Giants' Brandon Belt: Expected to bat second in order
Manager Bruce Bochy has signaled in his Cactus League lineups that he plans to use Belt as his No. 2 hitter to begin the season, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports.
While Belt has yet to emerge as the consistent 20-plus-homer threat the Giants probably envisioned early on during his time in the big leagues, he's been an on-base machine throughout his six seasons with the team. After posting a career-best .394 mark in 2016, Belt's presence in the two hole in front of Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford would seemingly help his chances of establishing a new career high in runs, though he could sacrifice some RBI opportunities as a result. Manager Bruce Bochy isn't necessarily married to the idea of using Belt as his No. 2 hitter, so if the team struggles to generate offense early in the season, it's possible that Belt could move into the heart of the order.
