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Simplicity in in the mental approach to sports is almost always a good thing.
Hitters get on smoking streaks and say,simply, "I'm really seeing the ball well!"  When that happens they are also not locked up in swing mechanics. They see the ball, they swat it.
When Aiki-Doc blocks an opponent's blow, he does it with a smooth, sudden, simple purpose.  No paralysis by analysis.
When golfers have a multitude of thoughts coursing through their noggins they usually are not good bets to go low.
Mike Reid, one of the great putters of his day, once talked about getting way hot by just imagining two lines of singing green worms defining his putting line.  His only thought was to roll it between the line of worms.  That's pretty simple.
I played with variations of that while I was competing, yet I never putted like Mike Reid.
So simplicity has its limits.  The question then is whether Figgins can be "saved" by the simplicity of batting first or whether he just ain't very good anymore.
I'm leading toward the later.  He may simply have lost his eye. A guy like Figgins must have that.  He's a career nibbler.  If he can't determine which pitches to nibble at he's doomed.
Career-wise, batting 1st hasn't been that big of deal for him. Check out his career splits.  He's nearly as good batting #9 as he is batting #1 (5 OPS+ points in differents), despite last year's debacle at the #9 spot.  He certainly didn't hurt his leadoff stats last year, did he?
In '07 he batted better in the 2nd slot than he did leading off.  Nearly 40% of his AB's came at #2.
From '04-'06, he batted at least as well at #9 than he did at #1.  In '06 he was significantly better at #9.
In '08 and '09 he was almost exclusively a lead off hitter, and that stacks the numbers in leadoff's favor, because he had such abysmal numbers in '10 and '11 not leading off.  But, historically, it hasn't meant much in relation to his productivity.
OK, we've made it as simple as possible for him. You get to play 3rd base, you get to lead off.
Man up now, Chone.  Let's see the .400 OBP in ST.  You've just got an undeserved gift.  Now earn it and shut me up.
moe