The designated hitter role hasn't is still a relatively recent innovation in Major League Baseball, but some players have excelled at the position. Is David Ortiz the best?

On Wednesday night, David Ortiz set the record for most hits by a designated hitter in Boston's 11-4 win over Seattle. Ortiz now has 1,689 hits as a D.H., surpassing Harold Baines.

This is another notch on Ortiz's already notch-filled belt. He already owns the D.H. records for doubles, home runs, extra-base hits, RBIs and runs scored. But numerous other big names are on Best Designated Hitters list: Hall of Famer Paul Molitor and longtime Seattle Mariners slugger Edgar Martinez come to mind. Jim Thome and Frank Thomas spent much of their careers as D.H.'s, and between them they have more than 1,100 homers.

More From The Basin's Classic Rock