2010 Lineup
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From: tom dunne on 1 Mar 2010 03:04 Just read this on the Enquirer, the probable top six: Drew Stubbs Orlando Cabrera Joey Votto Brandon Phillips Scott Rolen Jay Bruce Stubbs leads off because he's a centerfielder, and this is a Dusty Baker team. Cabrera bats second because he's a shortstop, and this is a Dusty Baker team. Votto bats third because that's where he ought to hit. Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen? Well, I'll let Dusty explain: -------------- Baker confirmed that Brandon Phillips will hit fourth again. Hes the best selection Ive got, power, speed, Baker said, especially now that hes learning to be an RBI man. I like (Scott) Rolen in the fifth spot, more than the fourth spot. Itll give him better pitches to hit because Brandon might steal. -------------- Phillips and his career .742 OPS will bat ahead of Scott Rolen and his .868 OPS because, hey, Phillips might steal. Baker says Phillips is learning to be an RBI man, which I can only hope means someone is going to show him how to add 40 points to his batting average. I'll also note that the likely platoon of Dickerson and Gomes in LF are naturally confined to the bottom third of the order. Either one of them is likely a better hitter than Cabrera, but of course you have to bat the shortstop second. At least Dickerson will be available if Stubbs follows the storied traditions of his predecessors Taveras and Patterson... It's not an ideal squad, but if I had to build this team, I'd hit them like this: Dickerson/Stubbs Phillips Votto Rolen Bruce/Gomes Dickerson/Bruce Cabrera Hannigan If Stubbs hits, I platoon Dickerson and Gomes, with Bruce flipping between 5/6 depending on who is in left. If Stubbs sits, I hope to play both Dickerson and Gomes, hitting 1 and 5 respectively. If the light comes on for Bruce, I leave him at 5 regardless. Under no circumstances do I bat Phillips cleanup ahead of Rolen. BP will hit more homers, but Rolen will be better at literally everything else. Phillips might also improve once he stops trying to be an RBI man, so it's a win-win for getting him out of cleanup. Regardless of whom I bat where, the team is still in the bottom half in runs scored and turns in around 79 wins. Anyway, here's the article: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100228/SPT04/302280030/1071/Lincoln+to+get+first+spring+start+for+Reds
From: john smith on 1 Mar 2010 09:48 Just watching the Reds last year, one of their biggest offensive problems was production out of the top two spots in the order. Stubbs has to prove he's a major league leadoff hitter. I don't see enough contact in this guy's swing yet to put my faith in him. Cabrera can be a total bust waiting to happen. Time will tell..
From: RJA on 1 Mar 2010 10:23 On Mar 1, 3:04 am, tom dunne <dunn...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Just read this on the Enquirer, the probable top six: > > Drew Stubbs > Orlando Cabrera > Joey Votto > Brandon Phillips > Scott Rolen > Jay Bruce > > Stubbs leads off because he's a centerfielder, and this is a Dusty > Baker team. Cabrera bats second because he's a shortstop, and this is > a Dusty Baker team. Votto bats third because that's where he ought to > hit. Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen? Well, I'll let Dusty explain: > > -------------- > Baker confirmed that Brandon Phillips will hit fourth again. > > Hes the best selection Ive got, power, speed, Baker said, > especially now that hes learning to be an RBI man. I like (Scott) > Rolen in the fifth spot, more than the fourth spot. Itll give him > better pitches to hit because Brandon might steal. > -------------- > > Phillips and his career .742 OPS will bat ahead of Scott Rolen and > his .868 OPS because, hey, Phillips might steal. Baker says Phillips > is learning to be an RBI man, which I can only hope means someone is > going to show him how to add 40 points to his batting average. > > I'll also note that the likely platoon of Dickerson and Gomes in LF > are naturally confined to the bottom third of the order. Either one > of them is likely a better hitter than Cabrera, but of course you have > to bat the shortstop second. At least Dickerson will be available if > Stubbs follows the storied traditions of his predecessors Taveras and > Patterson... > > It's not an ideal squad, but if I had to build this team, I'd hit them > like this: > > Dickerson/Stubbs > Phillips > Votto > Rolen > Bruce/Gomes > Dickerson/Bruce > Cabrera > Hannigan > > If Stubbs hits, I platoon Dickerson and Gomes, with Bruce flipping > between 5/6 depending on who is in left. If Stubbs sits, I hope to > play both Dickerson and Gomes, hitting 1 and 5 respectively. If the > light comes on for Bruce, I leave him at 5 regardless. Under no > circumstances do I bat Phillips cleanup ahead of Rolen. BP will hit > more homers, but Rolen will be better at literally everything else. > Phillips might also improve once he stops trying to be an RBI man, so > it's a win-win for getting him out of cleanup. > > Regardless of whom I bat where, the team is still in the bottom half > in runs scored and turns in around 79 wins. > > Anyway, here's the article:http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100228/SPT04/302280030/1071/Linc... Yes, it's totally ridiculous. I especially liked his comments that Stubbs should play over Dickerson because Dickerson only hit 2 homers and Stubbs hit 8. Once again, no regard for OBP at the top.
From: HTP on 1 Mar 2010 14:02 On Mar 1, 12:04 am, tom dunne <dunn...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Just read this on the Enquirer, the probable top six: > > Drew Stubbs > Orlando Cabrera > Joey Votto > Brandon Phillips > Scott Rolen > Jay Bruce > > Stubbs leads off because he's a centerfielder, and this is a Dusty > Baker team. Cabrera bats second because he's a shortstop, and this is > a Dusty Baker team. Votto bats third because that's where he ought to > hit. Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen? Well, I'll let Dusty explain: > > -------------- > Baker confirmed that Brandon Phillips will hit fourth again. > > Hes the best selection Ive got, power, speed, Baker said, > especially now that hes learning to be an RBI man. I like (Scott) > Rolen in the fifth spot, more than the fourth spot. Itll give him > better pitches to hit because Brandon might steal. > -------------- > > Phillips and his career .742 OPS will bat ahead of Scott Rolen and > his .868 OPS because, hey, Phillips might steal. Baker says Phillips > is learning to be an RBI man, which I can only hope means someone is > going to show him how to add 40 points to his batting average. Well, if the reports are true that Rolens shoulder troubles have zapped his power, then i think he will be hard pressed to outperform Phillips as a heavy hitter, let alone approach .868. > > I'll also note that the likely platoon of Dickerson and Gomes in LF > are naturally confined to the bottom third of the order. Either one > of them is likely a better hitter than Cabrera, but of course you have > to bat the shortstop second. At least Dickerson will be available if > Stubbs follows the storied traditions of his predecessors Taveras and > Patterson... > > It's not an ideal squad, but if I had to build this team, I'd hit them > like this: > > Dickerson/Stubbs > Phillips > Votto > Rolen > Bruce/Gomes > Dickerson/Bruce > Cabrera > Hannigan hmmm, You've got Stubbs being platooned rather than Bruce. Bruce has demonstrated that he his helpless against lefties. Unless he shows differently early on, i think he should definitely be the one to sit. I've got: vs. righties 1. Dickerson - LF 2. Rolen 3. Votto 4. Bruce 5. Phillips 6. Stubbs 7. Hanigan 8. Janish with any of the last 3 being interchangeable vs. lefties 1. Dickerson - LF 2. Rolen 3. Votto 4. Phillips 5. Gomes - RF 6. Hernandez 7. Stubbs 8. Janish I'd like to keep pressure off Stubbs in the early going and see what happens. Those are pretty good defensive squads. But of course, Janish isnt likely to get many starts if Cabrera is around. > > If Stubbs hits, I platoon Dickerson and Gomes, with Bruce flipping > between 5/6 depending on who is in left. If Stubbs sits, I hope to > play both Dickerson and Gomes, hitting 1 and 5 respectively. If the > light comes on for Bruce, I leave him at 5 regardless. Under no > circumstances do I bat Phillips cleanup ahead of Rolen. BP will hit > more homers, but Rolen will be better at literally everything else. > Phillips might also improve once he stops trying to be an RBI man, so > it's a win-win for getting him out of cleanup. I can get on board with all of that. I do have Rolen hitting second which aint gonna happen because he WILL clog those basepaths. > > Regardless of whom I bat where, the team is still in the bottom half > in runs scored and turns in around 79 wins. even if everything goes right offensively, they may still never be better than average.
From: tom dunne on 1 Mar 2010 14:24
On Mar 1, 2:02 pm, HTP <tmbowma...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > On Mar 1, 12:04 am, tom dunne <dunn...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Just read this on the Enquirer, the probable top six: > > > Drew Stubbs > > Orlando Cabrera > > Joey Votto > > Brandon Phillips > > Scott Rolen > > Jay Bruce > > > Stubbs leads off because he's a centerfielder, and this is a Dusty > > Baker team. Cabrera bats second because he's a shortstop, and this is > > a Dusty Baker team. Votto bats third because that's where he ought to > > hit. Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen? Well, I'll let Dusty explain: > > > -------------- > > Baker confirmed that Brandon Phillips will hit fourth again. > > > Hes the best selection Ive got, power, speed, Baker said, > > especially now that hes learning to be an RBI man. I like (Scott) > > Rolen in the fifth spot, more than the fourth spot. Itll give him > > better pitches to hit because Brandon might steal. > > -------------- > > > Phillips and his career .742 OPS will bat ahead of Scott Rolen and > > his .868 OPS because, hey, Phillips might steal. Baker says Phillips > > is learning to be an RBI man, which I can only hope means someone is > > going to show him how to add 40 points to his batting average. > > Well, if the reports are true that Rolens shoulder troubles have > zapped his power, then i think he will be hard pressed to outperform > Phillips as a heavy hitter, let alone approach .868. The thing is that all Phillips offers over Rolen is an extra ten homers, give or take. Those come among significantly fewer hits overall. Hard to believe, but even with his shoulder injury and missing time last year after he got beaned, Rolen still outslugged Phillips by about 25 points. If Rolen could outperform him last year, I think he has a decent chance of doing it again this year. > > I'll also note that the likely platoon of Dickerson and Gomes in LF > > are naturally confined to the bottom third of the order. Either one > > of them is likely a better hitter than Cabrera, but of course you have > > to bat the shortstop second. At least Dickerson will be available if > > Stubbs follows the storied traditions of his predecessors Taveras and > > Patterson... > > > It's not an ideal squad, but if I had to build this team, I'd hit them > > like this: > > > Dickerson/Stubbs > > Phillips > > Votto > > Rolen > > Bruce/Gomes > > Dickerson/Bruce > > Cabrera > > Hannigan > > hmmm, > > You've got Stubbs being platooned rather than Bruce. Bruce has > demonstrated that he his helpless against lefties. Unless he shows > differently early on, i think he should definitely be the one to sit. > > I've got: > > vs. righties > 1. Dickerson - LF > 2. Rolen > 3. Votto > 4. Bruce > 5. Phillips > 6. Stubbs > 7. Hanigan > 8. Janish > > with any of the last 3 being interchangeable > > vs. lefties > 1. Dickerson - LF > 2. Rolen > 3. Votto > 4. Phillips > 5. Gomes - RF > 6. Hernandez > 7. Stubbs > 8. Janish > > I'd like to keep pressure off Stubbs in the early going and see what > happens. > > Those are pretty good defensive squads. But of course, Janish isnt > likely to get many starts if Cabrera is around. I see your point. I'm more or less building around what I think the FO would mandate, playing Bruce and Cabrera pretty much every day over the other options. I especially agree about Bruce, but remain optimistic, given his age. Janish isn't going to see time as long as Cabrera is healthy, I don't think. If it were entirely up to me, I wouldn't have spent the money on Cabrera anyway. > > If Stubbs hits, I platoon Dickerson and Gomes, with Bruce flipping > > between 5/6 depending on who is in left. If Stubbs sits, I hope to > > play both Dickerson and Gomes, hitting 1 and 5 respectively. If the > > light comes on for Bruce, I leave him at 5 regardless. Under no > > circumstances do I bat Phillips cleanup ahead of Rolen. BP will hit > > more homers, but Rolen will be better at literally everything else. > > Phillips might also improve once he stops trying to be an RBI man, so > > it's a win-win for getting him out of cleanup. > > I can get on board with all of that. > > I do have Rolen hitting second which aint gonna happen because he > WILL clog those basepaths. > > > > > Regardless of whom I bat where, the team is still in the bottom half > > in runs scored and turns in around 79 wins. > > even if everything goes right offensively, they may still never be > better than average. Yeah, that's clearly the issue with this team. Even if each of Harang, Arroyo, Cueto and Bailey all exceed expectations, this team doesn't have the bats to win the division. Walt's got a bunch of really good fourth-outfielder types, and it's hard to win a division with that much mediocre outfield hitting. |