As I previously proposed, hitting in front of Manny can provide a big lift for a player. I wondered what might happen in LA. For most of the time since then Jeff Kent has been hitting in front of Manny, and he’s done quite well. In fact, he’s hitting .481 in 13 games since moving to the three spot. I’d say that’s increased performance. His average has jumped from .256 to .285 in that time. Obviously Manny’s been doing pretty well since then too, hitting .403 with a 1.204 OPS with his new team. I think the Dodgers are pretty satisfied.
August 21, 2008 at 9:08 pm
While I do think Kent is a Hall of Famer, he benefited greatly from all those years in San Fran hitting in front on Bonds. Now he’s reaping the benefits of hitting in front of Manny. Life is good for Jeff Kent!