The Lineup Thread

[jacksonianmarch]

Any reason why Cora keeps Beni as the #2 hitter and Hanley #3? You’ve got 3 guys killing it hitting 4-5-6. Seems like your lineup should be Betts-Bogaerts-JDM-Moreland.

[Bellhorn04]

Oh, this'll be good, thanks Jackso.

[Maxbialystock]

How bad is our lineup right now? I'll tell you how bad. The Sox currently are 29th out of 30 MLB teams for worst offense. If Cora doesn't do what jacksonianmarch recommends, the Sox could quickly find themselves mired in 30th place--and free jacksonianmarch's Yankees from that never to be endured cellar. Oh the shame of it. All those runs scored. Awful.

[Bellhorn04]

As far is Beni is concerned, Cora is being patient, that's all. You start out the season with a projected optimum lineup and you can't start juggling it based on who's not and who's not the first month. If Beni's numbers don't improve he will get dropped down at some point.

 

As I like to say, it's a damn good thing the team has more patience than the fans do, or we'd be screwed.

[Thunder]

We're fine. Look at the record and the offensive numbers, both have which far exceeded my expectations.

[oldtimer]

As far is Beni is concerned, Cora is being patient, that's all. You start out the season with a projected optimum lineup and you can't start juggling it based on who's not and who's not the first month. If Beni's numbers don't improve he will get dropped down at some point.

 

As I like to say, it's a damn good thing the team has more patience than the fans do, or we'd be screwed.

 

Beni got a hit, walked and stole a base last night. This is the kind of thing I want from a #2 hitter in the lineup. I certainly hope for more from him and agree that patience in his case is worthwhile. What I notice about him is that he is seemingly just late on many swings. If he would pull more balls his numbers would come up. He still has excellent plate discipline and knows the strike zone. Some call strikes

on him last night were out of the zone.

 

Hanley is putting up decent numbers now but sometimes is frustrating to watch as he will take a third strike that catches a lot of the plate. He struck out looking at least twice last night. The difference between he and JDM is night and day. JDM prepares himself for each pitch and has a plan. Hanley at times seem lost.

 

All the guys were exhausted last night and didn't hit as well as they normally might, even given the fact the Jays pitching was good.

[Maxbialystock]

Beni got a hit, walked and stole a base last night. This is the kind of thing I want from a #2 hitter in the lineup. I certainly hope for more from him and agree that patience in his case is worthwhile. What I notice about him is that he is seemingly just late on many swings. If he would pull more balls his numbers would come up. He still has excellent plate discipline and knows the strike zone. Some call strikes

on him last night were out of the zone.

 

Hanley is putting up decent numbers now but sometimes is frustrating to watch as he will take a third strike that catches a lot of the plate. He struck out looking at least twice last night. The difference between he and JDM is night and day. JDM prepares himself for each pitch and has a plan. Hanley at times seem lost.

 

All the guys were exhausted last night and didn't hit as well as they normally might, even given the fact the Jays pitching was good.

 

About right on all points. I don't know if they were exhausted, but they weren't "right." How do we know? Mookie has struck out 17 times in 34 games and last night struck twice. He struck out a total of two times in the 8 games immediately before last night.

[jacksonianmarch]

I am not saying take Beni out of the lineup. I am saying stack the guys who are hitting well so your best hitters are batting with guys on base. JDM is batting 3 spots after Mookie, wouldn't it be better if it was 1 or 2?

[Bellhorn04]

I am not saying take Beni out of the lineup. I am saying stack the guys who are hitting well so your best hitters are batting with guys on base. JDM is batting 3 spots after Mookie, wouldn't it be better if it was 1 or 2?

 

Well, you guys have Gardner leading off with a .627 OPS. But you're scoring piles of runs.

 

Maybe, as Kimmi suggests, the batting order is not that big of a deal.

[moonslav59]

I'd have moved Beni down a while ago. I've always felt like Bogey is a natural 2 hitter- maybe lead-off, but Cora seems set on Betts up first. Maybe watching Springer in Houston has locked some philosophies in his mind.

 

With this in mind, maybe Cora could try this for a few games:

 

1) Betts

2) Bogey

3) JDM

4) Moreland (at least for now)

5) HRam

6) Beni

7) Devers

8) Nunez-Pedey

9) Vaz-Leon

 

[Bellhorn04]

Bogaerts got injured on April 8 and was out almost 3 weeks.

 

Also, Benintendi's OBP was .358 as late as May 1.

 

We're still dealing with some fairly small and volatile sample sizes here.

[moonslav59]

Oh, and for those all gah-gah over the Yankees offense and all freaking out about all our black holes at the bottom of our order, consider this:

 

PAs Yankee 2018 OPS

 

165 Gardner .627 (3rd most PAs on team!)

114 Walker .539 (7th most PAs)

103 A Hicks .687 (8th most)

Plus, #6 Andujar is at .745 and#5 Sanchez is at .769.

 

None of our top 5 PA guys are below .739, and our #6 guy, Nunez, could be replaced soon by Pedey.

 

141 Nunez .637 (#6)

125 JBJ .528 (#7 Benched)

106 Vaz .463 (#8)

 

Our #1 guy, Beni is at .740 and our #3 guy, Devers is at .739. Devers has been moved down in the line-up, and Beni may be soon. Betts (1.201) and Bogey (.933) missed some time and should move up in PA rankings. JDM is #2 in PAs and is at 1.004. We may see our #10 guy, Moreland at 1.009, become a top 9 PA guy soon

[FredLynn]

How bad is our lineup right now? I'll tell you how bad. The Sox currently are 29th out of 30 MLB teams for worst offense. If Cora doesn't do what jacksonianmarch recommends, the Sox could quickly find themselves mired in 30th place--and free jacksonianmarch's Yankees from that never to be endured cellar. Oh the shame of it. All those runs scored. Awful.

 

Ummm....how do you figure that? We are second in runs scored in the AL and first in OPS. And Benni will be fine.....not worried about him or where he hits in the lineup.

[Bellhorn04]

Ummm....how do you figure that? We are second in runs scored in the AL and first in OPS. And Benni will be fine.....not worried about him or where he hits in the lineup.

 

Max's post was 100% sarcasm. He said '29th worst offense'.

[FredLynn]

max's post was 100% sarcasm. He said '29th worst offense'.

 

oops

[moonslav59]

Max's post was 100% sarcasm. He said '29th worst offense'.

 

I thought he meant 29th worst catcher offense. Hasn't he been ranting about that for weeks? or, was that Nay-Sayer Natick?

[Maxbialystock]

oops

 

My fault. I just like that stuff.

[jacksonianmarch]

Well, you guys have Gardner leading off with a .627 OPS. But you're scoring piles of runs.

 

Maybe, as Kimmi suggests, the batting order is not that big of a deal.

 

Gardy’s .340 OBP is third highest on the team behind our #2 and #3 hitters

[Bellhorn04]

I thought he meant 29th worst catcher offense. Hasn't he been ranting about that for weeks? or, was that Nay-Sayer Natick?

 

That's Natick.

[moonslav59]

Gardy’s .340 OBP is third highest on the team behind our #2 and #3 hitters

 

We have 5 guys over .355- six, if you count Holt.

[moonslav59]

That's Natick.

 

My bad.

 

 

Sorry, Max.

[Bellhorn04]

Gardy’s .340 OBP is third highest on the team behind our #2 and #3 hitters

 

True. By the same token, Hanley's 355 OBP is exactly 2 points lower than Bogey's. And as I said Benintendi's OBP was 358 as recently as May 1. Small samples, really. But I'm sure that if Beni continues to struggle he'll get moved.

[oldtimer]

I'd have moved Beni down a while ago. I've always felt like Bogey is a natural 2 hitter- maybe lead-off, but Cora seems set on Betts up first. Maybe watching Springer in Houston has locked some philosophies in his mind.

 

With this in mind, maybe Cora could try this for a few games:

 

1) Betts

2) Bogey

3) JDM

4) Moreland (at least for now)

5) HRam

6) Beni

7) Devers

8) Nunez-Pedey

9) Vaz-Leon

 

 

I'd alter your order by keeping Beni at #2, but moving both JDM and Bogaerts up with Hanley moving down.

 

1) Betts

2) Beni

3) Bogaerts

4) JDM

5) Moreland

6) Hanley

7) Devers (mainly because of power - he has a lot to learn)

8) Nunez/ Pedey (maybe june now)

9) Vaz/Leon

 

Maybe there would be a few hurt feelings but so be it. Notice, no JBJ, Holt or Swihart. They will get into some games but if JBJ subs in and starts it will be 8th or 9th.

[moonslav59]

I'd alter your order by keeping Beni at #2, but moving both JDM and Bogaerts up with Hanley moving down.

 

1) Betts

2) Beni

3) Bogaerts

4) JDM

5) Moreland

6) Hanley

7) Devers (mainly because of power - he has a lot to learn)

8) Nunez/ Pedey (maybe june now)

9) Vaz/Leon

 

Maybe there would be a few hurt feelings but so be it. Notice, no JBJ, Holt or Swihart. They will get into some games but if JBJ subs in and starts it will be 8th or 9th.

 

To me, Betts, JD and Bogey are our best 3 hitters. I don't care, if they are all righties; they should bat 1-2-3 in some way.

 

Beni has not earned a top 4 slot. Small or large sample size. His .350 career OBP is very good, but Bogey has come on strong and still has a career .340 OBP despite some bad stretches that were likely injury-related.

[fxkatt]

Our line-up is always going to be problematic because we don't really have the perfect lead off hitter to set up the 2 hitter who could be Bogey or Nunez or Benitendi when these latter two are back in hitting form, but I think Betts is best at 3 (how else will he have a shot at the triple-crown) and Martinez at 4.

 

What we need at leadoff is Betts without the power, or Betts with a whole lot of power coming up after him. Or a true lead off hitter... the guy who chokes up on the bat, pokes hits over the infield, walks 100 times, beats out infield singles, steals 40-50 bases and has an OBP of at least .375. In other words, A PEST. We need a PEST... normally such guys are second basemen.

[Thunder]

Our line-up is always going to be problematic because we don't really have the perfect lead off hitter to set up the 2 hitter who could be Bogey or Nunez or Benitendi when these latter two are back in hitting form, but I think Betts is best at 3 (how else will he have a shot at the triple-crown) and Martinez at 4.

 

What we need at leadoff is Betts without the power, or Betts with a whole lot of power coming up after him. Or a true lead off hitter... the guy who chokes up on the bat, pokes hits over the infield, walks 100 times, beats out infield singles, steals 40-50 bases and has an OBP of at least .375. In other words, A PEST. We need a PEST... normally such guys are second basemen.

 

Betts is a perfect leadoff hitter. How can you have a problem with him? The Astros won a title last year with Springer leading off, who's offensive game is very much similar to Betts. Betts is probably even a littler better than Springer, which is tough for me to say since Springer is a UConn guy.

[moonslav59]

Late in games, when you are down 1 or 2 with your 7-8-9 or 8-9 hitters leading off, it feels a lot better having a guy with power up first. Since our 8-9 slots have been pathetic so far this year, maybe Betts up first has hurt some, but I'm fine with him up first as long as we keep getting power numbers from our 3-4-5hitters (HRam, JMart & Moreland/Devers).

 

I'd preferBogey up first and Betts 2nd, as studies show the number 2 hitter is most important, but flipping them works for me as well.

 

I know the 3 slot is not supposed to be as important as the 4 and 5 slots, but I'd like to see JD slotted 3rd.

1. Bogey

2. Betts

3. JMart

4. HRam

5. Beni

 

If the 3 slot is really the 5th or 6th most important slot, then maybe HRam there is just right.

 

1. Bogey

2. Betts

3. HRam

4. JMart

5. Moreland or Beni vs R/Pedey vs L

 

In short, Bogey deserves to take Beni's top 2 slot.

 

[Natick to NC]

Lineup I've wanted for awhile

1.Mookie

2. JD

3.Hanley

4.Xander

5.mitch

6.Swihart catching

7.Benny

8.Nuney

9.JBJ

Laugh all you want but that's the order I'm running out there for a week until I am convinced to go trade for a catcher .where they play is irrelevant lol....seriously though that's an exciting team that could put up some numbers ...Give Devers and Brock a week off ....roll with this

Edited May 12, 2018 by Natick to NC

[fxkatt]

Betts is a perfect leadoff hitter. How can you have a problem with him? The Astros won a title last year with Springer leading off, who's offensive game is very much similar to Betts. Betts is probably even a littler better than Springer, which is tough for me to say since Springer is a UConn guy.

 

I didn't say I had a problem with it... I'm merely pointing out that he's not the classic lead-off hitter because he's too good. Since neither we nor Houston have a natural PEST, each makes the best of the situation handed to them.. Also, the classic no. one hitter may be vanishing from the MLB... Gardner on the Yanks is this type but his average has been down the past two years (his OBP is still very high tho) Everyone today wants to be a HITTER, not a set-up man. Shortening up on the bat is all but passe, methinks.

[Thunder]

I didn't say I had a problem with it... I'm merely pointing out that he's not the classic lead-off hitter because he's too good. Since neither we nor Houston have a natural PEST, each makes the best of the situation handed to them.. Also, the classic no. one hitter may be vanishing from the MLB... Gardner on the Yanks is this type but his average has been down the past two years (his OBP is still very high tho) Everyone today wants to be a HITTER, not a set-up man. Shortening up on the bat is all but passe, methinks.

 

I agree. The prototypical lead off hitter has been re-imagined as the emphasis in the game has been even more firmly planted on offense.