• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Starting lineups - who in the 2 hole

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Who should bat 2nd in the order?

  • Gimenez all the time

    Votes: 8 33.3%

  • Rosario all the time

    Votes: 6 25.0%

  • Gimenez against RHP/Amed against LHP

    Votes: 5 20.8%

  • Something else.. What? Tito?

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • Total voters
    24
CBBI said:
If I had to guess today...

v. RHP

1. Kwan - LF
2. Rosario - SS
3. Ramirez - 3B
4. Naylor - DH
5. Bell - 1B
6. Gimenez - 2B
7. Gonzalez - RF
8. Zunino - C
9. Straw - CF

Not what I would do, but this is what I expect to see.
Click to expand...

I'm actually thinking Naylor will be behind Bell... Though this is realistic and close to the normal one...
 
sportscoach said:
I'm actually thinking Naylor will be behind Bell... Though this is realistic and close to the normal one...
Click to expand...

So here was my thought process…

Francona generally (not always) has preferred to split up lefties if possible.

So if Bell hits 4th and Naylor hits 5th, then Gimenez would potentially bat 7th if Francona wants to avoid having two lefties back-to-back.

But ultimately maybe he won’t care and it will be Bell/Naylor/Gimenez and he’ll just live with it.
 
CBBI said:
So here was my thought process…

Francona generally (not always) has preferred to split up lefties if possible.

So if Bell hits 4th and Naylor hits 5th, then Gimenez would potentially bat 7th if Francona wants to avoid having two lefties back-to-back.

But ultimately maybe he won’t care and it will be Bell/Naylor/Gimenez and he’ll just live with it.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I am guessing it's Bell behind JRam since on paper, if I am the opposing pitcher, I'd rather fact Naylor than JRam or Bell... Naylor would be pitched to, while they may try to work around JRam and Bell on paper. I'd rather make sure Bell is the one behind JRam since then Bell would be pitched to if JRam got on...

I'd personally think it would be Kwan, Rosario, JRam, Bell, Naylor, Gonzalez, Gimenez, Catcher then Straw... I could even see Gonzalez in the 5th spot if he has a strong spring.
 
sportscoach said:
Hmm... I am guessing it's Bell behind JRam since on paper, if I am the opposing pitcher, I'd rather fact Naylor than JRam or Bell... Naylor would be pitched to, while they may try to work around JRam and Bell on paper. I'd rather make sure Bell is the one behind JRam since then Bell would be pitched to if JRam got on...

I'd personally think it would be Kwan, Rosario, JRam, Bell, Naylor, Gonzalez, Gimenez, Catcher then Straw... I could even see Gonzalez in the 5th spot if he has a strong spring.
Click to expand...

I'd argue that Naylor is even better than Bell against RHP and could absolutely be justified hitting ahead of him.

An .856 OPS v. RHP which is what Naylor produced is worthy of hitting 4th against RHP.

The real question is will Francona do the right thing and mercifully sit Naylor against LHP, or at least hit him 7th instead of 4th or 5th if he can't help but play him.
 
CBBI said:
I'd argue that Naylor is even better than Bell against RHP and could absolutely be justified hitting ahead of him.

An .856 OPS v. RHP which is what Naylor produced is worthy of hitting 4th against RHP.

The real question is will Francona do the right thing and mercifully sit Naylor against LHP, or at least hit him 7th instead of 4th or 5th if he can't help but play him.
Click to expand...

I feel like, we could flip the coin with those two against RHP and it will still work. Bell just has a lot more MLB experience so he gets the 4th spot in my mind. If I was told Naylor has the 4th spot, I'd have no qualms...

My question would be more of the where will OGonz be...

And another random question, if Straw gets himself back together and hitting .280+ with taking walks, do we want to maybe put him back into the 1 or 2 hole and move Rosario down to 8 or 9?
 
There's only one consideration when constructing lineups: can it be hampered by a lefty reliever late in the game?

Apart from that, there's virtually no way you can make 1% difference no matter where you bat anybody.

Splitting lefties is, literally, in the truest sense of the word, the only lineup strategy that bears fruit. Apart from that, draw 'em, out of a hat. Put 'em wherever you want, it makes no difference. Put the most efficient hitters toward the front if you like, but don't worry, it hardly matters.
 
hmm... finish...

Why not Brennan in the two hole?..

A guy who can handle the bat.. has some speed.. etc.. becomes the perfect complement to Kwan leading off.. why not Kwan-lite?

or as Callis Mayo and Dykstra say:

Guardians: Will Brennan, OF
Brennan looks like a potential Steven Kwan 2.0, going from unheralded college contact hitter to potential big league regular. He had a career 5 percent strikeout rate at Kansas State, led NCAA Division I in at-bats per whiff (18.6) in 2019 before Cleveland made him an eighth-round pick, and topped the Minors with 166 hits and ranked second with 40 doubles last year before debuting with the Guardians in September. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and a compact left-handed stroke that have translated into a .296 average in the Minors and a .357 mark during his brief stint in Cleveland, while his solid speed also makes him an asset on the bases and in the outfield.

He just needs to be given the opportunity to show his stuff...
 
Gson said:
hmm... finish...

Why not Brennan in the two hole?..

A guy who can handle the bat.. has some speed.. etc.. becomes the perfect complement to Kwan leading off.. why not Kwan-lite?

or as Callis Mayo and Dykstra say:

Guardians: Will Brennan, OF
Brennan looks like a potential Steven Kwan 2.0, going from unheralded college contact hitter to potential big league regular. He had a career 5 percent strikeout rate at Kansas State, led NCAA Division I in at-bats per whiff (18.6) in 2019 before Cleveland made him an eighth-round pick, and topped the Minors with 166 hits and ranked second with 40 doubles last year before debuting with the Guardians in September. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and a compact left-handed stroke that have translated into a .296 average in the Minors and a .357 mark during his brief stint in Cleveland, while his solid speed also makes him an asset on the bases and in the outfield.

He just needs to be given the opportunity to show his stuff...
Click to expand...

I'm thinking next season you will see him that way... With OGonz doing the DH and Brennan in RF if Straw recovers
 
What if their play on the field dictated fluctuations in the batting order during the course of a 162 game season?

Would love to see Brennan take that role.

OBP machine, doubles machine, speed and defense.
 
AZ_ said:
What if their play on the field dictated fluctuations in the batting order during the course of a 162 game season?

Would love to see Brennan take that role.

OBP machine, doubles machine, speed and defense.
Click to expand...

In like OOTP Brennan would be in the two hole... in reality with little mlb experience he's just not meant for that role yet
 
AZ_ said:
What if their play on the field dictated fluctuations in the batting order during the course of a 162 game season?

Would love to see Brennan take that role.

OBP machine, doubles machine, speed and defense.
Click to expand...
Brennan or even Freeman could certainly make a case for the spot as the season goes on. Lot's of options, hope they make it hard for Tito to stick to his habits.
 
sportscoach said:
In like OOTP Brennan would be in the two hole... in reality with little mlb experience he's just not meant for that role yet
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same way Kwan wasn't ready for the leadoff role. I mean if we're saying dumb shit I want to get my statement in there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-15: "Cavs Survive and Advance"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:15: Cavs Survive and Advance
Top