“I didn’t want to roll over right into the shift because that’s exactly what he’s trying to make me do,” Wong said. “I just wanted to give myself a chance to get on base. If I hit a groundball to the left side, when they’re shifting me like that, they’re going to have to make a backhand play to throw me out. Most of the time that’s not going to happen. Put yourself in a situation to have the most success and then I sneak one through.
While others have been given a test-drive in the leadoff spot, Wong has remained lower in the order, consistently and constantly, despite leading the team in hitting for the past month and leading the team in steals.