Willingham Finds Home In Left Field

Hitting never was the problem with Josh Willingham. He always could do that. It was finding a spot for him on the field. That was the issue. He played third. He played first. He caught. He played outfield. Around the horn he goes, where he stops, nobody knows. Catching would have taken a toll on his body, it was for that reason manager Joe Girardi said Willingham became the left fielder. He said he wanted to squeeze as many at-bats as possible out of one of the most productive hitters in the lineup, and believed that more rest would be required if Willingham ended up behind the plate.

In 2006, Willingham delivered on offense. Of the six Marlins who totaled at least 400 at-bats last season, only Cabrera finished with a higher OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). And that was despite a hand injury sustained by Willingham that resulted in a drop-off at the plate. Playing his first full season in the majors, Willingham hit .277 with 26 home runs and 74 RBI, producing career highs in every major offensive category.
Source: MiamiHerald.com