Quote:
Originally Posted by *BaseClogger*
If I filled out the lineup card everyday, Joey Votto would be batting second...
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Agreed. I have been arguing for years that Votto should be hitting second. His .450+ OBP is largely wasted when he comes to the plate with 2 outs. Even if he gets on base his teammates will only have one chance to drive him in. Votto is both a great RBI man and a great table-setter. Batting him 3rd takes poor advantage of his table-setting ability. He is unlikely to hit into a double play after Choo reaches first base and Votto also has the ability to drive in Choo from 1st base. Joey Votto is the perfect #2 hitter in a lineup. (Of course he is the perfect hitter for any slot in the lineup as well
) Having two OBP machines in Choo and Votto at the top of the lineup would be a manager's dream -- as long as that manager wasn't Dusty Baker. The #3-5 hitters would have an absolute ton of RBI opportunities.
I think the perfect lineup is:
Choo
Votto
Phillips
Bruce
Ludwick
Frazier
Hanigan
Cozart
Leake or pinch hitter
As *BaseClogger* said earlier, Phillips tends to see a lot of left-handed specialist pitchers late in games when he bats between Votto and Bruce and for that reason I put him there, otherwise he would bat behind Ludwick.