I mean, we'll never know that. For all we know the analytics department and Klentak help set the line-up. That's just how it works these days.
But his first game leading off, IIRC, was also either the day Mallee got fired or Charlie's first day, can't remember which.
(The other interesting thing is supposedly Hoskins loved Mallee and his approach. But that level of data/research obviously wasn't working for him lately.)
Boy, yeah, what happened to Hammer in AAA?!!!!!