Kenny Lofton Fan Page

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Depending on whom you listen to, Kenny Lofton's 1997 season was either a moderate success or an unmitigated disaster. The expectations were high, no doubt, after he came to Atlanta in a spring deal that sent former Braves leadoff man Marquis Grissom to Cleveland. It was inevitable that both players would be judged in comparison to each other, and both seemed to suffer for it. Hampered all year by groin problems, Lofton hit well and continued to score runs, but his basestealing fell apart completely. Hitting As a leadoff man, Lofton is precisely the type of hitter you'd expect him to be. He makes excellent contact and uses the whole field. He's particularly adept at going the other way, especially against lefthanders, who don't bother him a bit. He bunts as often as anyone in the National League, and his short stroke allows him to remain dangerous with two strikes. Even without his old speed, he remained an excellent leadoff man and would have scored well over 100 runs if he hadn't missed so much playing time. Baserunning & Defense After Lofton led the American League in steals in each of his first five seasons in the majors, his groin problems were such a hindrance that he stole only 27 bases, half of his previous career low. He also was thrown out stealing 20 times, the most in the majors, and was picked off on three occasions. He remained an aggressive baserunner, though his injuries prevented him from dominating the basepaths like he used to. His range in center field suffered as well, though he remained better than average. Lofton's arm is fairly good and his accuracy improved in 1997. 1998 Outlook Lofton became a free agent at the end of the season, and it seemed unlikely that would get the $10 million-per-year contract that he once expected. If his demands are significantly lower, he could return to Atlanta. Wherever he ends up, he's a great bet to reclaim his title as one of the top leadoff men in the game. lofton5