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FOR DECADES, THE NUMBER TWO HITTER WAS SOMEONE who struck out seldomly, bunted well, consistently executed the hit-and-run, and slapped the ball to all fields.
As a fundamentally sound player, the man in the two-hole often took pitches to allow leadoff hitters to steal bases. With a teammate in scoring position and less than two out, the number two hitter knew that a grounder to the right side would advance or score the runner even though it wouldn't help his batting average.
When the bases were empty, the number two hitter did whatever it took to get on base for the heart of the order. Finding the right person to fill this unglamorous (but crucial) role ...
Source: HighBeam Research, Former Boston Red Sox infielder Marty Barrett: second baseman recalls...