Opening day batting order?

[dustcover]

Anyone care to project what they see as the Opening Day batting order?

 

My guess:

 

1. Pedroia RH

2. Benintendi LH

3. Betts RH

4. Ramirez RH

5. Bogaerts RH

6. Bradley LH

7. Sandoval SH

8. Moreland LH

9. Leon SH

[mvp 78]

Pirates starter will be RHP Gerrit Cole.

 

1 Pedroia 2b

2 Bogey SS

3 Beni LF

4 Betts RF

5 Hanley DH

6 Bradley CF

7 Moreland 1b

8 Sandoval 3b

9 Leon C

[Slasher9]

1 Pedroia

2 X-Bo

3 Betts

4 HanRam

5 JBj

6 HoF

7 Panda

8 Moreland

9 Leon

[oldtimer]

Pirates starter will be RHP Gerrit Cole.

 

1 Pedroia 2b

2 Bogey SS

3 Beni LF

4 Betts RF

5 Hanley DH

6 Bradley CF

7 Moreland 1b

8 Sandoval 3b

9 Leon C

 

I agree with your opening day lineup. If Sandoval is hitting well he has a chance of moving up in the lineup which Leon will have something to prove to stay in the lineup. Interesting story on Bradley saying he plans to strike out less and hit the ball hard (he doesn't care about to which field) which is all well and good, but it the story on him doesn't say how he intends to do that (shorten his swing, etc.) I hope he can find consistency.

[TedWilliams101]

I think the reality of Ortiz retiring just hit me. I can't remember the last time I looked at a Red Sox lineup without a 30/40+ HR guy in the middle. Ever? Weird.

[moonslav59]

I think the reality of Ortiz retiring just hit me. I can't remember the last time I looked at a Red Sox lineup without a 30/40+ HR guy in the middle. Ever? Weird.

 

Betts and HanRam both hit 30+ last year. JBJ had 26.

[moonslav59]

This won't be the opening day line-up, but it would be my choice vs the RH'er:

 

1) Beni

2) Pedey

3) Betts

4) HanRam

5) JBJ

6) Bogey

7) Pablo

8) Moreland

9) Leon

 

This would be my second choice:

1) Pedey

2) Bogey

3) Beni

4) Betts

5) HanRam

6) JBJ

7) Pablo

8) Moreland

9) Leon

 

This what I think it will be:

 

1) Pedey

2) Beni

3) Betts

4) HanRam

5) Bogey

6) JBJ

7) Pablo

8) Moreland

9) Leon

 

I could see JF trying this...

 

1) Pedey

2) Bogey

3) Beni

4) Betts

5) HR

6) JBJ

7) Pablo

8) Moreland

9) Leon

 

[dustcover]

Well, we all pretty much agree on who the starting nine will be, which is a rarity for the Sox to not have some uncertainty at the very least at one position regarding the starting nine. As for the batting order, I guess will just have to shuffle the cards and deal them. But whatever the batting order, there is little doubt that it will have a just amount of potency.

 

My patience is growing very thin waiting for Opening Day.

 

[Kimmi]

I think our lineup will be pretty good regardless of how Farrell draws it up. A few points that I would make about the lineup:

 

1. I would bat Betts in the cleanup spot, not 3rd.

2. I would start Beni down a little farther in the order to start off the season.

3. I would alternate lefties and righties as much as reasonably possible.

[Wade Boggs]

Pirates starter will be RHP Gerrit Cole.

 

1 Pedroia 2b

2 Bogey SS

3 Beni LF

4 Betts RF

5 Hanley DH

6 Bradley CF

7 Moreland 1b

8 Sandoval 3b

9 Leon C

 

 

That would be the one I go with.

[Wade Boggs]

I think our lineup will be pretty good regardless of how Farrell draws it up. A few points that I would make about the lineup:

 

1. I would bat Betts in the cleanup spot, not 3rd.

2. I would start Beni down a little farther in the order to start off the season.

3. I would alternate lefties and righties as much as reasonably possible.

 

 

At first I thought NO about hitting Beni third. I thought really hard about it and changed my mind. He's got a good approach of hitting and he's played under pressure from August/ September, I think he can handle it. I have no data or reports. This is strictly a hunch. Sometimes you have your own eye test for these type of things.

[S5Dewey]

Since it shouldn't matter what the BO is I pulled mine out of a hat. Here's what I got:

 

1. Sandoval 3B

2. Hanley DH

3. Betts RF

4. Pedroia 2B

5. Moreland 1B

6. Leon C

7. Beni LF

8. Bogaerts SS

9. JBJ CF

 

[Kimmi]

At first I thought NO about hitting Beni third. I thought really hard about it and changed my mind. He's got a good approach of hitting and he's played under pressure from August/ September, I think he can handle it. I have no data or reports. This is strictly a hunch. Sometimes you have your own eye test for these type of things.

 

If any rookie can handle it, I think it would be Beni. As I've said before, it is Farrell's job to know his players well enough to know whether he should start Beni down in the lineup or not. I'll trust Farrell's judgment on this.

[Kimmi]

Since it shouldn't matter what the BO is I pulled mine out of a hat. Here's what I got:

 

1. Sandoval 3B

2. Hanley DH

3. Betts RF

4. Pedroia 2B

5. Moreland 1B

6. Leon C

7. Beni LF

8. Bogaerts SS

9. JBJ CF

 

 

I know you're being facetious, but the fact of the matter is that if a manager pulled his lineup out of a hat every day, his team would really be no worse off than if he used a traditional lineup.

[a700hitter]

I know you're being facetious, but the fact of the matter is that if a manager pulled his lineup out of a hat every day, his team would really be no worse off than if he used a traditional lineup.

If it was a fact, that is how managers would do it.

[Fisk]

If it was a fact, that is how managers would do it.

 

I believe the Yankees did it once or twice in the late 70s, it was either Billy Martin or Bob Lemon.

[Fisk]

If any rookie can handle it, I think it would be Beni. As I've said before, it is Farrell's job to know his players well enough to know whether he should start Beni down in the lineup or not. I'll trust Farrell's judgment on this.

 

Exactly. If he hits Beni up in the order he is pretty sure he's ready for it, since Farrell has been conservative with this in the past.

[a700hitter]

I believe the Yankees did it once or twice in the late 70s, it was either Billy Martin or Bob Lemon.

If it was true that lineups didn't matter, managers would do it consistently as it would relieve them of second guessing. Picking lineups out of a hat would become part of "the book".

[Fisk]

If it was true that lineups didn't matter, managers would do it consistently as it would relieve them of second guessing. Picking lineups out of a hat would become part of "the book".

 

I agree with you on this. The Yankees did it to try to get the team going.

[dustcover]

"[T]he conclusion to be drawn is that there is no practical value in seeking this ideal lineup, and in that case any way in which it might be meaningfully termed "best" is irrelevant, academic at best, pedantic at worst."

 

The 'practical value' is that it gives me an excuse to sit here and participate in the discussion thus avoiding the need to go outside and address the long overdue yard-work that needs doing!

[a700hitter]

"[T]he conclusion to be drawn is that there is no practical value in seeking this ideal lineup, and in that case any way in which it might be meaningfully termed "best" is irrelevant, academic at best, pedantic at worst."

 

The 'practical value' is that it gives me an excuse to sit here and participate in the discussion thus avoiding the need to go outside and address the long overdue yard-work that needs doing!

If it was proved that a random order was as good as any other, every manager would be doing it -- just one less thing for them to have to think about. Managers love push button decisions.

[bosoxmal]

I can't believe the whole troop has Leon catching. He ended up last year swunging at everything in the dirt and has he improved? Doesn't look like it. Meanwhile, Swihart is hitting about .350 and that's no fluke. Everyone gave up on this guy after he ran into the wall. He's a solid switch hitter. I'd rather see him in LF w/Benni in CF, but the bosses still think JBJ will hit! The guys who produce in ST should get the nod. Other wise what's the purpose of S? Getting in shape means getting timing. Swihart hasm Bradly and Leon have not.

[Bellhorn04]

I believe the Yankees did it once or twice in the late 70s, it was either Billy Martin or Bob Lemon.

 

According to Dan Shaughnessy, Joe Kerrigan tried this when he managed the Red Sox for the last 43 games of the 2001 season. Shaughnessy referred to Kerrigan as 'The Nutty Professor'.

[moonslav59]

I can't believe the whole troop has Leon catching. He ended up last year swunging at everything in the dirt and has he improved? Doesn't look like it. Meanwhile, Swihart is hitting about .350 and that's no fluke. Everyone gave up on this guy after he ran into the wall. He's a solid switch hitter. I'd rather see him in LF w/Benni in CF, but the bosses still think JBJ will hit! The guys who produce in ST should get the nod. Other wise what's the purpose of S? Getting in shape means getting timing. Swihart hasm Bradly and Leon have not.

 

ST'ing success or failure have little to do with season performance.

 

Late season small sample size slumps of hot streaks have little to do with what happens the next season.

 

With all due respect, I think you rely a little too much on "what have you done recently".

[Spudboy]

"[T]he conclusion to be drawn is that there is no practical value in seeking this ideal lineup, and in that case any way in which it might be meaningfully termed "best" is irrelevant, academic at best, pedantic at worst."

 

The 'practical value' is that it gives me an excuse to sit here and participate in the discussion thus avoiding the need to go outside and address the long overdue yard-work that needs doing!

 

Works for me!

[mvp 78]

I can't believe the whole troop has Leon catching. He ended up last year swunging at everything in the dirt and has he improved? Doesn't look like it. Meanwhile, Swihart is hitting about .350 and that's no fluke. Everyone gave up on this guy after he ran into the wall. He's a solid switch hitter. I'd rather see him in LF w/Benni in CF, but the bosses still think JBJ will hit! The guys who produce in ST should get the nod. Other wise what's the purpose of S? Getting in shape means getting timing. Swihart hasm Bradly and Leon have not.

 

CV can't hit, Blake can't catch. That's why Leon is starting.

[cp176]

CV can't hit, Blake can't catch. That's why Leon is starting.

 

Kind of sadly i agree with this! I do think that Blake has a better chance of learning to catch than CV has of learning to hit at this point in his career though.

[Wade Boggs]

Kind of sadly i agree with this! I do think that Blake has a better chance of learning to catch than CV has of learning to hit at this point in his career though.

 

I said during the off season it should be Vazquez/ Swihart . This is just a guess they might be looking at Leon again. Will he hit again or hit 0.44 since September 15 th of last year. When all is said and done he will be one of the two catchers for the Red Sox this year.

[Kimmi]

If it was a fact, that is how managers would do it.

 

No they wouldn't. Most of the managers still do things according to conventional wisdom.

[Kimmi]

I believe the Yankees did it once or twice in the late 70s, it was either Billy Martin or Bob Lemon.

 

This is a quote from Baseball Between the Numbers on the topic of batting order:

 

"So was Billy Martin crazy? Not, at least, with regard to his batting order. He understood that who is in the lineup is much more important than where they bat. Were it not that the conventional wisdom has become self-fulfilling prophecy—batting order is important because everybody thinks it's important—Martin could have pulled his lineups out of a hat all year long and hardly lost a game in the standings."