Fiddling with the Lineup

[Newman]

OK, granted, Todd Helton came thru today, even though we lost to the Braves, with a few singles and a couple RBIs. He still is stuck on 9 home runs and is only the shadow of his former self, a very old 33, the new Mark Grace as it were.

Platooning was started by who, Yogi? Or made popular during Yogi's time by Casey Stengel.

Why not platoon the lineups? I mean do it more radically than it's done right now by Clint.

Lefty Lineup v. the righty pitcher:

1.Taveras CF
2. Matsui 2B
3. Holliday LF
4. Hawpe RF
5. Helton 1B
6. Atkins 3B
7. Tulo SS
8. Torrealba C

The Righty lineup vs. the lefty hurler:

1. Willy T CF
2. Carroll 2B
3. Holliday CF
4. ATkins 3B
5. Spilly RF
6. Helton 1B
7. Tulo SS
8. Torrealba C


Is Todd going to put up a fuss by being dropped in the lineup? Should Baker play 1B against lefties, get him more ABs? Not even sure what Helton's splits are against lefties. Can't be that good this past 30 days I'm sure.

[wolf213]

I'm in the giving Baker and Spilly more AB's camp, but I wonder why you drop Atkins down in the 6th spot. The guys has simply been raking right now. If I was in charge I would do something like this:

Vs. RHP

1. Taveres CF
2. Helton 1b
3. Holliday LF
4. Atkins 3b
5. Hawpe RF
6. Tulo SS
7. Torri C
8. Matsui 2b

I figure Helton's skill right now is getting on base, and the best way to use that is if he is higher up in the order so our big bats can have more runners to knock in. While he's not the burner Matsui is, he doesn't clog the bases as much as one would think. Dropping Matsui to the number 8 hole gives us a guy who can turn the lineup over better the Torri will, and give us some speed as well in the bottom of the order.

Vs. LHP

1. Spillbourghs CF
2. Helton 1b
3. Holliday LF
4. Atkins 3b
5. Tulo SS
6. Baker RF
7. Torri C
8. Carroll 2b

Couple of things here. Taveres' base stealing skills are normalized against LHP, therefore making him not as much of a threat as he could be, so starting Spilly at CF makes since, this also gives Baker some much needed ABs to try to get going. Helton again provides OBP presence at the top of the order and Carroll can effectively turn over the lineup.

[Newman]

That's good Wolf. I like your lineups better than mine, and the thought process that goes with it.

I am worried about Hawpe right now. He's cold. We're not going to make the playoffs if he's cold.

[Newman]

Why is Helton batting cleanup against a lefty? He just struck out against a sweeping Capuano curveball with Tulo on base. What would Atkins have done? Or Spilly for that matter.

[Rankal]

I rather enjoy the right/left/right set up we have in the middle of our order. It makes pitching against it a total pain in the rear in close games.

[Newman]

That's the focus. The rear end of the game. If Hurdle platooned the lineup then the beginning of the game and the middle of it could be so different.

[hotshotTheGreat]

OVer the past, what? 7 years? You havent changed.

Forcing your will on people.

Its great to see you again.

[Newman]

Where's the force? Expressing an opinion? Isn't that what these websites are for??

Good to be seen, Hotshot.

The Cubs come in for 4, and they are throwing 3 lefties. Helton has back spasms. Isn't this the time to fiddle with the lineup?

Three lefties, Rich Hill, Sean Marshall, and Ted Lilly. Why not knock them out early with Holliday in the 3 hole followed by Atkins in cleanup?

[Newman]

Just won a beer from Jim Armstrong on 950 The Fan. My question to Troy Renck was the lineup, facing the 3 Cub lefties, would Hurdle please put Atkins in the cleanup spot.

He will tonite but only because Helton still has back spasms. That doesn't sound good. It also sounded like Helton calls the shot. If Todd asked to drop down to 5 or 6 against lefties then Hurdle would do it? Kinda what it sounded like.

[HoyaRoxFan]

Playing roulette with the backup catcher spot -
The Denver Post - Injuries have Rox shuffling roster

Iannetta - > Bellorin - > Colina - > Geronimo Gil

... don't think this matters in the grand scheme of things.

Also, Barmes replaces Hirsh on the roster. Hurdle says his replacement in the rotation won't be Buchholz or Morales. I'm wondering if these two statements aren't somehow related... could there be something in the works?

[Roxpert]

Hmmm.......seems maybe the organization wants to say goodbye to Barmes from a major-league dugout? I smell a trade coming.

[HoyaRoxFan]

Who were the rumors about us getting back from Detroit if Barmes went that way?

[Newman]

I think I heard it was Sheffield.

What can we possibly get of value for Clint "deer meat incident" Barmes? A bullpen catcher? A sore armed pitcher?

[BigRapidsJackass]

Iannetta - > Bellorin - > Colina - > Geronimo Gil

... don't think this matters in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, injuries happen.

And here's what our competitors have done to insure against them.

Catcher gets hurt? Padres = Michael Barrett. Rockies = 2 minor league scrubs plus a fat guy they had to bring back from Old Mexico.

Pitcher gets hurt? Diamondbacks = Joe Kennedy. Rockies = Some 30 year old career minor leaguer named Kevin Walker (watch for this to happen).

2B/OF help? Padres = Rob Mackowiak or Milton Bradley. Rockies = Clint Barmes.

All the D'backs/Padres acquisitions noted above were obtained for basically nothing.

Oops. Let me correct that. They were obtained for money, but not a whole lot of it in the MLB scheme of things.

Cheapass owners strike again.

[GerryInCS]

These injuries to the pitching staff is what will end any and all hope of making the playoffs. When you have to use Ubaldo and a Scrap Heap/Career minor leaguer to fill the holes made by unjuries to Lopez and Hirsh, you are going nowhere fast. Plus Helton is hurt and Baker is nowhere near adequate as a replacement dfensively or offensively. Like was said earlier, put Hawpe at first and Spillborghs in RF or put Atkins at first and Baker/Carroll at 3B.