DIVISIONAL OUTLOOK: NL East—Polanco to bat cleanup for MIA?

Miami Marlins

Manager Mike Redmond is giving serious consideration to the idea of batting Placido Polanco (3B, MIA) in the cleanup spot behind Giancarlo Stanton (OF, MIA). Throughout his 1,809 game major league career, he has never started a game as the cleanup hitter and is hitless in seven AB hitting there off the bench. Redmond, looking for a way to give Stanton some semblance of lineup protection, would be opting for a guy who at least makes more consistent contact than his other choices. However, as we mentioned here a few weeks ago, Polanco isn’t doing much of anything besides simply making contact (92% ct%, 48 PX, 56% GB% and 26 BPV in 303 AB last year; 91% ct%, 41 PX and 28 BPV in 469 AB in 2011). He hasn’t mustered an xBA above...

Almost!

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