Let's face it - as good as John Olerud was (and he was really, really, underratedly good), the biggest thing people will always remember about him is that he was the one and only guy who wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud, of course, wore it for protection - not style - and while his look has gone unseen since his 2005 retirement, Justin Morneau may be bringing it out of the attic:
Justin Morneau May Take After John Olerud For A Little While
Morneau will wear helmet during batting practice and likely during fielding, just to be safe. He will not wear helmet if cleared for games.
Morneau’s trying to recover from a concussion, and wearing a helmet in the field would only be precautionary. On top of that, it’d be temporary, too, as he’d get rid of it the instant he’s cleared to play games. Still, fans may get the fleeting opportunity to photograph another topheavy lefty first baseman. These chances are not to be wasted.
Interestingly enough, Justin Morneau has appeared in 948 Major League games over the course of his career, with an .869 OPS. Over John Olerud’s first 948 Major League games, he posted an .871 OPS. oooohhh
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