Pete Mackanin hoping for more lineup stability

With veteran additions such as outfielders Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin is looking to do less lineup juggling this season.

During a news conference Sunday at Citizens Bank Park before the Phillies departed for Cincinnati and the opener Monday against the Reds, Mackanin gave his lineup, and it didn't have any real surprises.

Second baseman Cesar Hernandez will lead off, followed by leftfielder Kendrick, centerfielder Odubel Herrera, and third baseman Maikel Franco, batting cleanup.

Rightfielder Saunders will hit fifth, followed by first baseman Tommy Joseph, catcher Cameron Rupp, and shortstop Freddy Galvis.

"It looks like for the time being, I am going to stay with that as close as I can," Mackanin said.

The idea of keeping Hernandez in the leadoff spot is especially appealing to the manager.

"Hernandez is a prototypical leadoff hitter," Mackanin said. "He has been fantastic, especially since the second half of last year."

The stats bear that out. From July 1 until the end of the season, Hernandez hit .313 with an .852 on- base-plus-slugging percentage in 352 plate appearances.

Hernandez was a prime example of the shifting batting order last year. As a starter, he batted leadoff 68 times, second, 25, sixth, 10; seventh, 13; eighth, 26; and ninth, three times.

As a leadoff batter he was successful, hitting .296 in 312 plate appearances with four home runs, 16 RBIs, and an .812 OPS. For the season he hit .294 with a .764 OPS and tied for the MLB high with 11 triples.

"I like leading off," Hernandez said. "Bueno."

He is all for less lineup juggling.

"You want to be set and know what your role is and be comfortable," Hernandez said.

Mackanin hopes Hernandez is a more efficient base stealer. Last year he stole 17 bases but was caught 13 times.

"It was a combination of bad luck and for some reason he got caught up in situations when he didn't know when to go and when not to go," Mackanin said.

Hernandez said he emphasized base-stealing work this spring and was 6 for 6.

Tommy Joseph will be playing in his first major- league opener. He didn't make his major-league debut last year until May 13, also against the Reds.

"Major-league opening day is something special and I have been looking forward to it since I was a little kid," Joseph said.

Last season he batted .257 with 21 home runs, 47 RBIs, and an .812 OPS in 315 plate appearances.

This year Fangraphs projects him to bat .261 with 31 home runs and 90 RBIs in 595 plate appearances.

Joseph has set goals for himself, but he said he was keeping them to himself.

Newcomer Jaoquin Benoit brings plenty of experience to the bullpen, but will the righthander, who will turn 40 in July, be with the Phillies all season?

There is speculation that a veteran such as Benoit can be flipped at the trade deadline. Just last season he was dealt from Seattle to Toronto at the deadline. The Phillies are his seventh major-league team.

"I would love to finish a season where I start," Benoit said. "The business part of it is out of my hands."

Besides bringing experience, he also has plenty of confidence in his new team. Benoit has heard all the predictions that the Phillies won't compete for a playoff spot.

"The game is played on the field, not paper," he said. "We can surprise people."