KC Royals: Projecting The 2016 Starting Lineup
By Scott Dillon
The Three-Hole
The number three spot in the lineup belongs to Lorenzo Cain. Cain found his way into the number three spot late in 2014 and hasn’t left that role since.
He’ll occasionally bat second if something like an injury or day off comes up, but otherwise Cain is going to be hitting third.
Cain isn’t what most would classify as a number three hitter, but we already know the Royals don’t rely on massive power to win their games. While they don’t need Cain to hit for a lot of power, he still hit 16 home runs last season, which was a career high.
It also helps when you can score from first base on a single, but that’s just normal Royals’ base running at this point.
Home runs aren’t the only statistic in which Cain set a career mark. He also set career highs in hits, doubles, triples, walks, batting average, and steals. Okay, so he tied his career high in steals, but give the guy a break.
He also managed to strike out ten less times than he did in 2014 and made over 100 more plate appearances. His ability to get on base and turn singles into doubles, either on the hit or via stolen base, compliments the next two hitters nicely.
It also helps when you can score from first base on a single, but that’s just normal Royals’ base running at this point.
Royals’ opening day third hitter: Lorenzo Cain
Next: Clean Your Plate