Detroit Tigers Should Consider Batting Jose Iglesias In No. 2 Spot Against RHP
By Brad Faber
@Brad_Faber
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Due to the departure of Torii Hunter, the Detroit Tigers need to find another No. 2 hitter. Sure, Rajai Davis and Ian Kinsler appear likely to make up the 1-2 punch against LHP, but what about when the Tigers are facing right-handed pitching? One possibility the team may want to consider is batting Kinsler leadoff and placing Jose Iglesias in the No. 2 spot against righties.
Iglesias, of course, missed the entire 2014 season due to stress fractures in his shins. Assuming the slick-fielding shortstop will be ready to go by Spring Training of 2015, he may be as good of a candidate to bat second as any.
Yes, some have suggested that Yoenis Cespedes or J.D. Martinez should bat second, but neither are ideal No. 2 hitters. Cespedes had an OBP of just .301 in 2014 during his time with the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox, and Martinez may strike out too much to bat second as he fanned 126 times and had a K-rate of 26.3 percent last season. It also appears to be a bit of a stretch to imagine Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez in the No. 2 spot.
Iglesias, on the other hand, had a respectable strikeout rate of 15.7 percent when he last played in 2013. Obviously, there were few who believed that his .303 batting average and .356 BABIP would be sustainable, but perhaps he may be able to duplicate the .354 OBP he posted against RHP that season. If he can get on base, he could prove to be a very effective table-setter for the thunderous heart of the Tigers’ order.
The Tigers have serious thumpers in the middle of their order with Cabrera, Cespedes and the Martinez, but they are still going to need the guys at the top of the order to do their job. For as great of a season as Kinsler had, his OBP was a mere .307. While many may believe that Iglesias is better suited as a bottom-of-the-order hitter, he could give the Tigers a boost in the No. 2 spot if he can draw walks and hit singles.
Brad Faber is a Detroit Tigers writer and Sabermetrics columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Faber, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google.
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