Oscar Azocar Oscar Gregorio Azócar (Born February 21, 1965 in Coro, Venezuela) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the New York Yankees (1990) and San Diego Padres (1991-92). Until 1987 Azócar was a lefty pitcher, and a good one (lifetime 14-5, 2.30 ERA as a pro). Switched to an outfielder, he never met a pitch he didn't like. Azócar was a classic example of the impatient hitter who will swing at almost anything and usually put it in play. It took him 100 major league at-bats to draw his first walk. He normally obliged the pitchers by hitting whatever they threw, and his batting average dropped accordling.
In his 202-game career Azócar hit for .226, with 5 home runs, 36 runs batted in, 38 runs scored, 99 hits, 16 doubles, 10 stolen bases and 12 base on balls. Despite his free-swinging style, he had only 36 strikeouts in 439 at-bats (one every 12 at-bats). Azócar also used his speed selectively and never was caught stealing.
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Heaven knows that he wasn't the most talented player around, but Oscar Azócar won my affection because he played ball the way I would have. In other words, he swung at everything. There's a story, probably apocryphal, that while playing in his native Venezuela, he once swung at a pitch meant to deliver an intentional walk -- and he got a hit, too. So while there's a special place in my heart for the 1980s Yankees, that overpaid, underachieving and generally forgettable bunch, my aorta is reserved for Oscar. --Ben Rothfeld, at Baseball Library
