I just try to make contact with the ball. It's obvious that I like to swing the bat. I'm not thinking of taking a lot of pitches.
I always say that I think my job is behind home plate, call a good game, play some good defense, and also, I know I was not a power hitter.
I don't think I'm a home run hitter. Most of my home runs are line drives. If I hit it, thanks God. But it's not the kind of thing that I think about. I just go out there and try to have a better season than I had before. Home runs are not in my mind.
The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.
I was able to play alongside, in my opinion, the best hitter with Miguel Cabrera and kind of watch the way he goes about it and the way he looks at situations, when to try to drive a ball versus when to shoot a ball.
I could hit the damn ball. No matter who was throwing. Or where the ball was. I left the bench swinging. I didn't get many walks.
Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the big money is, where much of the status is, and the fan interest.
I'm going to consistently hit anywhere between .290 and .310. Anything above that, I'm catching breaks and finding holes.
I consider myself a line drive hitter with power. I just try to put my best swing on the ball every time.
I believe that you're a hitter first and you're a slugger second type deal.
I'm a good hitter for a pitcher.
What I need as a player is just to get at-bats, I think.
I know Koufax' weakness. He can't hit.
There is no doubt that because I am a switch hitter I have one of the best offensive advantages that a hitter can have.
I was kind of a slap hitter, trying to get base hits, hit line drives, stay below a certain trajectory with my ball.
The leadoff-hitter thing, I think, it's always nice to have an established leadoff hitter and to have someone who can really get on base and set the tone.
I want to be the player who hits home runs, drives in runs.
You always expect to hit for more power.
The arc of Ken Griffey Jr.'s swing has gotten bigger than when he hit line drives. Juan Gonzalez is a terrific power hitter, too.
I just want to become a great leadoff hitter.
Cobb is a prick. But he sure can hit. God Almighty, that man can hit.
On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage. Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me. The problem we have to address more than anything is the home run problem.
When I get the record, all it will make me is the player with the most hits. I'm also the player with the most at bats and the most outs. I never said I was a greater player than Cobb.
Your goal as a hitter is to get on. And if the third baseman is playing back and letting you lay down a bunt, I don't have a problem with that, even if it's late in a no-hitter.
If I'd just tried for them dinky singles I could've batted around .600.
