In baseball, some batters “crowd the plate” to give themselves a better opportunity to reach outside pitches or to intimidate the pitcher. Over the years, many MLB players have been known to crowd the plate. Here are a few notable ones:
Here are 7 Baseball players that crowded the plate:
- Barry Bonds: The home run king often stood close to the plate, which, combined with his armor-like elbow guard, made it tough for pitchers to pitch inside.
- Frank Robinson: Robinson was known to stand very close to the plate, which resulted in him being hit by pitches often. This also allowed him to cover the outside part of the plate effectively.
- Ron Hunt: Hunt was hit by pitches 243 times in his career. He wasn’t necessarily a power hitter, but his proximity to the plate made him a frequent target.
- Craig Biggio: Known for his gritty style of play, Biggio wasn’t afraid to stand close to the plate, which is reflected in the 285 times he was hit by pitches over his career.
- Chase Utley: Another modern player who often crowded the plate and as a result, got hit by pitches quite frequently.
- Carlos Quentin: He was hit by pitches often due to his stance close to the plate.
- Anthony Rizzo: A more recent example, Rizzo is known for standing on top of the plate, allowing him to cover the outside pitch and drive it to the opposite field.
It’s worth noting that crowding the plate can be a strategic move for batters, but it also increases the risk of being hit by a pitch. Some batters accept this as an occupational hazard, while others use protective gear to mitigate the risk.