With a lack of options, you need to be creative, you can't just pencil in your starting short stop in the 2 hole every game. I would have moved Santana into the 2nd spot given his on base ability, and moved Gomes up to clean up. I don't like his on base percentage, but given his ability to get base hits and hit for power, it would be fine since he'd likely have Brantley and/or Santana on base for him.I think Bourn led off and Ramirez hit 2nd because there wasn't really another option. I'm not opposed to shifting either out of those spots in 2015, I'm just pointing out the lack of options this season.
With a lack of options, you need to be creative, you can't just pencil in your starting short stop in the 2 hole every game. I would have moved Santana into the 2nd spot given his on base ability, and moved Gomes up to clean up. I don't like his on base percentage, but given his ability to get base hits and hit for power, it would be fine since he'd likely have Brantley and/or Santana on base for him.
It's not a huge deal, but I think it would have helped, more so than constantly having an automatic out hitting 1st and 2nd.
I get what your saying, there were some serious lineup construction issues this year. It just seemed like shuffling the chairs on the Titanic.
I'll never understand why Gomes was consistently hitting behind Kipnis, and even Murphy at times.
Putting a healthy Kipnis in the 2-hole solves that problem, but also creates an issue of being top heavy with lefties.
Ramirez doesn't get on base enough to warrant hitting 2nd.
And it was .298 in September and .300 for the year. Regardless, the Indians need to upgrade the offense enough to where he isn't forced into that spot. One would hope Lindor is ready to start right out of the gate next year anyway.He had a .325 OBP post-All Star Break. .325 would have ranked 4th on the Indians behind Brantley, Santana, and Chisenhall.
I'm not saying he's a perfect fit - hopefully they upgrade so he can hit lower in the lineup - but if we're talking the players we have slotted in now, I don't see why not.
And it was .298 in September and .300 for the year. Regardless, the Indians need to upgrade the offense enough to where he isn't forced into that spot. One would hope Lindor is ready to start right out of the gate next year anyway.