In the early part of Spring Training, the biggest story for the Philadelphia Phillies has been lineup construction, usually centering on which player will bat first. For most of the past three seasons, that spot has been manned by Kyle Schwarber. To some fans, this was a poor choice, because Schwarber did not fit the stereotypical description of a leadoff hitter.
Until about 20 years ago, when filling out a lineup, managers would typically stick the fastest guy on the team at the leadoff spot. It was a bonus if that player hit for a high average, but generally, on-base percentage wasn’t a major concern as long as the player could run fast on the occasions he did reach base.