--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a first baseman, hitting home runs is…" description: "\"As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected of me. But I don't really try to hit home runs.\" — Derrek Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/derrek-lee-39087_baseball_as-a-first-baseman-hitting-home-runs-is_318649.jpg" --- # As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected… ![“As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected of me. But I don't really try to hit home runs.” quote by Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/derrek-lee-39087_baseball_as-a-first-baseman-hitting-home-runs-is_318649.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/derrek-lee-39087_baseball_as-a-first-baseman-hitting-home-runs-is_318649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e7/derrek-lee-39087_baseball_as-a-first-baseman-hitting-home-runs-is_318649.jpg) > “As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected of me. But I don't really try to hit home runs.” [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A baseball player acknowledges the expectation to hit home runs but chooses not to exert maximum effort, suggesting a relaxed or strategic approach. **In simple terms:** He doesn't always try his hardest at expected tasks. Key Takeaway Balance effort with realistic goals. Themes sports expectations effort strategy Mood reflective motivational Type sports career When to use this quote - games - training sessions - team meetings Key Concepts performance pressure personal standards Questions to Reflect On - When should you aim for maximum effort? - How do expectations shape performance? A Different Perspective Consistently low effort can hinder team success and personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Hitting home runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitting-home-runs/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-run/) [Home runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-runs/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [It isn't that hard to get RBI's when you're hitting home runs, you generally get a least one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-schmidt/it-isn-t-that-hard-to-get-rbi-s-when-you-re-hitting-home-runs-you/) [Mike Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schmidt/) > [What do I think about when I strike out? I think about hitting home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/what-do-i-think-about-when-i-strike-out-i-think-about-hitting-home/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [We should not anticipate that every time countries come together that we are doing some revolutionary thing. Instead of hitting home runs, sometimes we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-not-anticipate-that-every-time-countries-come-together-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [No one hit home runs the way Babe (Ruth) did. They were something special. They were like homing pigeons. The ball would leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lefty-gomez/no-one-hit-home-runs-the-way-babe-ruth-did-they-were-something/) [Lefty Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lefty-gomez/) > [When did it - When did it become okay for someone to hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryne-sandberg/when-did-it-when-did-it-become-okay-for-someone-to-hit-home-runs-and/) [Ryne Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryne-sandberg/) > [If you want to hit home runs, you've go to swing a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/if-you-want-to-hit-home-runs-you-ve-go-to-swing-a-lot/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [I've gotten stronger, but I don't ever try to hit home runs. I stay with the same approach, just hit line drives. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/i-ve-gotten-stronger-but-i-don-t-ever-try-to-hit-home-runs-i-stay/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [You hit home runs not by chance, but by preparation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-maris/you-hit-home-runs-not-by-chance-but-by-preparation/) [Roger Maris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-maris/) > [I think you start hitting home runs, and you start getting caught up in seeing how far you can hit them. They're fun, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-wells/i-think-you-start-hitting-home-runs-and-you-start-getting-caught-up/) [Vernon Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-wells/) > [One minute you're starting left fielder, hitting home runs; the next, it's career over. I was 20.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/one-minute-you-re-starting-left-fielder-hitting-home-runs-the-next-it/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [You get caught up in hitting home runs and seeing how far you can hit them, and your swing changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-wells/you-get-caught-up-in-hitting-home-runs-and-seeing-how-far-you-can-hit/) [Vernon Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-wells/) > [I'm not going to lie, I love hitting home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-acuna-jr/i-m-not-going-to-lie-i-love-hitting-home-runs/) [Ronald Acuna Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-acuna-jr/) > [I heard Tony Bennett say that when you're a big deal early on, you have to maintain that level forever, and it's very scary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-baker/i-heard-tony-bennett-say-that-when-you-re-a-big-deal-early-on-you/) [Kathy Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-baker/) > [How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball... The harder you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/how-to-hit-home-runs-i-swing-as-hard-as-i-can-and-i-try-to-swing/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [I only have one superstition: I make sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/i-only-have-one-superstition-i-make-sure-to-touch-all-the-bases-when/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) ## More by Derrek Lee > [You just get better with age. You learn yourself and the league. I'm starting to understand more about hitting every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/you-just-get-better-with-age-you-learn-yourself-and-the-league-i-m/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [I want to be on that team that wins the world championship here in Chicago and sees the city go crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/i-want-to-be-on-that-team-that-wins-the-world-championship-here-in/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [If you write in the paper 'Lee stinks,' that's not going to affect me. I'll just laugh. And if you write 'Derrek Lee is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/if-you-write-in-the-paper-lee-stinks-that-s-not-going-to-affect-me-i/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [I felt I was good in basketball but I wasn't a blue-chip prospect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/i-felt-i-was-good-in-basketball-but-i-wasn-t-a-blue-chip-prospect/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [It's not like I'm an introvert. You get to know me, I can have a conversation with you. But in front of the media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/it-s-not-like-i-m-an-introvert-you-get-to-know-me-i-can-have-a/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [Defense is something I take pride in. I feel it's just as important as offense. They should have RBIs for defensive plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/defense-is-something-i-take-pride-in-i-feel-it-s-just-as-important-as/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [I miss basketball every now and then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/i-miss-basketball-every-now-and-then/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [Sometimes it's more fun to compete with your friends, because you can talk a little trash with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/sometimes-it-s-more-fun-to-compete-with-your-friends-because-you-can/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [The chance to go to the postseason, it's hard to pass up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/the-chance-to-go-to-the-postseason-it-s-hard-to-pass-up/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) > [If they watch me play, people will say I'm not into it or whatever. That's okay. I kind of like it. People don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrek-lee/if-they-watch-me-play-people-will-say-i-m-not-into-it-or-whatever/) [Derrek Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) [Explore all 11 Derrek Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrek-lee/) ## 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": "As a first baseman, hitting home runs is what's expected of me. 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