So How Many Players Actually Do Call Their Shots?

From SABR member Mark Lecuru at AssociatedContent.com on April 18:

June 21, 2009. Albert Pujols, after looking at video of his third inning fly out against Royals starter Gil Meche, returned from the clubhouse and made an announcement to assistant batting coach Mike Aldrete. He was

 going to take Gil Meche deep in his next at bat. Real deep. Over the left field wall deep. Over the bullpen, off the façade of the yet-to-be-opened Royals Hall of Fame deep.

“He didn’t say he might hit the Hall of Fame.” Aldrete clarified. “He said he would hit the Hall of Fame.”

One inning later, Pujols made good on his prediction. With the count full and the bases loaded, Albert crushed a change up from Meche 423 feet. For those of you keeping score, it caromed off a Hall of Fame window. Nostradamus, eat your heart out!

But it got me thinking. Babe Ruth folklore aside, how many players actually do call their shots?

Read the full article here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7954607/long_gone_blasts_from_baseballs_past.html?cat=14



Originally published: April 18, 2011. Last Updated: April 18, 2011.