Why? Ask every manager since the dawn of organized baseball. 1. Good on base guy with speed 2. Solid hitter with some speed/OB and/or bunting ability. 3. Best pure hitter 4. Best power hitter 5. Next best who bats from opposite side of 4 6. Next best who bats from opposite side of 5 7-8 and so on 9 pitcher Simply putting someone in those spots doesn't actually make them that type of hitter. He's had his flashes. Now isn't one of them. This being said, I have to wonder how much of that has to do with batting between the pitcher and Fowler, who's bat' has also been south of serviceable lately. Probably has to do more with him being a very young hitter who is still developing. Why would him hitting between a bad hitter and a good hitter make more of a difference than him him hitting between two bad hitters?