Nationals: The Bryce Harper Leadoff Spot Experiment Has Worked

You remember that Jay-Z line off  The Blueprint 3?

“Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t…” -Jay-Z on “Reminder”

Well, he was, of course, correct when he said that, and it perfectly describes the Washington Nationals’ experiment to bat Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot. The move has worked perfectly, with the numbers providing everything you need to know.

Harper since moving to the leadoff spot on May 1st:

• 6-for-17
• 4 HR
• 9 RBI
• 1 K
• 4-0 W/L

On May 1st, the Nationals were 13-16 with six losses in their last nine games. Plus, their best hitter — Bryce Harper — was hitting just .247. It was a new month, which made it a perfect time to shake things up a bit. So that’s exactly what they did. When the lineup card came out for their May 1st game against the Pirates, manager Dave Martinez had Harper in the leadoff spot. It wasn’t his first time in the table-setting hole, but it was strange nonetheless.

Since that game, the Nationals have not lost (4-0), their offense has averaged almost eight runs per game, and Harper has homered four times. Oh yeah, he also raised his average 17 points to .264.

Now, the Nationals are rolling and they have a lineup that’s clicking. Besides Harper, Matt Adams has seen his production increase since the switch was made. Batting in the three-hole, Adams has also homered four times and raised his batting average from .260 to .297.

I don’t know if he’s gonna be on board for a full-time switch, but you can expect the Nats to ride the Bryce Harper leadoff experiment until it slows down.