--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never really expected to hit cleanup…" description: "\"I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never envisioned myself hitting 20 home runs in the big leagues. When I was in the minors I thought it wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg" --- # I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never… ![“I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never envisioned myself hitting 20 home runs in the big leagues. When I was in the minors I thought it was possible, maybe, but once I got up here I realized how hard that is.” quote by Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg) > “I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never envisioned myself hitting 20 home runs in the big leagues. When I was in the minors I thought it was possible, maybe, but once I got up here I realized how hard that is.” [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on unexpected achievements and the difficulty of reaching high performance goals in professional baseball. **In simple terms:** He didn't expect success and realized it's hard. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and keep working hard. Themes humility achievement effort expectations Mood reflective determined Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - minor league - career Key Concepts sports psychology goal setting career development Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to stay grounded after success? - How do you maintain motivation when goals seem out of reach? A Different Perspective ;;;; ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Big leagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-leagues/) [Envisioned Hitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envisioned-hitting-5315249/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hit Cleanup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hit-cleanup-5315251/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-runs/) [Leagues Minors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leagues-minors-5315250/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) ## Related quotes > [Getting called up my rookie year, it was because I could come up and play defense in the big leagues right away. That's valuable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/getting-called-up-my-rookie-year-it-was-because-i-could-come-up-and/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [“You cannot win today's ballgame with yesterday's home runs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-rosenberg/you-cannot-win-today-s-ballgame-with-yesterday-s-home-runs/) [David S. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-rosenberg/) > [Guys that are striking out 200 times, like Joey Gallo - in 1990 he would have hit 75 home runs every year because he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-bauer/guys-that-are-striking-out-200-times-like-joey-gallo-in-1990-he-would/) [Trevor Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-bauer/) > [The thing I sort of get tired of hearing is if I don't hit home runs or don't get hits, that the pressure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/the-thing-i-sort-of-get-tired-of-hearing-is-if-i-don-t-hit-home-runs/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [I be in and outta state, everyday a different place. And I be hittin' home runs while you still on second base. Ya boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-millz/i-be-in-and-outta-state-everyday-a-different-place-and-i-be-hittin/) [Jae Millz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-millz/) > [Everyone likes home runs, but I just want to put together good at-bats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-semien/everyone-likes-home-runs-but-i-just-want-to-put-together-good-at-bats/) [Marcus Semien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-semien/) > [If I was just a guy who hit 24 home runs and drove in 100, I wouldn't be a special player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-votto/if-i-was-just-a-guy-who-hit-24-home-runs-and-drove-in-100-i-wouldn-t/) [Joey Votto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-votto/) > [I don't hit home runs in BP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/i-don-t-hit-home-runs-in-bp/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [We won. The media. We destroyed Barry Bonds, drove him crazy, turned the most disciplined and feared hitter the game has ever known into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/we-won-the-media-we-destroyed-barry-bonds-drove-him-crazy-turned-the/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Rise&Grind :Some have, some haven't, everybody don't hit home runs on the first swing; at pursuit of happiness. Other times foul balls are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gee-linder/rise-grind-some-have-some-haven-t-everybody-don-t-hit-home-runs-on/) [Gee Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gee-linder/) > [Obviously, we can hit home runs, but there's more to hitting and there's more to winning than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-arenado/obviously-we-can-hit-home-runs-but-there-s-more-to-hitting-and-there/) [Nolan Arenado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-arenado/) > [ “I have struck out more times than I can count, but I have hit many home runs as well". ~R. Alan Woods {2013\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/i-have-struck-out-more-times-than-i-can-count-but-i-have-hit-many/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [I don't hit bunts, I hit home runs. That's what I do, dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/i-don-t-hit-bunts-i-hit-home-runs-that-s-what-i-do-dude/) [Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/) > [Chicks who dig home runs aren't the ones who appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/chicks-who-dig-home-runs-aren-t-the-ones-who-appeal-to-me/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) ## More by Brandon Crawford > [Obviously you help your team win by producing runs. But you also help your team win by preventing runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/obviously-you-help-your-team-win-by-producing-runs-but-you-also-help/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I think I've always kind of done that throughout my whole career - trying to prove doubters wrong, prove people wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-think-i-ve-always-kind-of-done-that-throughout-my-whole-career/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [They say hitting is contagious, but I think defense is, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/they-say-hitting-is-contagious-but-i-think-defense-is-too/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [The more consistently I face lefties, the better I'm going to hit off of them. I think my numbers throughout my career have backed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/the-more-consistently-i-face-lefties-the-better-i-m-going-to-hit-off/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [We as veteran guys still have a lot to offer, not just from a baseball standpoint, but experience and showing some of the younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/we-as-veteran-guys-still-have-a-lot-to-offer-not-just-from-a-baseball/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [That's just baseball. One day you feel like you can't square anything up and the next day you get a couple that squeak through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/that-s-just-baseball-one-day-you-feel-like-you-can-t-square-anything/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I was always out back swinging off the tee, pretending to be different Giants players. My parents held onto an assignment I did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-was-always-out-back-swinging-off-the-tee-pretending-to-be-different/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I think overall San Diego is probably my second-favorite place to go stadium-wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-think-overall-san-diego-is-probably-my-second-favorite-place-to-go/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I'm definitely proud of the stuff that we've done off the field. I would definitely like that to be part of what people remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-m-definitely-proud-of-the-stuff-that-we-ve-done-off-the-field-i/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I had Giants posters all over my room, along with a couple of A's posters. It was pretty much all Giants, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-had-giants-posters-all-over-my-room-along-with-a-couple-of-a-s/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [Buster loves baseball for sure - loves the Giants, his teammates, our fans - but to be honest with you, that pales in comparison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/buster-loves-baseball-for-sure-loves-the-giants-his-teammates-our/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I know I have a pretty good eye for the zone, so if I'm on time, and I see the ball early enough, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-know-i-have-a-pretty-good-eye-for-the-zone-so-if-i-m-on-time-and-i/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [I think getting any Opening Day start is an honor, but 10 in a row is pretty special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-think-getting-any-opening-day-start-is-an-honor-but-10-in-a-row-is/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [My preference for sure is to be a Giant my whole career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/my-preference-for-sure-is-to-be-a-giant-my-whole-career/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [With two strikes I'm not really as worried about power. And it allows me to get to an inside fastball and still have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/with-two-strikes-i-m-not-really-as-worried-about-power-and-it-allows/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) [Explore all 100 Brandon Crawford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never envisioned myself hitting 20 home runs in the big leagues. When I was in the minors I thought it was possible, maybe, but once I got up here I realized how hard that is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandon Crawford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-and-i-never-envisioned-myself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-and-i-never-envisioned-myself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/brandon-crawford-5807_baseball_i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-a_3091006.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never really expected to hit cleanup. And I never envisioned myself hitting 20 home runs in the big…” — Brandon Crawford", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brandon Crawford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never really expected to hit...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-and-i-never-envisioned-myself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-never-really-expected-to-hit-cleanup-and-i-never-envisioned-myself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```