Phillies Manager Thomson Proving Lead Off Strategy Was Right One
Kyle Schwarber is not your typical leadoff hitter.
Quite the opposite actually.
Batting Schwarber first goes against the purest baseball mind. He doesn’t hit for average. He doesn’t steal bases. He’s not even a threat to run.
For the last two seasons, Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson has been criticized for placing Schwarber in the leadoff role. Thomson hasn’t been criticized for much except for this move.
But the leadoff hitter has been a bit of a hot topic. Especially this season when the Phillies got off to a slow start.
Thomson held true to his beliefs and it has worked out.
Schwarber can go 0-for-4 in two or three games in a row and then break out.
Just like he has against the Arizona Diamondbacks with three home runs in the first two games of the National League Championship Series.
Having Schwarber hit first is a bit unique.
But it’s working.
“Schwarbs is the best in the game at making the opposing pitcher feel uncomfortable before the game even starts,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “There’s never a moment where they feel like ‘Oh, we can just ease into this game.’ They have to be on their top game the first pitch of the game. And that’s not fun as a pitcher. Like I said, he’s the best in the game at that, and he just sets the tone for our offense … He is never an easy out. That’s what you are looking for out of your leadoff.”
Schwarber has 18 career home runs in the playoffs.
Whether he hits the ball out of the ballpark or not, their leadoff hitter sets the tone.
It may not make sense to some purists. Yet it does to Thomson.
There’s no arguing with the results.
