hit the game-winning single off Jack Baldschun with one out and the bases loaded. Boxscore

After the 1961 season, the Cardinals needed to decide which of their players to expose to the expansion draft being conducted by the Mets and Colt .45s.

Wrote The Sporting News, “Catcher Carl Sawatski, who was believed to be on the fence at one time because of his defensive shortcomings, was regarded as a sure bet to stay among the untouchables. The Birds need (Sawatski’s) big bat, especially as a weapon for coming off the bench.”

Sawatski hit one pinch-hit home run in 16 at-bats for the 1962 Cardinals and was homerless in 31 pinch-hit at-bats for St. Louis in 1963, his final season in the big leagues.

Previously: Pure-hitting Jerry Lynch savored Cardinals pitching