Where in the lineup should Josh Hamilton hit?

[AmarilloRed]

At this point Josh hamilton in the lineup is a given. My question is where would he help the Reds best in the lineup, from 1-8. My personal favorite would be 5th,where there would not be the pressure higher up, but he would get plenty of rbi opportunities.:thumbup:

[Eric_Davis]

My lineup:

Freel
Dunn (Freel will get lot's of chances to steal 2nd and 3rd)
Hamilton (he's 2nd in the league in SLG)
Gonzalez (ride him while he's hot)
Junior
Encarnacion (he had a good week)
Phillips
Ross

[Degenerate39]

1. Hamilton
2. Hamilton
3. Hamilton
4. Griffey
5. Hamilton
6. Hamilton
7. Gonzo
8. Hamilton
9. Pitcher

[Always Red]

I'd pencil him in at third for the next 10 years.

[jesusfan]

Against Oswalt I could care less about the L-R switch, because he is good enough we need to try and get out of the game, then worry about the L-R switch with substitutions later on... Tonight i'd go with this....
1. Freel
2. Hatteberg
3. Hamilton
4. Griffey
5. Encarnacion
6. Dunn
7. Gonzo
8. Valentin
9. Lohse

[Highlifeman21]

Gonzo shouldn't bat above Hamilton, that's all I'm sayin...

[bucksfan2]

Has anyone noticed the way Jr. has been swinging the bat lately? I think he has earned the right to he 3 hole again. I go

Hatty
Phillips
Jr
Hamilton
Gonzo
Dunn
Encarnacion
Ross
Pitcher

I dont like Hatty hitting leadoff but I would rather have both Phillips and EE's bat in the lineup.

[Highlifeman21]

Has anyone noticed the way Jr. has been swinging the bat lately? I think he has earned the right to he 3 hole again. I go

Hatty
Phillips
Jr
Hamilton
Gonzo
Dunn
Encarnacion
Ross
Pitcher

I dont like Hatty hitting leadoff but I would rather have both Phillips and EE's bat in the lineup.

Dunn below Gonzo?

I've seen it all.... :bang:

[RedsManRick]

Hatty
Dunn
EE
Hamilton
Junior
BP
Gonzo
Ross

[flyer85]

3-4-5 ... somewhere in there.

I could care less about breaking up the lefties. All Narron is doing is giving the opposing starter reprieves by breaking up Jr/Dunn/Hamilton.

[bucksfan2]

Dunn below Gonzo?

I've seen it all.... :bang:

Ride him while hes hot. Is Dunn a better hitter than Gonzo, yes. But right now Gonzo is seing the ball very very good.

[storrs19]

Freel
Hatteburg
Junior
Hamilton
Phillips
Gonzalez
Dunn
Catcher
Pitcher

I know that bunches up the lefties, but I want some punch in the 3, 4, and 5 hole. Also Hatteburg is an execellent at bat and rarely strikes out (3 KO in 76 AB is pretty darned good).

[BRM]

Dunn below Gonzo?

I've seen it all.... :bang:

You obviously haven't heard the rumor that Dunn is not a run producer. Non-run producers should really hit 7th or 8th.

[flyer85]

trying to play he hot hand is a wasted effort. Just group the best hitters together in the middle of the lineup and keep them there.

[Puffy]

Hamilton
Dunn
EdE
Griffey
Phillips
Hatteberg
Gonzalez
Ross

[Az Red]

Phillips
Jr
Hamilton
Dunn
Hatte
EE
Gonzo
Ross

Let the pitchers tremble!!!! Lefty-Lefty-Lefty be damned!!!!

[tbball10]

hat
phillips
hamilton
griff
edwin
dunn
a-gon
ross

[CaiGuy]

Hamilton
Dunn
EdE
Griffey
Phillips
Hatteberg
Gonzalez
Ross
exactly what I was going to post

It has the two best on base guys at the top (as well as speed), breaks up the lefties with EdE and BP, and has Gonzo where he belongs.

[44Magnum]

3

[Caveman Techie]

The correct answer to this question is....Anywhere he wants too! :)

[Puffy]

exactly what I was going to post

It has the two best on base guys at the top (as well as speed), breaks up the lefties with EdE and BP, and has Gonzo where he belongs.

Brown-noser.

:mooner:

[CaiGuy]

Brown-noser.

:mooner:

how did I know this was coming?:p:

[KronoRed]

I wouldn't be afraid of putting 3 lefties in a row, if they are the best players put them together, being afraid of a late inning lefty guy ignores the fact that maybe the team will score 12 runs before he gets in :D

[Highlifeman21]

You obviously haven't heard the rumor that Dunn is not a run producer. Non-run producers should really hit 7th or 8th.

I did miss the memo.

[AmarilloRed]

It looks like most people would like like him in the 3-5 slot. A few want to see him hit leadoff.

[Screwball]

3-4-5 ... somewhere in there.

I could care less about breaking up the lefties. All Narron is doing is giving the opposing starter reprieves by breaking up Jr/Dunn/Hamilton.

Is it better to give a starter a reprieve for 1 hitter early in the game or a LOOGY a reprieve for an entire inning later in the game?

[RichRed]

Hatty
Dunn
EE
Hamilton
Junior
BP
Gonzo
Ross

I like this one a lot.

[KronoRed]

Is it better to give a starter a reprieve for 1 hitter early in the game or a LOOGY a reprieve for an entire inning later in the game?

That assumes Dunn JR and Hamilton have no prayer against a tough LOOGY, I don't buy it.

[Screwball]

That assumes Dunn JR and Hamilton have no prayer against a tough LOOGY, I don't buy it.

Agreed, just as I don't buy EE/Gonzalez/Conine not having a chance against a right handed starter.

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

1. BP
2. Gonzo
3. Hamilton
4. KGJ
5. EE
6. Dunn
7. Ross
8. Hatte
9. P
I would like to see this lineup, I have seen Ross strike out too many times to bring up the pitcher. With Hatte in the 8 spot it gives you a good on base guy to give the pitcher bunt situations, and could be a better transition to the top of the lineup.

[RedEye]

Freel OF
Hatteberg 1B
Hamilton OF
Encarnacion 3B
Griffey DH
Dunn OF
Phillips 2B
Gonzalez SS
Ross C

That's what I hope it will look like soon, once we hit interleague play. :)

[jimbo]

Freel OF
Hatteberg 1B
Hamilton OF
Encarnacion 3B
Griffey DH
Dunn OF
Phillips 2B
Gonzalez SS
Ross C

That's what I hope it will look like soon, once we hit interleague play. :)

I may be in the minority here, but the way Griffey is hitting I think he needs to be in the 3 or 4 hole. EE hasn't done enough this season to warrant being put at cleanup, IMO. I like this lineup, but I switch Griffey and EE.

[CaiGuy]

1. BP
2. Gonzo
3. Hamilton
4. KGJ
5. EE
6. Dunn
7. Ross
8. Hatte
9. P
I would like to see this lineup, I have seen Ross strike out too many times to bring up the pitcher. With Hatte in the 8 spot it gives you a good on base guy to give the pitcher bunt situations, and could be a better transition to the top of the lineup.

The top of that order would have no OBP.

[Eric_Davis]

No one noticed that I didn't have a 1st baseman in my lineup... :D

[BRM]

No one noticed that I didn't have a 1st baseman in my lineup... :D

I assumed it was Adam Dunn. ;)

[registerthis]

Freel OF
Hatteberg 1B
Hamilton OF
Encarnacion 3B
Griffey DH
Dunn OF
Phillips 2B
Gonzalez SS
Ross C

That's what I hope it will look like soon, once we hit interleague play. :)

I've nothing against Encarnacion, but I don't want to see him anywhere *near* the #3 spot. Not with how he's hitting right now, at least.

[BRM]

I've nothing against Encarnacion, but I don't want to see him anywhere *near* the #3 spot. Not with how he's hitting right now, at least.

He's been hitting much better lately. It might be best to leave him down in the order for a bit longer though. Let him keep building some confidence.

[The_jbh]

i think we should try to give him as little pressure as possible, he is our future #3 hitter but i say 5 now

[registerthis]

He's been hitting much better lately. It might be best to leave him down in the order for a bit longer though. Let him keep building some confidence.

Perhaps, but when you're coming from an OPS in the 450 range, there's nowhere else to go but up.

As things currently stand, I like Hamilton in the #2 spot, Dunn in the #3 and Griffey in #4. All lefty lineup be damned, it beats running Phillips or Gonzalez in the #3 or cleanup spots.

[peterose00]

I'd hit Josh third right now. He's the key to our offense. N one else is even close.

[TC81190]

2B Phillips
LF Dunn
SS Gonzalez (for now)
CF Hamilton
RF Griffey
3B Encarnacion
1B Hatteberg/Conine
C Ross

[mth123]

Hamilton
Dunn
EdE
Griffey
Phillips
Hatteberg
Gonzalez
Ross

Gets my vote.

[Eric_Davis]

I saw in the Post from Sunday that Hamilton pitched in High School..... Just sayin'.

[sonny]

I'm suprised no one had him hitting 2nd. Thats where I'd put him. He can hit for avg, power and will see some good pitches if Griffey or Dunn hits behind him.

Not sayin', just sayin'

[registerthis]

I'm suprised no one had him hitting 2nd.

:wave:


As things currently stand, I like Hamilton in the #2 spot

[membengal]

I would hit him sixth/seventh, and allow him to continue to ease into the year. Less pressure down there, and still a chance to knock in a lot of runs.

[registerthis]

I would hit him sixth/seventh, and allow him to continue to ease into the year. Less pressure down there, and still a chance to knock in a lot of runs.

I dunno, I like the protection he gets hitting higher in the lineup. Although, I'll admit he's not exhibiting a great *need* for protection right now...

[George Anderson]

Years ago when I coached Little League there was an opposing manager who used to always stack his batting order with his very best batter hitting first and the rest of the lineup in the order as to who was the best hitter. The second spot in the lineup was for the second best hitter, the third spot was for the third best hitter etc.. He totally disregarded who was the best bunter, best RBI guy etc. but just focused on getting his best hitters as many bats as possible. Kinda bizarre way of doing a lineup but the guy was a really successful coach.

Having said this I would kinda prefer to see Hamilton in the lead off spot for the simple reason I would prefer to see Hamilton with 5 AB's in the the lead off spot than say only 4 AB's in the five spot in the order. I basically believe Hamilton and that one extra AB can make a huge difference in the game.

[Razor Shines]

I'd hit Josh third right now. He's the key to our offense. N one else is even close.

I disagree I think Jr. is the key to this offense right now, I'd hit him third. He's getting on base better than anyone on the team. And while I love Josh, he doesn't inspire the fear in other team's pitchers that Jr. does, not yet anyway.

I like Dunn #2, then Griff, then Hamilton. I'd like to have a righty break them up but right now we don't really have one, maybe if EE continues to come around.

Those are all high OBP players and it would be nice to have guys behind them who don't get on base as often but usually hit pretty well with guys on base like Phillips and Gonzo and hopefully EE.

[BigRed]

I like Hamilton 3rd with Griffey 4th, Dunn 5th