Fans always fear the offense will tank without Griffey in the lineup. Here's one of the reasons why. We're getting not just crappy, but positively putrid production out of our No. 5 batters.

Here's the line from that gaping black hole so far this season:

215 AB, 34 runs, 18 RBI, .186 BA, .319 OBP, .321 SLG, .640 OPS.

The culprits:

Hatteberg, 76 AB, 9 runs, 3 RBI, .237 BA.
Kearns, 67 AB, 13 runs, 11 RBI, .194 BA
Dunn, 36 AB, 10 runs, 3 RBI, .222 BA

Although he has contributed to this abyss by going 1 for 24 with 1 run and 1 RBI to go along with his .042 BA, my solution to the No. 5 dilemma: Insert Encarnacion there on a more or less permament basis and see if he can produce some stable production.

Anyone else have any other bright ideas?