Shane Victorino: 5 Reasons Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Should Bat Leadoff
June 1, 2011 by Jason Amareld
Filed under Fan News
With Shane Victorino scheduled to come off the DL on June 3rd, manager Charlie Manuel has a tough decision on where to place him in the lineup upon his return.
The answer is simple: leadoff. Manuel has to make the decision that makes his team most likely to win games. The Phillies are a better ball club with Shane leading off.
Jimmy Rollins is past his prime, and a drop in the lineup is long overdue. Rollins is not a leadoff hitter anymore; he has a poor on-base percentage and a mediocre batting average.
At 5’8” on a good day, Jimmy needs to learn to hit the ball on the ground. He pops up more than any “leadoff hitter” in all of baseball, and it’s time for a change.
Here are five reasons why Shane Victorino has earned the right to be the Phillies’ leadoff hitter.