My guess is Willy, Gonzo, Bruce and Phillips.
Don't expect the top of the lineup to score much.
My guess is Willy, Gonzo, Bruce and Phillips.
Don't expect the top of the lineup to score much.
I agree with all of this. But if the choice is between EE and BP, I gotta go with EE.Originally Posted by Falls City Beer
I'd much rather have Votto and Bruce in the 3-4 slots.
I agree. Votto and Bruce really are the guys, which is why I would hit them 3-4 against RHP. I don't subscribe to this idea of splitting the lefties at all.
I think Votto will hit 3rd with Bruce 5th. Even with that change I don't expect much scoring from the top of the order.
I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. -- Carl Sagan (Pale Blue Dot)
I guess I differ a little here. I would have no problems hitting Votto behind Bruce. But I have a little problem hitting Bruce behind Votto. I think Votto an all around hitter and splits don't really matter much with him. Bruce on the other hand I think struggles more against lefties that I would want.
I don't subscribe to alternating except for the middle of the order. I wouldn't want a lefty specialist coming in and mowing through the middle of the order. If you break up Votto and Bruce with Phillips a lefty specialist may be rendered useless.
Out Out Walk Out.
Great 1st innings are ahead!
EE would be a better choice, as would Bruce, heck the monster in LF probably will be as well.
Go Gators!
I was referring to a lineup against RH starters. Then I would go Votto-Bruce but I also wouldn't have a problem flipping them.
I still don't understand the desire to insert a RH hitter who struggles mightily against RHP in between two LH bats. You are making the starting pitcher's job much easier when you do that. If you go with your best lineup against that starter, you may score enough to render the late-inning LOOGY useless anyway.
Wow! He kills lefties.
If you put out a more effective lineup that scores a lot of runs, that late inning lefty specialist may never be needed.
So, pressure is EE's kryptonite and renders him a worse hitter than Phillips against RH pitching. Do I understand correctly? What is the support for this opinion?
I've often wondered that myself. But since he played with Henry Aaron, he doesn't need to look at splits. He's already got all the smarts he needs, right Dusty???
IMO, the Reds dont have the perfect guy to hit clean-up at this point. However, if I have to make that choice I'd put Phillips there instead of EEE. I'm not convinced of EEE's ability to handle pressure and to produce at the plate in the eighth-inning after throwing a ball into the dugout in the seventh-inning. I'm hoping he will step up his game and develop into a better all around player.
Although EEE has hit a career .263 (64-for-273) when batting fourth, he hit just .212 from the fourth slot over '07 & '08 (21-for-99) and hit only .190 (11-for-58) while batting fourth in 2008. He was a .235 hitter vs RHP in 2008.
In 2008, Phillips hit .210 while batting third and hit .274 while batting fourth.
EEE is a .340 career hitter when batting in the 7th slot (.315 in 2008). Why is that? Less pressure down there?
Perhaps we can slide EEE in the 4th slot when he gets on a hot streak and while his confidence is high and see what happens. But I'd give Phiilips first shot at it.
Last edited by LINEDRIVER; 02-19-2009 at 04:11 PM.
If splits don't matter much with Votto why would another team bring in a LOOGY?
I guess I never will understand this line of thinking. If I were the manager I would be much more concerned about maximizing the scoring in innings 1-6 than worry about what might happen in inning 7-8.
By batting Phillips 4th in between Votto and Bruce against a righty starter you are reducing the chances that Bruce bats wtih runners on base as long as the starter is in the game.
It's about the same size sample as batting in the 4th slot. If we have to throw out those numbers we surely have to throw out these numbers too...
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