Bobby Witt Jr. And the Importance of the No. 2 Hitter

The Royals have been making an intelligent choice with their spring training lineup.

As the 2022 season approaches and Kansas City Royals Opening Day is merely days away, some things from spring training have really caught my eye. They've me wonder if the baseball world is going to see a more analytically-driven team — one that could look more like the successful small-market teams of late. One that could resemble the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland Athletics.

Before getting into the meat and potatoes of this article, let's do a little backdrop. The Royals have traditionally not been the most analytically-driven franchise and have been a team that many would consider a baseline franchise when it comes to those decisions. They are a team that has loved playing its veterans and a team that focuses on using the No. 2 hitter as a "move the leadoff guy over" type of player. (Does the name Omar Infante ring a bell?)

The perception of the No. 2 hole hitter has changed — for the better — in recent years. The old-school mindset of getting a guy on, getting him over and getting him in works when you want to score a run still provides value. For long-term success over a full game and full season, though, teams should want the best batter batting second. With that spot getting additional at-bats, as well as still getting RBI opportunities, it makes sense. It's why guys like Mike Trout typically bat second.

Apr 14, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Cam Gallagher (36) misses the ball and the tag on Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) at the plate in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

What have the Royals been doing in spring training, you might ask? Putting Bobby Witt Jr. in the second spot. This has multiple meanings to me:

• The Royals think Witt is really good and might be the best hitter on the team.
• They realize the value of a good (or great) hitter being in that spot.

While it is still just spring training, this isn’t lost on me. Whether this is the Royals taking a step in the right direction or just a coincidence, it's a positive development either way. Baseball still has to be played on the diamond; this isn't to suggest that the game is played on a spreadsheet. With that said, the underlying numbers and ways of thinking or operating have value. There is a reason why the Rays continuously succeeded while having an absolutely paltry payroll.

The proverbial analytics line should be drawn when anyone says Yasmani Grandal (or any other catcher, for that matter) outplayed Salvador Perez last year. Teams still play for real runs, not hypothetical ones. Batting Witt second should give the Royals the best chance of real runs, so here's to the new-age Royals. 

Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr., rounds the bases on an error, inside the park home run, which was misplayed by Cincinnati Reds left fielder Errol Robinson in the eighth inning of the MLB Cactus League Spring Training game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz., on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The Royals won 5-3 in a nine-inning game. Kansas City Royals At Cincinnati Reds Spring Training