Gaby Sanchez to hit fourth while Stanton is out

JUPITER, Fla. -- If you use his rookie season as an indicator, Gaby Sanchez typically is at his best batting with runners on base.

In 2010, the Florida first baseman batted .310 with runners on, and he hit an impressive .291 with runners in scoring position.

A disciplined hitter who has an approach to stay up the middle, Sanchez emerged as one of Florida's most reliable run producers a year ago. For the season, he hit .273 with 19 homers, 37 doubles and 85 RBIs.

Sanchez finished five RBIs away from Dan Uggla's team rookie record of 90 RBIs, set in 2006.

Because of his ability to drive in runs, Sanchez is the Marlins' leading choice to bat cleanup in Spring Training while Mike Stanton is recovering from a right quad strain.

Stanton likely will miss at least two weeks of games.

"Gaby showed and proved that [he can drive in runs] last year," manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "We moved him all over the lineup last year, and he still had close to [90] RBIs. I think he will be a run producer. He has discipline at the plate. He makes adjustments pretty easily."

In Florida's 6-3 win over the Cardinals on Monday, Sanchez went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs from the cleanup spot.

A year ago, Sanchez certainly showed his versatility and ability to adapt. He hit in every spot in the lineup except leadoff. He initially started off hitting eighth, before moving up to second, where he had most of his at-bats.

When Hanley Ramirez missed the final few weeks of the season with a left elbow sprain, Sanchez slid into the third spot. He also has hit fourth in three big league games, so he has some experience in that spot.

Stanton clearly profiles as a cleanup batter in the big leagues. But if Sanchez handles the spot in Spring Training, he could be the choice to bat fourth at least early in the season.

The organization is mindful that Stanton is still 21-years-old, and he played in 100 big league games as a rookie.

Rodriguez and the team will ultimately decide if Stanton is ready to bat cleanup in the season opener, or if he should start off hitting fifth or sixth and eventually move up.

In the meantime, Sanchez feels he gained a better understanding of how pitchers work a lineup because he experienced moving around so much in 2010.

"You definitely saw a difference between second and third, and then third and fifth," Sanchez said. "There is always that [adjustment] to try and figure out what they're going to pitch to that spot in the lineup.

"You might have second-and-third and one out, and they are like, 'Do I pitch around him to get the bases loaded and try to get the double play?' I got a lot of variations of how pitchers pitch in certain situations."

If Sanchez is hitting fourth for a while, he plans on sticking to the same approach he normally has with runners in scoring position.

"I just try to stay up the middle," he said. "I just do what I was taught my entire life. The best way to do it is to stay up the middle and use the big part of the field -- especially with a guy on third and one out.

"I just try to keep the ball in the middle of the field. If I get under it, it's going to be a fly ball to center, and an RBI. If you get jammed a little bit, it's still going to be a ground ball to short, and the guy can still score."



(mlb.com)