Despite an on-base percentage a bit lower than you'd like at the top of the order (.338 career on-base percentage), Scott Podsednik has proven quite effective as a leadoff man. Until last year. Every year prior to 2007 Pods' teams have scored significantly more runs when he led off an inning than when others have led off.
| Scott Podsednik—Leading Off an Inning |
| | Pods Leading Off | | Others Leading Off | | Gain | | |
| Year | Number | Team Runs/Inn | Number | Team Runs/Inn | Team Runs/Inn | |
| 2003 | 179 | .70 | 1,293 | .45 | .25 |
| 2004 | 144 | .48 | 1,170 | .42 | .06 |
| 2005 | 239 | .73 | 1,231 | .46 | .27 |
| 2006 | 243 | .80 | 1,215 | .55 | .25 |
| 2007 | 66 | .47 | 1,393 | .48 | -.01 |
The White Sox let Podsednik go following the 2007 season.
This item is a "nugget" from the upcoming book from ACTA Sports, The Bill James Gold Mine, available in February 2008.
Copyright © 2007 by John Dewan.
Permission to reprint or broadcast this information is granted only if used in conjunction with the following citation: "Used with permission from John Dewan's Stat of the Week™,
www.statoftheweek.com."