Aaron used to have a reputation as a
bad-ball hitter, but he isn't easy to fool anymore.
The outfielder batted .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBI and was a notorious
bad-ball hitter. He said he developed that talent as a kid in the Dominican Republic, playing a game similar to cricket in which hitters swung broomsticks while pitchers tried to bounce balls past them and knock over folded license plates.
Hey, Yogi Berra was a notorious
bad-ball hitter, too.
"I've always been a
bad-ball hitter. I don't take a lot of walks, so I was more of a contact hitter.
"He said Yogi (a notorious
bad-ball hitter) would swing and foul it off.
Along with such players as Ichiro Suzuki, Alfonso Soriano, Nomar Garciaparra and Julio Franco, Guerrero is the standard bearer for a disappearing breed in the major leagues: the
bad-ball hitter. Their greatness runs counter to a growing trend that emphasizes strike-zone discipline, patience and a high on-base percentage.