31.   Alicea leads off Johnny Oates was considering using Rusty Greer as a leadoff hitter when Greer returns from the disabled list.

32.   Also unusual is their leadoff hitter, Jason Kendall.

33.   Also, first baseman Darin Erstad, who entered the season as the leadoff hitter, will move from the second spot in the lineup to third.

34.   All told, Cone allowed six hits, including two triples by the Toronto leadoff hitter, Shannon Stewart.

35.   But Finley walked the leadoff hitter, Ichiro Suzuki, who almost never walks.

36.   But he hit leadoff hitter Matt Lawton in the right shoulder to put runners and first and second with two outs.

37.   But he was also a leadoff hitter who did not have a high on-base percentage.

38.   But now he is being paid to be a leadoff hitter.

39.   But the Dodgers have other needs -- a shortstop, a center fielder, a leadoff hitter and bullpen arms -- that are bigger priorities.

40.   But the club, diminished at the top of the order by losing free-agent outfielder Gerald Williams, added a prototypical leadoff hitter in Veras.