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Budweiser used to make some beer commercials that drew attention to some of the unnoticed contributors on the football field such as the fullback and the offensive lineman.
Well, maybe its time they make some baseball commercials to highlight a few unsung heroes on the baseball team, as well.
My suggestion is a simple one: the leadoff hitter.
He's supposed to be that pesky batter who prolongs counts, wears pitchers, and finds a way to get on-base. However, some of the prime prospects who we are accustomed to seeing in this role have really underachieved this season and are dragging their teams down along with them.
Take a look at the on-base percentage of following players:
Corey Patterson: .281 (.320 in 2004)
Rafael Furcal: .281 (.344 in 2004)
Juan Pierre: .302 (.374 in 2004)
Ichiro Suzuki: .333 (.414 in 2004)
Mark Kotsay: .336 (.370 in 2004)
The leadoff hitter's ability to get on-base is directly linked to the amount of runs your team can manufacture. Not only does this batter set the tone for your team right from the get-go, he also makes the opposing pitcher's job that much more difficult as he becomes an on-base distraction.
The Seattle Mariners sign two primetime sluggers in the offseason, Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexon, but for their productivity to be maximized, they need runners on-base when they step to the plate. As of right now, Ichiro and the number two hitter, Jeremy Reed, are both on base roughly 35% of the time. That is a major factor as to why they rank fourth-last in runs scored.
The Florida Marlins have also been hampered by the same problem as their potent offense, even with offseason signing Carlos Delgado, is ranked only 23rd in runs scored, mostly in part to Juan Pierre's struggles.
If your team's leadoff hitter can get on-base, it changes the pitching team's philosophy dramatically. The pitcher must be more precise with his location, he's forced to throw quality pitches, and it also places pressure on the defense. These are all advantages that the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago Cubs are lacking.
In 2004, Juan Uribe (.327 OBP) and Willie Harris (.343 OBP) split time as the Chicago White Sox' leadoff hitters, but the offseason acquisition of Scott Podsednik (.369 OBP) has cemented that role and marked a noticeable change in the team's offense. They are averaging 4.9 runs per game this season (seventh in MLB).
Another example would be the Baltimore Orioles. Brian Roberts had a mediocre on-base percentage of .344 as the leadoff hitter last year, but this year has become the team's catalyst with a .434 on-base percentage. The slugging Orioles have parlayed that into more opportunities, which is a large reason for their success this season.
Every team that is in first place right now has a leadoff hitter with an OBP over .350, so if your team is laboring or underachieving, this is probably one of the reasons why.
Budweiser and on-base percentage mix like Mondays and me.
"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." — Mother Teresa
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