Originally Posted by
Maxbialystock
Nice. However, you have to ask why Betts, now in his 3d full year, has never been slotted 4th (to any great degree, anyway). I think it's because he has too much speed, plus batting earlier gets him more at bats. Not batting 4th in those 3 years, he has nevertheless led the team in runs scored all three years, leads the team in rbi's this year, was second in rbi's last year with 113 to Papi's 122, and was 3d in rbi's in 2015 with 77 to Bogie's 81 and papi's 108. I mean, doesn't that suggest slotting him higher has worked pretty well?
Throw Pedey out this year. Good slotting, but bad timing. I agree he can be slotted anywhere in the top 4 and do well.
No complaints about the vs. lefties lineup except for Pedey.
But the vs. righties lineup is the one most used and therefore the most important. I notice no HanRam even though his vs. lefty-righty splits are pretty close. More rbi's per at bat vs. lefties, but more dingers per at bat vs. righties, and about the same OPS's. His K/BB ratio, however, is much better vs. lefties. Still. If Pedey can play and play well or just hit and hit well, I might agree, but I have severe doubts about that knee.
Granted it's a small sample size, but the evidence for leaving Devers in the bottom 4 of the lineup is overwhelming. I don't care what he did in the minors. MLB pitchers are better and have more access to videos and analysis of hitting weaknesses. Plus I think he can do good things down there. He's had now 56 at bats batting 5th with 8 rbi's. He's had 20 at bats batting 7th with 7 rbi's. Spread that over 500 at bats and you are looking at 140 rbi's. Of course that would never happen because, if he did that well for just the first two months of a season, no manager would fail to move him up. Absent that kind of data, we have to use those 28 games, which say unequivocally that he is better further down in the order and also productive, which is really the point, isn't it?
If Pedey is out, HanRam is back in vs. righties. My lineup would then be--
Nunez
Beni
Bogey (sounds terrible, but he's done it a lot this year and his stroke seems to be returning)
Betts (you said he can do it, the only problem is putting so much base running talent in the cleanup slot)
Moreland (50 rbi's vs. righties and an OPS over .800) (plus I want 2 lefty bats in the first 5 and don't think Devers or JBJ are up to that based on their splits)
HanRam (this could be a very good fit for him--less pressure)_
Devers or JBJ
JBJ or Devers
Leon/Vazquez
What I like about my lineup is that it spreads the wealth through all 9 slots. No rest for opposing pitchers getting to the bottom of the order especially when all three (if Leon is catching) hit from the left side. But the top of the order ain't too shabby either. The question is the middle, the 4,5, and 6 slots. Betts should be fine. Moreland is 3d on the team in rbi's with fewer at bats than the first two, Betts and Beni. And, as I said, HanRam might benefit from dropping down and the 6th slot can be very productive.
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