Leadoff hitter
{{Short description|First batter in baseball}}
{{distinguish|lead off}}
File:Rickeyhenderson2002.jpg, career leader in Major League Baseball for leadoff home runs{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/most-career-leadoff-home-runs-in-mlb-history|title=Most career leadoff home runs in MLB history|website=MLB.com }}]]
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in any inning.
Strategy
Traditionally, the leadoff hitter has been utilized as a contact-oriented position. The leadoff hitter is usually tasked with being able to reach base at a proficient on-base percentage and generate runs for the team. Secondary goals for such a player include wearing down a pitcher's stamina and providing a dangerous presence along the basepaths to create more offensive opportunities. As a result, the prototypical leadoff hitter is small ball oriented, with elements such as contact ability, speed, patience, and occasionally defense elevated to an important level.{{cite web |title=There's never been a leadoff hitter like Soler |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jorge-soler-is-a-very-unusual-leadoff-hitter |first=Mike |last=Petriello |publisher=MLB |work=MLB.com |date=September 24, 2021| accessdate=February 22, 2022}} Power hitters, instead, would be put in the third and fourth slots to drive in the leadoff hitter and produce more runs as a result, thus deemphasizing the necessity for power amongst leadoff hitters.{{cite web |title=Betts, Carpenter, and the Evolution of the Leadoff Hitter |url=https://blogs.fangraphs.com/betts-carpenter-and-the-evolution-of-the-leadoff-hitter/ |first=Craig |last=Edwards |publisher=FanGraphs |work=FanGraphs.com |date=August 16, 2018 |accessdate=February 22, 2022 }} The correlation between leadoff hitters and small ball stretches as far back as 1898 with mentions of a "small, active fellow who can hit, run and steal bases" as being fit for the position.{{Cite web |title=The Batting Order Revolution Will Be Televised |url=https://www.theringer.com/2017/3/31/16040426/2017-mlb-preview-leadoff-hitter-revolution-george-springer-kyle-schwarber-2e49f6ff7c58 |first=Zach |last=Kram |publisher=The Ringer |work=theringer.com |date=March 31, 2017 |accessdate=February 22, 2022}} Players such as Rickey Henderson, Ichiro Suzuki, and Kenny Lofton are often considered as archetypal leadoff hitters.{{Cite web |title=Baseball's New Leadoff Hitters Don't Need To Be Speed Demons |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/baseballs-new-leadoff-hitters-dont-need-to-be-speed-demons/ |first=Neil |last=Paine |publisher=FiveThirtyEight |work=FiveThirtyEight |date=April 20, 2017 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
In recent years, however, leadoff hitters are shifting away from the traditional makeup to generally more well-rounded players. Numerous teams have opted to utilize hitters with strong on-base skills and power potential at the top of the batting order in exchange for speed and pure contact ability.{{Cite web |title=The Batting Order Revolution Will Be Televised |url=https://www.theringer.com/2017/3/31/16040426/2017-mlb-preview-leadoff-hitter-revolution-george-springer-kyle-schwarber-2e49f6ff7c58 |first=Zach |last=Kram |publisher=The Ringer |work=theringer.com |date=March 31, 2017 |accessdate=February 22, 2022}} Non-typical leadoff hitters such as Kyle Schwarber and George Springer have all seen time in the position in recent years.
Records
| class=wikitable
|+Key !scope="row" style="background-color:#ffffbb"|* |Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. |
=Most times on base as leadoff hitter=
Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most times on base from the leadoff spot as of the end of the 2020 season.{{cite web |title=Batting Split Finder |url=https://stathead.com/baseball/split_finder.cgi?request=1&match=seasons&order_by_asc=0&order_by=TOB_roe&min_year_game=1901&max_year_game=2020&sr_split_totals_choice=by_split&as=result_batter&class=player&offset=0&type=b&split_1=lineu%3Alineu&sid_situa%3Atkswg=situa%3Atkswg%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aleado=situa%3Aleado%3Aany&sid_outcb%3Aoutcb=outcb%3Aoutcb%3Aany&sid_oppon%3Aoppon=oppon%3Aoppon%3Aany&sid_situa%3Atimes=situa%3Atimes%3Aany&sid_plato%3Aplato=plato%3Aplato%3Aany&sid_situa%3Abases=situa%3Abases%3Aany&sid_defp%3Adefp=defp%3Adefp%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Agbfb=opptp%3Agbfb%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Apower=opptp%3Apower%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Atraj=hitty%3Atraj%3Aany&sid_lineu%3Alineu=lineu%3Alineu%3ABatting+1st&sid_total%3Atotal=total%3Atotal%3Aany&sid_dates%3Ahalf=dates%3Ahalf%3Aany&sid_locat%3Astad=locat%3Astad%3Aany&sid_situa%3Ainnng=situa%3Ainnng%3Aany&sid_locat%3Asite=locat%3Asite%3Aany&sid_dates%3Amonth=dates%3Amonth%3Aany&sid_situa%3Acount=situa%3Acount%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aouts=situa%3Aouts%3Aany&sid_locat%3Ahmvis=locat%3Ahmvis%3Aany&sid_wpa%3Alever=wpa%3Alever%3Aany&sid_role%3Astsub=role%3Astsub%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Ahitlo=hitty%3Ahitlo%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aclutc=situa%3Aclutc%3Aany&ccomp%5B999%5D=gt&cval%5B999%5D=0&team_id=ANY&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&isActive=either&bats=any&location=pob&locationMatch=is |website=Stathead.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=26 January 2021 |language=en}}
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space:nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !TOB |
| 1
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rickey Henderson * |5,412 |
| 2
|4,181 |
| 3
|3,243 |
| 4
|3,237 |
| 5
|3,202 |
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space: nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !TOB |
| 6
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Lou Brock * |3,080 |
| 7
|3,018 |
| 8
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Craig Biggio * |2,777 |
| 9
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Paul Molitor * |2,732 |
| 10
|2,701 |
{{clear}}
=Most games played as leadoff hitter=
Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most games played in the leadoff spot as of the end of the 2020 season.{{cite web |title=Batting Split Finder |url=https://stathead.com/baseball/split_finder.cgi?request=1&match=seasons&order_by_asc=0&order_by=G&min_year_game=1901&max_year_game=2020&sr_split_totals_choice=by_split&as=result_batter&class=player&offset=0&type=b&split_1=lineu%3Alineu&sid_situa%3Atkswg=situa%3Atkswg%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aleado=situa%3Aleado%3Aany&sid_outcb%3Aoutcb=outcb%3Aoutcb%3Aany&sid_oppon%3Aoppon=oppon%3Aoppon%3Aany&sid_situa%3Atimes=situa%3Atimes%3Aany&sid_plato%3Aplato=plato%3Aplato%3Aany&sid_situa%3Abases=situa%3Abases%3Aany&sid_defp%3Adefp=defp%3Adefp%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Agbfb=opptp%3Agbfb%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Apower=opptp%3Apower%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Atraj=hitty%3Atraj%3Aany&sid_lineu%3Alineu=lineu%3Alineu%3ABatting+1st&sid_total%3Atotal=total%3Atotal%3Aany&sid_dates%3Ahalf=dates%3Ahalf%3Aany&sid_locat%3Astad=locat%3Astad%3Aany&sid_situa%3Ainnng=situa%3Ainnng%3Aany&sid_locat%3Asite=locat%3Asite%3Aany&sid_dates%3Amonth=dates%3Amonth%3Aany&sid_situa%3Acount=situa%3Acount%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aouts=situa%3Aouts%3Aany&sid_locat%3Ahmvis=locat%3Ahmvis%3Aany&sid_wpa%3Alever=wpa%3Alever%3Aany&sid_role%3Astsub=role%3Astsub%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Ahitlo=hitty%3Ahitlo%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aclutc=situa%3Aclutc%3Aany&ccomp%5B999%5D=gt&cval%5B999%5D=0&team_id=ANY&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&isActive=either&bats=any&location=pob&locationMatch=is |website=Stathead.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=26 January 2021 |language=en}}
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space:nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !G |
| 1
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rickey Henderson * |2,886 |
| 2
|2,313 |
| 3
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Lou Brock * |1,901 |
| 4
|1,858 |
| 5
|1,827 |
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space: nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !G |
| 6
|1,741 |
| 7
|1,711 |
| 8
|1,584 |
| 9
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Paul Molitor * |1,573 |
| 10
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Harry Hooper * |1,568 |
{{clear}}
=Most plate appearances as leadoff hitter=
Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most plate appearances from the leadoff spot as of the end of the 2020 season.{{cite web |title=Batting Split Finder |url=https://stathead.com/baseball/split_finder.cgi?request=1&match=seasons&order_by_asc=0&order_by=PA&min_year_game=1901&max_year_game=2020&sr_split_totals_choice=by_split&as=result_batter&class=player&offset=0&type=b&split_1=lineu%3Alineu&sid_situa%3Atkswg=situa%3Atkswg%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aleado=situa%3Aleado%3Aany&sid_outcb%3Aoutcb=outcb%3Aoutcb%3Aany&sid_oppon%3Aoppon=oppon%3Aoppon%3Aany&sid_situa%3Atimes=situa%3Atimes%3Aany&sid_plato%3Aplato=plato%3Aplato%3Aany&sid_situa%3Abases=situa%3Abases%3Aany&sid_defp%3Adefp=defp%3Adefp%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Agbfb=opptp%3Agbfb%3Aany&sid_opptp%3Apower=opptp%3Apower%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Atraj=hitty%3Atraj%3Aany&sid_lineu%3Alineu=lineu%3Alineu%3ABatting+1st&sid_total%3Atotal=total%3Atotal%3Aany&sid_dates%3Ahalf=dates%3Ahalf%3Aany&sid_locat%3Astad=locat%3Astad%3Aany&sid_situa%3Ainnng=situa%3Ainnng%3Aany&sid_locat%3Asite=locat%3Asite%3Aany&sid_dates%3Amonth=dates%3Amonth%3Aany&sid_situa%3Acount=situa%3Acount%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aouts=situa%3Aouts%3Aany&sid_locat%3Ahmvis=locat%3Ahmvis%3Aany&sid_wpa%3Alever=wpa%3Alever%3Aany&sid_role%3Astsub=role%3Astsub%3Aany&sid_hitty%3Ahitlo=hitty%3Ahitlo%3Aany&sid_situa%3Aclutc=situa%3Aclutc%3Aany&ccomp%5B999%5D=gt&cval%5B999%5D=0&team_id=ANY&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&isActive=either&bats=any&location=pob&locationMatch=is |website=Stathead.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=26 January 2021 |language=en}}
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space:nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !PA |
| 1
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rickey Henderson * |13,122 |
| 2
|10,710 |
| 3
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Lou Brock * |8,653 |
| 4
|8,451 |
| 5
|8,432 |
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" | |
| style="white-space: nowrap;"
!Rank !Player !PA | |
| 6 | Eddie Yost
|8,023 |
| 7
|7,929 | |
| 8
|7,411 | |
| 9
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Craig Biggio * |7,297 | |
| 10
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Paul Molitor * |7,291 |
{{clear}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Baseball positions}}
{{Baseball}}