With two more pinch hits, the Marlins' Lenny Harris will become the first player in major-league history to reach 200, a feat ESPN's John Kruk once suggested should earn Harris consideration for the Hall of Fame.

 

Harris, however, isn't even sure he will save the ball.

 

''It's nice to get 200. [but] to me it's really not a big deal,'' said Harris, who starred at Miami's Jackson High. ``I'd rather have 700 home runs. Nobody pays attention to pinch hits like they do home runs.''

 

What was a big deal was Harris' 151st pinch hit four seasons ago. That broke Manny Mota's big-league record, and every hit since has extended the mark. Seattle's Dave Hansen, who started Tuesday with 137 pinch hits, is second to Harris among active players.

 

''Breaking that record meant so much,'' said Harris, who is 5 for 16 in the pinch this season and .261 in 759 pinch-hit at-bats in 17 seasons. 'My dad was always telling me `don't forget about Manny Mota's record.' [but] he didn't live to see it.''

 

Though other specialists, such as closer Dennis Eckersley and designated hitter Paul Molitor, have been elected to the Hall of Fame, Harris can't see that happening to a pinch-hitter.

 

''They don't talk about the setup men much. The [closers] go to the Hall of Fame,'' he said. ``I never thought I'd make it to the big leagues. The Hall of Fame, that's big. That's the ultimate.''

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/11730258.htm

It's an impressive feat but not HOF material IMO

''It's nice to get 200. [but] to me it's really not a big deal,'' said Harris

Sure........

I know this is going to come off as hatred for Lenny, but....

 

Most these quotes were printed in the Herald a week ago. Why bring it up following Kruk's comment? He wasn't being serious. He was mocking Harold Reynolds. Why reprint it? And to start off a story no less. Surely if you were looking for a human interest story, Dillon and his family would have been a better choice. Or an AJ Burnett or Danny Graves update.