Royals manager Ned Yost: Moving Alex Gordon from first to third in order is likely to be long-term move. Says that’s where Gordon fits.
Yost clarifies remarks on future lineups: “Gordon will probably move down to four or five.” Says [Eric] Hosmer still projects as long-term No. 3.
Is that really the answer? Gordon has been one of the game’s best leadoff hitters the last two years, hitting .305/.383/.532 in 370 at-bats there in 2011 and .307/.379/.466 in 335 at-bats these this year.
Yost will probably argue that having Gordon hit leadoff is wasting his power, and obviously, it’s true that Gordon doesn’t get all that many RBI opportunities batting first for the Royals.
But the leadoff spot is just too important to be used on the likes of Chris Getz. Gordon sets up the rest of the lineup, and sure, it’s a pretty lousy lineup, but it’d be a whole lot lousier without him. How about this:
Royals No. 2 hitters this year: .261/.303/.386, 70 RBI in 490 AB
Royals No. 7 hitters this year: .263/.306/.390, 44 RBI in 433 AB
Those two spots in the order have been equally as productive, yet the No. 2 hitters have 40 percent more RBI per at-bat largely because they’re hitting behind Gordon. Only the Royals’ cleanup hitters (Billy Butler about half of the time) have more RBI than their No. 2 hitters and then only by three, despite the fact that the No. 2 hitters haven’t been any good at all.
Now hitting Gordon third or fourth in such a mediocre Royals lineup isn’t really going to make much of a difference. But if Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers come along like the team hopes they do, then the leadoff spot is exactly where I’d want Gordon going forward.