Reds’ Spring Training Notebook (2/25)
Bruce to move up in Reds’ lineup
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Jay Bruce hits a NL Central-clinching home run against the Houston Astros in 2010 (Getty Images).[/caption]
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce is coming off one of the best overall seasons of his professional career after hitting for a .262/.329/.478 slash line to go along with a team-leading 30 home runs and 109 RBI in 2013.
According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, Bruce is the only player in the National League to hit more than 25 home runs in each season since 2010 — with 25, 32, 34 and 30, respectively. Additionally, he’s hit more doubles and homers (201) in the past three seasons than any player in the Major Leagues not named Miguel Cabrera.
However, Bruce will attack the 2014 season from somewhat of a different vantage point.
First-year manager Bryan Price has decided the typical five-hole hitter will see considerably more swings from the cleanup spot this season.
Former manager Dusty Baker was reluctant to hit two left-handed hitters in Joey Votto and Jay Bruce back-to-back and in turn placed Ryan Ludwick between the two sluggers in 2012 and 2013. Also, when Ludwick went down with a torn labrum in his right shoulder on Opening Day, it was Brandon Phillips, not Bruce, who took Ludwick’s slot in the order.
This year, Price is less worried about the late-inning, lefty-specialist match-up and more worried about jumping on teams and taking the early lead.
“My theory is, if we’re thinking a lot about innings 7–8, maybe we’re not focusing enough on 1–6,” Price told the media. “If we deliver the knockout blow early, we don’t have to worry too much about the match-up lefty [reliever] being in the ballgame. I’d like to be more aggressive in the front end of the game and see if we can get the starter out of there and get into the bullpen. That sets a great tone for the series.”
Subsequently, Phillips will move up in the order and hit second, presumably behind Billy Hamilton, while Bruce hits cleanup against right-handed starters and Ludwick hits cleanup against left-handed starters.
However, Bruce doesn’t seem to mind the lefty-lefty match-up based on his uncommon success in the past. In fact, he leads all Major League hitters with 44 home runs against left-handed pitchers since 2010 — four more than Albert Pujols. Additionally, his two-home run game against NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw was two more home runs than the 165 left-handed hitters who faced Kershaw in 2013, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark.
If Ludwick is unable to provide the run production needed from the cleanup spot, don’t be surprised if Price eventually goes with Bruce no matter the pitching match-up.
