Should Rollins Lead-Off?
Posted by Amanda Orr, Wed, June 24, 2009 02:30 PM | Comments: 54
Posts, Raising Questions
Jimmy Rollins’ struggles in the lead-off position question whether manager Charlie Manuel should move Rollins down in the lineup. However, Manuel insists to keep Rollins as the lead-off hitter, a place he has hit his entire career.
Rollins is batting only .198 out of the lead-off spot. His on-base percentage is .257, terrible for a lead-off batter. He is also slugging a disappointing .332.
In games Rollins has not led off, he is batting .409 in 22 at-bats. He has as many home runs in those 22 at bats (3) as he does in 273 as a lead-off man. When batting sixth, Rollins is 5-for-8.
It isn’t like the Phillies have nobody else to lead-off. Shane Victorino has experience as a lead-off hitter.
Rollins’ struggles are frustrating because we know the type of play he is capable of after having his MVP season in 2007. In order for him to start hitting again, should Rollins be moved down the order?
Posts: 0 Eli
You all are mean. I have no idea why you all pick on my family. Typical Phillies fans
Posted: 12:12 AM on June 25, 2009
Posts: 0 Dan
Eli, you don’t like it? Then don’t come to this site. It’s a Phillies site, you have absolutely no reason to be here. Coming here just to troll and stir stuff up isn’t any better than people picking on your family.
Posted: 12:29 AM on June 25, 2009
Posts: 0 Tim G
A true leadoff hitter will work the count. His OBP is a joke. How many times will J-Roll swing at the first pitch and pop it up? Countless!! Bat him 6th, maybe 7th. We don’t need an automatic out at the top of the lineup.
Posted: 10:11 AM on June 25, 2009
Posts: 0 Matt G
No. A million times no. This has gone past the point of being a slump into being a terrible season. Out of 166 everyday players with enough plate appearances to qualify, Jimmy Rollins has the worst on base % with an abysmal .254.
Ok, he’s stolen 10 bases, but he’s been caught 5 times. That’s a mediocre 67% success rate. The fact is it’s costing the team a lot of runs, runs which they desperately need right now to win games.
You can only stick with one guy for so long before you have to start thinking about the team first. I can make a strong argument that Rollins does not even deserve to be in the lineup right now, much less batting leadoff.
By the way, Victorino has a very respectable .366 OBP and 75% SB success rate. It’s obvious to anyone who knows anything about baseball that Rollins should not be leading off.
Posted: 02:07 PM on June 26, 2009