Cleanup hitter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup.
[edit] Strategy
Cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best all-around hitter; their job is to "clean up the bases", hence the name. Cleanup hitters tend to play defensively easy positions such as first base, third base, right field, left field, or designated hitter.
[edit] Notable cleanup hitters
Perhaps the most well-known "clean-up hitter" of all-time was Lou Gehrig, who was preceded in the New York Yankees lineup by several fine hitters including the immortal Babe Ruth. Gehrig took advantage of this position to lead the league in runs batted in five times and hit 23 grand slams over his career.
Other notable batters who have batted cleanup regularly include:
