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Filling Out the Lineup Card
The use of analytics has upended some conventional notions in devising batting orders, such as giving more importance to the fifth spot. In the game-used Washington Nationals lineup card shown here, manager Davey Johnson put rookie Bryce Harper, playing in his first major league game, in the less stressful seventh spot. In 2015, Harper's league MVP season, he most often batted in the third and fourth positions, the latter slot still reserved for the strongest hitter. |