RBIs and 24 runs. He also hit one home run with the Giants to match his career high of six total. He became manager Wes Westrum's favorite bat off the bench in . On April 29, his extra innings pinch hit single drove in the winning run against the Pirates. Through June, Hiller batted .328 to prompt Westrum to find a position for him on the field to get his bat in the line up. In July, he began seeing more playing time at third and in the outfield. The Mets posted a winning record in July (18–14) for their first winning month in franchise history. Hiller batted .321. He cooled off in the last two months of the season (.217, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 7 runs), but he still batted a career-best .280 for the season. He batted .348 as a pinch hitter with three walks. His sixteen pinch hits led the NL. After the season, Hunt and Jim Hickman were traded to the Dodgers for Tommy Davis and Derrell Griffith. Unfortunately, Hiller squandered his opportunity to become the Mets' starting second baseman in by batting .111 with two RBIs through the first month of the season. An injury sidelined him for the month of May. When he returned, he had just one hit in eighteen at bats. Meanwhile, Jerry Buchek, acquired from the Cardinals at the end of Spring training for Eddie Bressoud and Danny Napoleon, played well enough to earn the starting job (.230 avg., 8 HR, 19 RBI). During the All-Star break, Hiller was traded to the Phillies for ex-Yankee infielder Phil Linz. Coaching Hiller made just four starts, and was used mostly as a pinch hitter in Philadelphia. After the season, he was sent to the minors, and selected by the Pirates in the rule 5 draft. He spent most of the season with the triple A Columbus Jets, batting .275 in 87 games. He made eleven appearances with the Pirates, going 5-for-13 with a double. After the season, he retired, and became manager of the Salem Rebels in the Carolina League. Hiller returned to the Mets in a similar capacity, working for the Mets' director of player development, Whitey Herzog, through . Hiller then served under manager Herzog as an MLB coach with the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals and Cardinals, and later spent brief terms in the post with the Giants and the