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But why, though? He hasn't been very good, and his arm is terrible and fly ball routes inaccurate, but as far as Phillies center fielders go, he is the best there is right now. His many 2014 dramatic splits may offer a conclusion of some kind.
Away: .306/.322/.306 in 85 AB
Home: .204/.218/.278 in 54 AB
April: .299/.313/.320 in 97 AB
May: .190/.209/.238 in 42 AB
vs. RHP: .219/.242/.219
vs. LHP: .372/.372/.465
w/ no outs: .176/.176/.206 in 68 AB
w/ one out: .364/.400/.424 in 33 AB
w/ two outs: .342/.359/.342 in 38 AB
Revere ranks fourth in BA and fourth in OBP among NL East center fielders, but even B.J. Upton is slugging harder than him, to the surprise of no one.
Juan Lagares: .315/.355/.486 in 111 AB
Denard Span: .268/.313/.384 in 164 AB
Ben Revere: .266/.282/.295 in 139 AB
Marcell Ozuna: .255/.301/.416 in 161 AB
B.J. Upton: .197/.276/.316 in 152 AB
With such notable disparities in certain aspects of Revere's game, it makes sense that Sandberg has stated pitching match-ups will dictate who gets to stand between Dom Brown and Marlon Byrd for two and a half hours.
What's killing Revere and also the Phillies and me a lot of the time in my heart is his inability to get on base. Speed is nothing if all you can use it for is running out weak ground balls. However, as far as the Phillies' depth in center goes, he remains the best option. Tony Gwynn, Jr. hasn't proven anything in particular and we've already seen what prolonged starting time for John Mayberry looks like in center; once after Shane Victorino was traded and again after Revere broke his foot last year.
Another option, theoretically, is Cesar Hernandez, who is among the generation of minor league infielders whom the Phillies are willing to cram into an outfield position. In 87 AB as a center fielder last year, Hernandez hit .310/.375/.356 (with a .409 BABIP, mind you). He wasn't awful defensively, either. But even Hernandez doesn't bring anything to the table that Revere doesn't, and he isn't as fast. The Phillies just don't have a full time CF on the roster.
Revere, as many have stated, just isn't a leadoff hitter. Which is why it's good that today, his first start since the weekend, he's hitting eighth. Of course, Wil Nieves is hitting second, so. Whatever.