Quote:
Originally Posted by BRM
Ross is actually outslugging Valentin but Javy has him in OBP by a wide margin. It's scary that Conine and his .238/.315/.429 line is a part of any "thunder" lineup.
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In just 63 AB, Conine's .744 OBP ranks him sixth on the team, ahead of both Hatteberg and Freel. What might he be achieving if he had Hatteberg's 96, Freel's 123 or Philllips' 158 AB? He just might be displacing Phillips as the #5 OBP guy if he had not been riding the pines all of this time.
If so, then that means more run production from his individual spot in the batting order and a possible preventing of the opposition from pitching around/"pitching tough" to/intentionally walking others in the lineup.
Conine has played under 70 big league games at 3B, and only 2 in the last couple of years. But the present anemic offense needs at least 8 hitters; the DH lineup in Cleveland should tell.