Who Should Lead Off?

[Dutchy]

Ellsbury's doing just fine in the bottom of the order, and I like him there because it gives him more opportunities to steal bases. But Pedroia is doing a horrible job at leading off. He's hit only .221/.275/.316 in the leadoff spot as opposed to .328/.419/.423 when he bats second. So who should lead off?

 

Drew maybe? He sees over 4 pitches per plate appearances on average (12th in the majors) and has always been a good OBP guy. Youk sees more pitches per plate appearance than any other batter in the majors, but batting him leadoff would be a waste of his power. Or should the Red Sox move Ellsbury back there?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Drew was my choice back in April when I was begging for a lineup change. He gets on base and is at least somewhat fast. Ellsbury would be best suited to batting 9th in this scenario, as he's already proved to be more effective at the bottom of the order, could easily be bumped up to 2nd base or further due to Drew's excellent OBP, and as such is a good threat to score with his speed.

 

Pedroia is best suited to bat 2nd or 3rd, IMO. His numbers in the 2 spot so far this season reflect that he could be somewhat productive hitting 3rd.

 

In a perfect world:

1. Drew

2. Youkilis

3. Pedroia

4. Bay

5. Ortiz

6. Lowell

7. Varitek

8. SS

9. Ellsbury

 

Welcome to the board, BTW.

[Cocos Disciples]

Drew gets my vote. He's got a .391 OBP even with the lowest BA he's had since 2002. As the average improves, the OBP will get over .400.

[Dutchy]

Drew was my choice back in April when I was begging for a lineup change. He gets on base and is at least somewhat fast. Ellsbury would be best suited to batting 9th in this scenario, as he's already proved to be more effective at the bottom of the order, could easily be bumped up to 2nd base or further due to Drew's excellent OBP, and as such is a good threat to score with his speed.

 

Pedroia is best suited to bat 2nd or 3rd, IMO. His numbers in the 2 spot so far this season reflect that he could be somewhat productive hitting 3rd.

 

In a perfect world:

1. Drew

2. Youkilis

3. Pedroia

4. Bay

5. Ortiz

6. Lowell

7. Varitek

8. SS

9. Ellsbury

 

Welcome to the board, BTW.

 

LOL, nice avatar. And thanks for the welcome

 

If I wrote out the lineup, it would probably look something like this at this point in the season.

 

1. Drew

2. Pedroia

3. Ortiz

4. Youkilis

5. Bay

6. Lowell

7. Ellsbury

8. Varitek

9. Green

 

But I wouldn't want Drew leading off against lefties. And I don't feel quite right about a guy slugging almost .500 being our leadoff hitter. I think Ellsbury is our ideal leadoff guy. And then Drew could break up all those righties in the middle of the order.

[Dutchy]

Drew gets my vote. He's got a .391 OBP even with the lowest BA he's had since 2002. As the average improves' date=' the OBP will get over .400.[/quote']

 

Even against lefties? And even though he's slugging almost .500?

 

I'm not disagreeing, just trying to start discussion.

[Cocos Disciples]

Even against lefties? And even though he's slugging almost .500?

 

I'm not disagreeing, just trying to start discussion.

 

He hasn't been bad against lefties this year: .375 OBP in 64 PA. Pedroia has been slightly better over his career against lefties, so it might be of benefit to hit him leadoff then. It's not a huge difference though. The slugging percentage isn't a deterrent to Drew hitting leadoff IMO.

 

Welcome to the site, I hope you stick around. You seem like you'll be a great contributor!

[bosoxgirl34]

i like pedroia at lead off....plus with drew at lead off with the way he has been playing it will just let him get out faster....

[Cocos Disciples]

i like pedroia at lead off....plus with drew at lead off with the way he has been playing it will just let him get out faster....

 

The way Drew has been playing? He has a .450+ OBP in June.

[Dutchy]

He hasn't been bad against lefties this year: .375 OBP in 64 PA. Pedroia has been slightly better over his career against lefties, so it might be of benefit to hit him leadoff then. It's not a huge difference though. The slugging percentage isn't a deterrent to Drew hitting leadoff IMO.

 

Welcome to the site, I hope you stick around. You seem like you'll be a great contributor!

 

You're right, his lefty/righty splits aren't all that dramatic this year. I wonder how much of that has to do with him getting days off against tough lefties though.

 

And thanks for the welcome. Everyone's been friendly so far!

[Dipre]

You're right, his lefty/righty splits aren't all that dramatic this year. I wonder how much of that has to do with him getting days off against tough lefties though.

 

And thanks for the welcome. Everyone's been friendly so far!

 

Drew gets on base no matter the quality of the pitcher.

 

Francona sits him against tough lefties to justify playing Baldelli basically.

 

Oh, and welcome to the board.

[Dutchy]

The way Drew has been playing? He has a .450+ OBP in June.

 

Yeah, I really don't get why people dislike Drew so much. I thought he was solid, even in his down year in 2007. He had a .370 OBP and played good defense. And last year he was one of only two guys in the AL who had a .400 OBP and .500 SLG. He basically carried us last June.

[TheKilo]

i like pedroia at lead off....plus with drew at lead off with the way he has been playing it will just let him get out faster....

 

Are you kidding me?

[bosoxgirl34]

okay but if you are just going to go by who should lead off by OBP lets put youk there.....drew stikes out to much to be there

[bosoxgirl34]

i dont dislike drew at all....i just dont believe he belongs in the lead off

[Dutchy]

okay but if you are just going to go by who should lead off by OBP lets put youk there.....drew stikes out to much to be there

 

Youkilis strikes out almost as much as Drew.

[bosoxgirl34]

but his OBP is about 60 points higher and i didnt really mean it like that...you guys were just talking like OBP is all that matters and if its true youk should be there

[Cocos Disciples]

i dont dislike drew at all....i just dont believe he belongs in the lead off

 

So why do you think Pedroia does?

[TheKilo]

but his OBP is about 60 points higher and i didnt really mean it like that...you guys were just talking like OBP is all that matters and if its true youk should be there

 

Well, what's the main goal for a hitter?

 

To not make an out.

 

What statistic measures how often batters don't make outs?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

And thanks for the welcome. Everyone's been friendly so far!

Only because you're new, before long you'll be able to witness the epic amounts of insanity that unfold here on an almost-daily basis.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

is OBP the only thing we should look at for who should lead off? we should be looking at basestealing,obp,BA,and maybe extra base hits?

If drew is the perfect lead off guy why has he rarely ever hit lead off for anyone?

 

Ellsbury is the prototype leadoff guy

[Cocos Disciples]

is OBP the only thing we should look at for who should lead off? we should be looking at basestealing,obp,BA,and maybe extra base hits?

If drew is the perfect lead off guy why has he rarely ever hit lead off for anyone?

 

Ellsbury is the prototype leadoff guy

 

OBP is most important for a leadoff hitter, and Ellsbury lacks it.

 

If he's the prototype leadoff guy, why isn't he hitting leadoff?

[Dipre]

is OBP the only thing we should look at for who should lead off? we should be looking at basestealing,obp,BA,and maybe extra base hits?

If drew is the perfect lead off guy why has he rarely ever hit lead off for anyone?

 

Ellsbury is the prototype leadoff guy

 

But he struggles at the leadoff spot because he can't seem to handle the diet of strikes pitchers serve him to keep him off base.

[Dutchy]

Ellsbury is the prototype leadoff guy

 

The same could be said about Pedroia, but neither one has done very well as a leadoff hitter. I bet by the end of the year though we'll have Ellsbury back in the leadoff spot and Ortiz back in the 3-hole.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

how about nick green as a leadoff guy

[Dipre]

how about nick green as a leadoff guy

 

How about no?

 

Green has come up big in some spots, but he's a really vulnerable hitter, and you want one of your toughest outs out of the leadoff spot.

[Dutchy]

how about nick green as a leadoff guy

 

:stop:

[Cocos Disciples]

how about nick green as a leadoff guy

 

No.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

is OBP the only thing we should look at for who should lead off? we should be looking at basestealing,obp,BA,and maybe extra base hits?

If drew is the perfect lead off guy why has he rarely ever hit lead off for anyone?

 

Ellsbury is the prototype leadoff guy

Because most baseball managers (read: baseball traditionalists/wisdom fountains) actually believe that base stealing is a required skill for a leadoff man. In other words, their theories are in agreement with yours about what constitutes a leadoff man. When some old-time baseball guzzard looks at J.D. Drew, haven't seen Drew batting leadoff.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

Jacoby Ellsbury the other night against the nats got on 1st stole 2nd and took third on a sac fly...how many other guys on the team could do that...not drew...i think baserunning is getting very underrated here

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

How about no?

 

Green has come up big in some spots, but he's a really vulnerable hitter, and you want one of your toughest outs out of the leadoff spot.

 

:stop:

 

No.