5th Spot Showcase: Carlos Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz through out his career has always been known as a solid hitting catcher who does a good job at turning the lineup over in the 8th spot. Up until last year, Ruiz never would have been considered for the 5th spot. But after an outstanding 2010 season, many people are beginning to think that he could be a very good choice to protect Ryan Howard in 2011.

Pros: There are many reasons why Carlos Ruiz should be considered for the 5th spot. The first one and probably most obvious reason is he is a right handed bat which would break up a heavy left handed line up. Also, Ruiz lead the Phils last year in hitting with a .302 average. He also showed reasonably strong power numbers last year with 8 HR and 53 RBI's, not bad for a guy batting 8th. If Ruiz were to bat higher in the order when more runners on base, he could drive in 70 plus runs for the Phils which would be right where Jayson Werth's numbers were last year. Anyone that hits above .300 should be taken into serious consideration for the 5th spot position. In addition to hitting for a high average, Ruiz also proved last year that he can come through in the clutch. Having a guy that come through in pressure situations in the 5th spot could benefit this team greatly.

Cons: While last year was a big year for Chooch, in years past Ruiz hit at or around the .250 mark which simply won't cut it in the 5th spot. It may be extremely risky to put Carlos Ruiz in the 5 hole as he only has one statistically strong year.

I really think the Phils should give Ruiz an opportunity to bat 5th. Some of the other guys I've showcased are long shots, but I feel that Ruiz has a reasonable shot at the 5 hole. Ruiz had a great year last year and could have an outstanding year in 2011 if the Phils give him the opportunity.