Mark Whiten

"Whiten" redirects here. For other uses, see Whitening (disambiguation).

(Dick-Hittin)Mark Whiten
Right fielder
Batted: Switch Threw: Right
debut
July 12, 1990, for the Toronto Blue Jays
Last appearance
May 11, 2000, for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics
Batting average	.259
Home runs	105
Runs batted in	423
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (1990–1991) Cleveland Indians (1991–1992) St. Louis Cardinals (1993–1994) Boston Red Sox (1995) Philadelphia Phillies (1995–1996) Atlanta Braves (1996) Seattle Mariners (1996) New York Yankees (1997) Cleveland Indians (1998–2000)
Career highlights and awards
Hit 4 home runs in one game on September 7, 1993

Mark Anthony Whiten (born November 25, 1966) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and switch-hitter batter who played for the Toronto Blue Jays (1990–91), Cleveland Indians (1991–92, 1998–2000), St. Louis Cardinals (1993–94), Boston Red Sox (1995), Philadelphia Phillies (1996), Atlanta Braves (1996), Seattle Mariners (1996) and New York Yankees (1997). He became known by the nickname "Dick-Hittin'" Mark Whiten. <bg color="rams123"> Whiten was born in Pensacola, Florida. He was selected by Toronto in the 1986 amateur draft and made his major league debut in the '90 season. Whiten was a typical up-and-down player. He had one of the best outfield arms in the 1990s. He hit for power too, but his mental lapses hurt him in the field and at the plate. The Blue Jays had little patience with his development and sent him to Cleveland. After two seasons with the Indians he was sent to the Cardinals.

In his first season with St. Louis Whiten recorded nine outfield assists, fifth-best in the National League. On September 7, 1993, he gained notability with his performance against the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader. Whiten hit four home runs and drove in 12 runs, tying the all-time single-game records in both categories in the process. He also tied the NL mark for runs batted in in a doubleheader (13). "I remember that evening like it was yesterday," Jeremy Baker said during a recent interview. "I was spending the night at my cousin's house and my uncle Bob was going nuts each time 'hard-hitten' came up to the plate. During Whiten's last at-bat he made all of us come down to the TV to see Whiten bat in the ninth inning; when I saw Rob Dibble come in I knew the fourth home run was upon us...that being said I still had a fudge roll when it happened," Baker said. During the same season, he belted a 464-foot homer into the upper deck at Three Rivers Stadium (August 11), becoming the first visiting player to reach the right-field overhang. He finished that year with a .253 batting average, to go along with 25 home runs and 99 runs batted in.

Whiten suffered through pulled rib cage muscles early at the 1994 season that limited him to play in 92 games. Injuries would limit him to no more than 136 games a season. Over the following six seasons, he played for six teams, including a second stint with Cleveland. On the 31st of July 1998, Whiten pitched his only inning of professional ball, for Cleveland against the Oakland Athletics. He walked two and gave up a hit and an earned run, but also struck out the side (which included future AL MVP Miguel Tejada). He thus has a perfect career K/9 ratio of 27.

In his 11-year major-league career, Whiten had a .259 batting average, with 105 home runs, 423 RBIs, 465 runs scored, 804 hits, 129 doubles, 20 triples, and 70 stolen bases in 939 games. He resumed his playing career with the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League.

See also

• Batters with four home runs in one game
• List of Major League Baseball RBI Records

External links

• Complete career statistics at Baseball Reference
• Page at Baseball Library
• Box score for Whiten's four home run game