▁ 6 ▁versus ▁Roy ▁O sw alt ▁for ▁his ▁final ▁major ▁league ▁hit , ▁but ▁struck ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁nin th ▁in ning ▁versus ▁Dan ▁Whe eler , ▁his ▁final ▁at ▁bat . ▁He ▁retired ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁game . ▁ ▁Walker ▁ended ▁his ▁career ▁ 5 0 th ▁on ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ' s ▁all - time ▁home ▁run ▁list ▁with ▁ 3 8 3 . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁style ▁Walker , ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁earnest ly ▁concentr ating ▁his ▁efforts ▁at ▁baseball ▁much ▁later ▁than ▁nearly ▁other ▁all ▁players , ▁excel led ▁at ▁all ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁including ▁hitting ▁for ▁both ▁average ▁and ▁power , ▁plate ▁discipline , ▁speed , ▁defense , ▁and ▁throwing ▁strength ▁and ▁accuracy , ▁almost ▁se am lessly ▁transl ating ▁the ▁smooth ness ▁and ▁ag ility ▁of ▁his ▁hockey ▁game ▁to ▁the ▁diam ond . ▁Fam ously ▁distinguished ▁as ▁" the ▁accident al ▁ball player " ▁by ▁a ▁Sports ▁Illustr ated ▁article ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁he ▁displayed ▁all ▁skills ▁of ▁the ▁ideal ▁five - tool ▁player . ▁The ▁transition ▁was ▁a ▁fe at ▁even ▁more ▁impress ive ▁considering ▁he ▁only ▁began ▁playing ▁organized ▁baseball ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁attend ▁college , ▁and ▁maintained ▁st agger ing ▁product ivity ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁my ri ad ▁inj uries . ▁Baseball - Reference ' s ▁advanced ▁metrics ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁major ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁( ex cluding ▁pitch ing ) ▁− b atting