KC Royals: Alcides Escobar And The Lineup

The KC Royals are losing, which means second guessing from their fans goes hand in hand. In light of the Kansas City Royals five game losing streak, it’s time once again to take a look at the lineup.

So far, the 2016 lineup has been similar to the lineup the KC Royals featured in the 2015 regular season and post season. The batting order 1-9 has been Alcides Escobar, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, Omar Infante, and Jarrod Dyson/ Paulo Orlando. Escobar hitting first has been a point of controversy going back to last year as he doesn’t fit the typical mold of a lead-off hitter.

Traditionally, the lead-off hitter is thought of as a “table setter”. The lead-off hitter is supposed to work the count allowing the following hitters to get a look at the arsenal of the opposing starter for that day. The lead-off hitter is also a guy who is able to frequently get on base setting up RBI opportunities for the middle of the order.

Statistically, a prototypical lead-off hitter would have a high on-base percentage (OBP), a decent speed rating, and see a lot of pitches per at bat.

Next: An Example Of A Good Leadoff Hitter