2008 Lineup

[mar_022]

With the roster virtually set, other than a few MRs, it seems a good time to look at the 2008 lineup for the sox. I'm just curious as to where you all would put players in the lineup. The way i see it there are two approaches

 

Lineup 1:

Pedroia

Youk

Papi

Manny

Drew/Lowell

Lowell/Drew

Tek

Ellsbury

Lugo

 

Lineup 2:

Ellsbury

Pedroia/Youk

Papi

Manny

Drew/Lowell

Lowell/Drew

Youk/Pedroia

Tek

Lugo

 

Lineup two will probably be the more popular option, but lineup one would really allow ellsbury to utilize his speed on the paths, while we wouldnt lose any obp at the top of the order. I realize that ellsbury is the prototypical leadoff hitter, but the sox rarely run in front of papi/manny (rightly so IMO), but we would still have men on base with Dusty and Youk up top, and Ells could provide some flexibility at the bottom sort of like crisp did this year (except ellsbury will be on much more so the strategy would actually be noticeably effective). Anyways, i was just kind of mulling it over during a stats lecture and wanted to get everyone elses thoughts.

[BoSox21]

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Ortiz

Manny

Lowell

Drew

Youkilis

Varitek

Lugo

 

aside from maybe inverting Youk and Drew, that's what I'd expect to see on opening day

[Thumper]

Pedroia

Youkilis

Ortiz

Ramirez

Lowell

Drew

Varitek

Ellsbury

Lugo

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

Lineup 1.

[YAZMAN]

Pedroia

Youkilis

Ortiz

Ramirez

Lowell

Drew

Varitek

Lugo

Ellsbury

 

Ellsbury essentially becomes a second leadoff hitter in the slot where he'll see the most amount of good pitches.

[playjacoby46]

i dunno guys, i kinda like the ellsbury/pedrio duo at the top like we had in colorado. those guys are always puttin the ball in play and have great speed. but then again, youk is the prototypical 2 hitter, minus speed. ya cant go wrong because we have a great lineup, but i think jacoby and pedroia would give so many teams fits at the top.

[YAZMAN]

i dunno guys' date=' i kinda like the ellsbury/pedrio duo at the top like we had in colorado. those guys are always puttin the ball in play and have great speed. but then again, youk is the prototypical 2 hitter, minus speed. ya cant go wrong because we have a great lineup, but i think jacoby and pedroia would give so many teams fits at the top.[/quote']

 

Youk wasn't starting in Colorado because there was no DH. He's sort of wasted hitting 7 or 8, and doesn't have the speed to be an "extra leadoff" hitting 9. Hitting Ellsbury 9 will allow him to transition into a full season of MLB more easily, and I think his speed gives the team an advantage with him there.

[playjacoby46]

Youk wasn't starting in Colorado because there was no DH. He's sort of wasted hitting 7 or 8' date=' and doesn't have the speed to be an "extra leadoff" hitting 9. Hitting Ellsbury 9 will allow him to transition into a full season of MLB more easily, and I think his speed gives the team an advantage with him there.[/quote']

 

lol right i know....i know in the national league the pitchers hit. i was just saying having dustin and jacoby at the top with their speed and ability to get on base IMO would give teams nightmares. but i do see your points about the extra leadoff guy and working him in easily.

[BrentD22]

The other question is... will Lugo still be the starting SS?

[TheKilo]

The other question is... will Lugo still be the starting SS?

 

Yes. Next question.

[HeadOfSoxNation]

i dunno guys' date=' i kinda like the ellsbury/pedrio duo at the top like we had in colorado. those guys are always puttin the ball in play and have great speed. but then again, youk is the prototypical 2 hitter, minus speed. ya cant go wrong because we have a great lineup, but i think jacoby and pedroia would give so many teams fits at the top.[/quote']

 

Pedroia is slower than me...and let's just say, I'm NOT fast.

 

He's perfect in the two, but to say he has great speed is like saying he has great power...

[Beckett95]

lineup 1 to start the season

[playjacoby46]

Pedroia is slower than me...and let's just say, I'm NOT fast.

 

He's perfect in the two, but to say he has great speed is like saying he has great power...

 

dustin is definitely not slow. just cause he doesnt steal many bases doesnt mean hes slow. he has above avg speed. and i dont believe i ever said he had GREAT speed, if i did...i meant above avg.

 

 

as far as lugo at short.....if he struggles next season for the 1st couple months....do we bring up lowrie?...considering the success weve had with our prospects.

[schillingouttheks]

dustin is definitely not slow. just cause he doesnt steal many bases doesnt mean hes slow. he has above avg speed. and i dont believe i ever said he had GREAT speed, if i did...i meant above avg.

 

 

as far as lugo at short.....if he struggles next season for the 1st couple months....do we bring up lowrie?...considering the success weve had with our prospects.

 

Pedroia does not have above average speed.

[redsoxrules]

i dunno guys' date=' i kinda like the ellsbury/pedrio duo at the top like we had in colorado. those guys are always puttin the ball in play and have [b']great speed[/b].

[playjacoby46]

 

yeah i meant that about jacoby....but i do believe pedroia has above avg speed. agree to disagree.

[ksushi]

Pedroia has pretty average speed. I've never seen him really show any special footspeed in the field or on the bases. Just because he is small doesn't mean he runs any better than anyone else. Didn't youk win the battle of speed between them anyway?

[BoSox21]

Pedroia definitely doesn't have great speed. He's not Kevin Youkilis slow but speed is definitely not in his arsenal

[playjacoby46]

yeah pedroia isnt known as a speedster, i understand all this. im saying from what i see with my own eyes and being an athlete myself, i believe he has adove average speed. really no need in contuining this discussion lol.

[example1]

Ellsbury's speed is SO good that he can bat leadoff, AND steal, and not regularly take the bat out of Papi's hand. He is faster (i.e., a better basestealer) than either Crisp or Lugo. Ellsbury and Pedroia will be an absolute L/R terror for the rest of the league.

[MANNYHOF24]

yeah i meant that about jacoby....but i do believe pedroia has above avg speed. agree to disagree.

 

Pedroia is slow.

[Jayhawk Bill]

I'd use different lineups vs. right-handed and left-handed starting pitchers. Here's what I'd recommend, including the 2008 stats projected by Bill James and found online at http://www.fangraphs.com:

 

Against RHP:

 

Name	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Ellsbury0.320	0.374	0.436	0.810
Youk	0.290	0.399	0.454	0.853
Papi	0.298	0.407	0.587	0.994
Manny	0.301	0.405	0.552	0.957
Drew	0.278	0.393	0.465	0.858
Lowell	0.282	0.349	0.459	0.808
Pedroia	0.300	0.369	0.436	0.805
Tek	0.253	0.349	0.418	0.767
Lugo	0.266	0.331	0.380	0.711

 

Against LHP:

 

Youk	0.290	0.399	0.454	0.853
Pedroia	0.300	0.369	0.436	0.805
Papi	0.298	0.407	0.587	0.994
Manny	0.301	0.405	0.552	0.957
Drew	0.278	0.393	0.465	0.858
Lowell	0.282	0.349	0.459	0.808
Ellsbury0.320	0.374	0.436	0.810
Tek	0.253	0.349	0.418	0.767
Lugo	0.266	0.331	0.380	0.711

[Mirabellifan]

They should get Kapler again. i heard he's thinking about playing again.

[das11209]

They should get Kapler again. i heard he's thinking about playing again.

 

With that remark - I perfectly understand why your handle is what it is.

[Mirabellifan]

With that remark - I perfectly understand why your handle is what it is.

 

wait what is a handle. haha, i'm sorry i don't exactly know what that is.

[schillingouttheks]

With that remark - I perfectly understand why your handle is what it is.

 

Her previous one was "GabeKaplerLuver19". Yes - cue the jaw drop.

 

wait what is a handle. haha' date=' i'm sorry i don't exactly know what that is.[/quote']

 

Your board user name.

[Mirabellifan]

so a handle is a user name?

[redsoxrules]

They should get Kapler again.

 

NO

[Mirabellifan]

NO

 

ya, he kinda sucks. they probably shouldn't waist there money on him.

[schillingouttheks]

so a handle is a user name?

 

Yes.