Not since Ichiro Suzuki’s rookie season has there been such clamor for good leadoff men in Major League Baseball. Well, that might be a stretch. Ichiro’s rookie MLB season, back in 2001, was right in the thick of the so-called Steroid Era, when traditional leadoff men were devalued in light of high-slugging, bicep flexing, shin guard-wearing, middle-of-the-order cleanup guys. But now that the era of 70+ home runs is over, a new, more classic version of the game is emerging. And your typical leadoff man will reap the benefit.
Take Chone Figgins of the Angels, for example. He’s not too big, hits a high percentage, gets on base, runs the diamond well and is always a threat to steal. He’s your typical leadoff man. Ken Rosenthal writes that in the next few years, players like Chone, who were a rarity just a few years back, will be increasingly valuable. What will this mean to the free agent market in light of the financial depression?
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Posted in Uncategorized on April 30, 2009
