Mendoza’s Heroes: Fifty Batters Below .200

Baseball’s honor rolls are filled with legendary deeds of batting prowess. Throughout history, crowds have risen to cheer the majestic trajectory of a white sphere crushed by the likes of Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds. But, what about the players who repeatedly produced little more than squibbers to third base, infield pop-ups, or ego-bruising strikeouts? What could possibly be their values to a baseball club? Plenty. Al Pepper reveals the unique, offbeat, and remarkable stories of fifty of these men in Mendoza’s Heroes. Using eye-opening statistics, interviews with players, and anecdotal biographies, Pepper also presents these players in context of their time. In effect, the book serves as a rollicking tour of baseball history as well. The Foreword is written by ex-big leaguer Mike Stenhouse.