Manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday that he "would be shocked" if Lee didn't open the season as the Giants' leadoff man against both right- and left-handed pitching, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Analysis: A rough adjustment period to North American pitching during spring training could alter the Giants' plans for Lee, but San Francisco brought in the 25-year-old outfielder from Korea on a lavish six-year, $113 million deal with the full expectation that the high-contact rate and on-base skills he displayed in the Korea Baseball Organization would immediately translate to MLB. Lee didn't consistently hit for power or flash elite speed during his time in the KBO, but he should be a plus source of batting average and a strong source of runs if he ends up sticking atop the lineup permanently in his first season with the Giants. He's expected to play regularly in center field to begin the campaign, as Lee has already made a full recovery from the surgery he underwent on his left ankle last summer.
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