Giving Shane Victorino His Due: Maybe Hitting Leadoff Does Suit Him Well

by David S. Cohen on May 17, 2010 11:28 AM EDT

Shane, I'm sorry.

About a month ago, I wasn't so kind to you. I looked at your career numbers batting leadoff and found that in your 237 career plate appearances hitting from that spot your OPS was .140 lower than your career OPS hitting elsewhere in the lineup. I even wrote that your career leadoff numbers should make us long for the 2009 Jimmy Rollins. Yes, the Jimmy Rollins who hit .245/.292/.413 last year from the leadoff spot. Ouch.

Now, I wasn't completely unfair to you, as I did note that this was a pretty small sample size. I said so explicitly: "Of course, to be fair, we're still in small sample size territory."

But your performance since I wrote that has made me eat my words, even with that warning. And with Rollins probably returning to the leadoff spot tonight, I'll have mixed feelings to see you go.

Since I wrote about your leadoff issues on April 22, you've batted leadoff in 21 games. In those games, your line has been .309/.347/.606 for a .953 OPS. You've had 5 home runs with an incredible 21 RBI, given that you hit behind the bottom of the order. You've scored 16 runs and stolen 4 bases (only caught once). Only in July last year did Rollins have a stretch this good (1.029 OPS over 21 games ending July 26).

With such a great performance over the past few weeks, why are my feelings mixed about seeing you go? Well, you still are struggling in getting on base. With a .309 batting average over this period, your OBP is only .347 because you only had 6 walks (3 coming in one game). That's one less walk than Rollins had in the 6 games he played in before he got hurt in early April. If his walk rate that week is a sign of a new approach at the plate this year, then the top of the lineup won't miss a beat. On the other hand, plugging your power into the seventh hole to hit behind the middle of the lineup will only increase the team's run production.

So, if yesterday really was your last day hitting leadoff, Shane, you've acquitted yourself well, much better than appeared was going to happen at the start of this assignment and much better than your career numbers indicated we could expect. Nice work.

Now just keep it up in the 7-hole.

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Comments

Is there a reason why we wouldn’t put Shane behind Werth in the Six spot and bump ibanez to the seventh?

by Tron79 on May 17, 2010 11:33 AM EDT reply actions

Yes

Shane’s ROS ZIPS OPS projection: .805
Raul’s ROS ZIPS OPS projection: .865

by taco pal on May 17, 2010 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

as bad as ibanez has been he’s had a LOT of quality at bats that just havn’t produced.

by sowhatifitisasportste on May 17, 2010 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

think

of all the times that exon hit into a DP, now to do that men must be on Rolands is a proven lead off man and moving shane back to the 7 hole will do wonders for this line up.

by sowhatifitisasportste on May 17, 2010 11:39 AM EDT reply actions

Heartburn? Get Rolaids

by Sept.28.Oct.27.Dec.28.2008 on May 17, 2010 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Getting him back to 7 is the right move and will be so very welcome. When Chooch is ready, even better. The lineup will have a great deal of relentlessness to it.

by Wet Luzinski on May 17, 2010 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

yes, relentlessness… sort of like “the relentless pursuit of history.” Dumbest Flyers shirt ever, IMO

by Boundforbeach on May 17, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

There must never be less relenting, ever

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on May 17, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

irregardless and irrespective of what happens, of course.

by Wet Luzinski on May 17, 2010 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions

What’s so irksome about Shane is that he shows flashes of really superb plate discipline—that three-walk, two-triple game was epic, and he had a couple really nice ABs last night. Then he loses it for awhile and turns back into Hacktorino. If he kept the good approach, he’d be prime-era Brian Giles with speed, which obviously is a hell of a ballplayer.

by dajafi on May 17, 2010 12:12 PM EDT reply actions

Less power than prime Giles, though.

by taco pal on May 17, 2010 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Not quite at that level, I guess… though I could see his career year reaching high 20s/low 30s.

Damn, Giles was awesome in his prime—135 walks and 74 strikeouts in 2002? Cuh-razy.

by dajafi on May 17, 2010 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Plus-- he's really good at Ping-Pong

Or so I dreamed last night.

I dreamed last night that I was randomly selected to take on Shane Victorino in a Ping-Pong match as part of a college fraternity fund-raiser. They even stopped the game in the 7th inning to whisk Shane away to the location (and news of the match even went to press, mentioning me and Victorino’s professional tale-of-the-tape, “All-Star Center-fielder versus Playwright”.

In the dream, I never got to play him as the college frat did a “bait-and-switch”, making me pay an entrance fee of $ 9.50 for the opportunity to stand across the table from Victorino.

I remember trying to talk the doorman out of the entrance fee (especially since my girlfriend was with me) but he didn’t budge.

So there. Even in my dreams I can’t play Ping-Pong against Victorino.

by Romero on May 17, 2010 1:21 PM EDT reply actions

paging j reed

Your drawing skills are needed!!

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on May 17, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t mind a ZWR animation either.

by Wet Luzinski on May 17, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Shane is Still Leadoff.... At least for tonight

I just checked the Phillies news to see if J-Roll had passed his been re-activated. He has, but is not batting leadoff tonight— he is batting third in place of Chase Utley, who is not in the lineup tonight. No reason has been given for this switch. I hope Chase is ok— I can’t wait to see him and J-Roll playing together in the middle again!

Philadelphia: Phinally home to more than just a Hollywood Boxing Champ
- Drunken Bleachers

Re-sign Jayson Werth!!!!

"I never want to look back and wonder 'What if I had tried harder'"

- Chase Utley

by dannijd on May 17, 2010 4:17 PM EDT reply actions

Utley has the flu

by taco pal on May 17, 2010 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Ack… I hope he gets feeling better soon.

Philadelphia: Phinally home to more than just a Hollywood Boxing Champ
- Drunken Bleachers

Re-sign Jayson Werth!!!!

"I never want to look back and wonder 'What if I had tried harder'"

- Chase Utley

by dannijd on May 17, 2010 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

I knew utley did not look like himself during last night’s game, other than ryan braun robbing him of extra bases.

by PhilsForever on May 17, 2010 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

I’m sure Jen will make him some tea and the dogs will lick his face and he’ll feel fine tomorrow.

Much worse news is that it looks like we’re going to face a really crappy pitcher tonight in Charlie Morton (9+ ERA), which means we’re probably going to get shut out.

by taco pal on May 17, 2010 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

So Vic-Peanut-J-Roll leading off vs the 9+ ERA busher. The 3-pitch, 3-out first inning is nigh.

by Wet Luzinski on May 17, 2010 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

But Chooch is back!!!! That has to be worth at least a run… And one for J-Roll too… Even without Chase, we just may be ok tonight (and no Chase, that does not mean a long convalescence… I have tickets for this week and am looking forward to finally seeing everyone together!!!!

Philadelphia: Phinally home to more than just a Hollywood Boxing Champ
- Drunken Bleachers

Re-sign Jayson Werth!!!!

"I never want to look back and wonder 'What if I had tried harder'"

- Chase Utley

by dannijd on May 17, 2010 7:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions