5th Spot Showcase: Jimmy Rollins

Jimmy Rollins through out his career has always been at the top of the Phillies batting line up. But last year due to injuries, Rollins found himself in the sixth spot of the line up away from his natural lead off position. So with the experience Rollins has a 6 hole hitter, is it really that crazy to consider him as a possible candidate for the 5th spot?

Pros: One of the pros of having Rollins in the 5th spot is that he has proven in years past that he can hit for power. In his 2007 MVP season, Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI's. Again in 2009 Rollins hit 21 HR with 77 RBI's which are very solid power numbers for a lead off hitter. If Rollins were given the opportunity to hit 5th, he could potentially put up some big numbers. He would see a lot more pitches which could be good for a guy who is trying to have a rebound year. Rollins could also be a great spark in the middle of this lineup, and he could be the guy to ignite the flame if this team goes cold offensively. I think Rollins' solid power numbers as well as his potential "spark" make him a great candidate to bat 5th.

Cons: Who would bat lead off? If Rollins were to bat 5th, would you automatically put Victorino in the lead off spot? I have said this and I will say it again, I like Victorino but I don't think he has what it takes to bat lead off. Rollins' natural spot is lead off and I think putting him in the 5th spot would be holding him back so to speak. Also, do you really want to put a guy who hit .243 last year into one of the most crucial spots in the line up? While I do think that Rollins will have a rebound year, his batting average has steadily dropped since his 2007 season. If the trend continues, Rollins would hit less than .243 and you simply can't have that in the all important 5th spot.

Overall I think the negatives outweigh the positives. It is simply too risky to put a guy who hit .243 last year into the 5 hole. Also I feel that the best chance that Rollins has at having a productive year is going to come at his natural lead off position. Rollins has had success at lead off in the past, and I expect him to produce for the Phillies as lead off hitter this season.