The top of the Lineup

It is being reported that the Phillies are close to signing free agent Placido Polanco to a three-year contract to play third base. The signing would give the Phillies three players (Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) who could hit in the first two spots of the lineup. Therefore, the Phillies will need to move one of the three down in the lineup, most likely to the 7th spot.
Looking at the three players, it is obvious that one player definitely belongs at the top of the lineup:

Player #1: .292/.355/.446, 24 HR, 61/80 SB
Player #2: .295/.340/.407, 18 HR, 14/17 SB
Player #3: .262/.320/.429, 32 HR, 78/89 SB

Player #1 has been the best hitter of the three and the highest on-base percentage. Along with that, he is also a good baserunner having stolen sixty-one bases in the past two years and has only been thrown out nineteen times. He belongs at the top of the lineup.

Player #2 has the fewest stolen bases of the group but does have a higher on-base percentage than Player #3 which is a key to hitting at the top of the lineup.

The identities of these players are: 1) Victorino 2) Polanco 3) Rollins.

The Phillies should resist all temptations to move Victorino down in the lineup as he is much better suited as a leadoff hitter. It would make the most sense for the Phillies to move Rollins down in the lineup as he has more power than Polanco and he could be used to drive in runs. Polanco's superior on base percentage would allow him to get on base for the Phillies' offensive core to drive him in. An ideal Phillies' lineup for 2010 would look as follows:

CF Victorino
3B Polanco
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
RF Jayson Werth
LF Raul Ibanez
SS Rollins
C Carlos Ruiz