Astros-Mets is on MLB Network today, no blackouts.
Come on, Joe, don’t make me start longing for the Dusty days.
That should be the Mets broadcast. Space City is airing the Cardinals game, which will feature the starting infield, Tucker at DH, Yanier at C. Hunter B gets the start and Melton/Loperfido/Cabbage are also in the starting lineup.
This leans hard into the analytics theory of “bat your best hitter second”. And I don’t buy it.
It feels pretty Fangraphs 2009 vintage but as a firm believer that batting order specifics aren’t that important beyond “don’t put bad hitters in the top of the lineup” it’s hard for me to care too much.
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I pitch right around Alvarez to get to Bregman. Every day and twice on Sundays. That’s a terrible lineup.
In my world, until they show me otherwise, it’s
Altuve
Peña
Alvarez
Tucker
Abreu
Bregman
Diaz
Other
Other
Yes.
Bregman usually doesn’t start hitting until the equinox anyway.
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McCormick as an 8-hitter in any lineup is a hell of a flex.
#2 hitter got 747 PAs last year, #3 got 733 and #4 got 712.
So theoretically this gets Yordan 14-35 more PAs. He just needs to play 140+ games.
Last year Bregman had an OPS of over .900 w/ runners on but just over .700 w/ bases empty.
I think Alex is motivated for that FA contract and healthy. It will be a special season from him. Maybe not 2019 special but the best since by a significant amount.
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I know you treat Bregman like he took your sister to a nice seafood dinner and did t call her the next day, but there are zero reasons to bat Peña 2 and Bregman 6.
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Indeed. This is not a lineup of banjo hitters.
There is in my world. Bregman needs to hit in an RBI spot. Peña needs protection.
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And on a side note about Spring, but not about baseball…Mrs Hawk’s steadfast refusal to use the surface cleaner with the power washer is as frustrating as Bregman watching a 2-0 fastball down the middle.
R-L-R-L
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I wouldn’t have Bregman batting behind Jose Abreu, but batting Peña between Altuve and Alvarez makes a lot of sense. Pitchers are going to throw Jeremy more fastballs when he’s hitting between those two because the last thing they want to do is put another runner on base with Alvarez coming up.
Until Peña improves his pitch recognition and plate discipline, you get the most out of him batting second. Bregman can bat 5th and be productive.
That said, I don’t have any issue with a top four of Altuve-Alvarez-Bregman-Tucker. Alex Bregman isn’t the 2019 MVP runner up version of himself anymore, but he has had one season with an OPS below .800 in his career (not counting his 49 games as a rookie). That’s still really good.
I guess we don’t complain about hitting Altuve first any more?
I’d love to have a better option, but in the absence of one, Altuve makes the most sense.
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He’s taken to it pretty well. Same thing that happened with Springer—even if it’s not the ideal position on paper, if a guy just keeps hitting there, ya gotta roll with it.
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Are you trying to pronounce “rural”?