Designated Lineup Thread - Kendall Batting 9th?; Lack of Left-Handed Hitters SOLVDD (#203); Hall To Bat 5th, Hart 6th (#216)

[1992casey]

Counsell batting second gives me the heebie-jeebies. With this complement of players, I'm not sure what I'd do. If you bunch up the weak guys near the bottom of the order, there'd be a big black hole down there. My gut says to do that anyway, but I wouldn't feel good about it.

[JoeHova]

uggh, four automatic outs in the lineup. They look like the Astros.

[Fatter than Joey]

If Braun were to bat third with Fielder fourth, Braun's base stealing potential greatly diminishes because Fielder is a home run hitter and will not see as many pitches.

 

I am totally against the Brewers running a whole bunch-- especially to the point where the lineup is adjusted for it.

 

Fielder needs more protection than Braun in the batting order because Fielder is more of a one-tool hitter

 

I think Fielder is every bit as good as a hitter as Braun.

[RyDogg66]

Is JJ confirmed to be out for Opening Day?

[1992casey]

I am totally against the Brewers running a whole bunch-- especially to the point where the lineup is adjusted for it.

 

If it were a tie-breaker used to decide which of two similar players should be placed where, and if running with reckless abandon didn't result, I'd be OK. But after the Brady Clark running fiasco two years ago, I'd be afraid of what might happen.

[brettac1]

Wow. So much for the whole "the team should be looking at defense-first guys! They have enough offense!" thing.

[BrewCrewForever]

Why is Counsell starting over Hardy? And I thought Fielder would be 3 and Braun 4? Is that lineup confirmed or something?

[1992casey]

2004, take a look at the "JJ has the flu........maybe not" thread.

[endaround]

Either Gwynn or Counsell looks to hit 2nd, so I assume Yost would split his left handers up moving Fielder back to 4th.

[Fatter than Joey]

and if running with reckless abandon didn't result

 

Right, like Prince running halfway to second, or a guy on third running on contact with a drawn in infield, or mosquitos.

[logan82]

Fielder needs more protection than Braun in the batting order because Fielder is more of a one-tool hitter

 

I very much disagree with this. Fielder is able to hit for both power and average. He also draws walks driving up his OBP.

[brewjihad]

mosquitos

Let's hope that Ted has implemented a vastly more complicated steal sign this season. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Fielder needs more protection than Braun in the batting order because Fielder is more of a one-tool hitter

It's already been noted that protection is overrated, but still, if you had to choose one to hit third, I would pick Braun. He rarely walked last year and struck out quite a bit. I think that with Fielder, you know what you're going to get- his production isn't going to change if he's hitting third or fourth. But Braun's production could be a bit more volatile. I think he would benefit more from hitting in front of Fielder than vice versa.

[TheBrewer]

Per JS Online.

 

Hall has done nothing to impress me numbers wise in camp thus far while apparently he's impressed Yost. Hart hasn't done much either, but Hart has seemed to come slowly around in camp, and he did so well last season batting 5th towards the end.

 

If Hall struggles I'll be really dissapointed in having Yost having him bat there. Not to mention he's Braun's protection (as if he needs it), but nonetheless. I think will see alot of walks this year by Braun. Why pitch to Braun when you can pitch to the anemic Hall who can just swing and miss.

 

How do you guys feel about this? For me I'm dissapointed already.

 

Let this be the offical #1 Yost Mistake of the 2008 Season

[logan82]

I would have counted the first mistake as batting Fielder or Braun 3rd instead of 2nd. Unless you believe in protection, switching guys in the order really makes little to no difference. I personally would bat Hart 5th and Hall 6th, but I doubt in the long run it will make much difference.

[DonMoney4Mgr]

I don't see Bill Hall being a good choice at the 5 spot. Similar to last year when he opened the season at 4. I hope Ned's not basing this decision on ST numbers, because we need that spot to drive in runs. I didn't break down all the numbers, but I know Cory Hart was better in all of them last year especially hitting w/RISP.

[Tbadder]

I think Hall hitiing fifth, especially against right handers is just plain dumb.

[docduany]

Hall hitting fifth just makes me want to pull my hair out. Yesterday in the JS, Nedly said that Billy & Corey are kind of interchangeable ? They both hit for a little power and both have a little speed. NO NO little Ned. Corey is the fastest freakin' guy on the club, your best base runner. Oh and one little thing, Corey hits for average. Corey is a .280-.300 type guy. Billy "free swinging" Hall is a .250-.270 and is about as streaky as they come. If it was up to me, we'd be talking about Corey in the two hole. But instead of your 3rd/ 4th best hitter (Prince, Braun, maybe Rickie) protecting Prince we have Billy. Great. Heck when Cameron comes back I think it should be a good debate whether Billy or J.J. hits 7th. Sometimes I just think Ned is a big boob.

[brewjihad]

It's not really a big deal- it's not going to change anything in terms of runs scored but that being said, I don't get it. It seems like Ned just has to tinker and change things all the time or he feels like he isn't doing enough.

[whizkid]

I'd rather see Corey 5th from the get go, but he has been a slow starter at least in his AAA and MLB seasons, not heating up until mid-May or so, and he has had a so-so spring. Of course this will be his 1st year at MLB starting the season as a full time player. It won't matter much in runs scored and when he does get it going they'll probably be flipped.

[1992casey]

For those of us who feel that the #5 guy should be a team's third or fourth best hitter, this kinda sucks--especially when there are no lefties to have to try to spread out.

[lukevan]

I would think Braun would see fewer "hittable pitches" with 2 outs and RISP with Hall behind him. I really don't understand the point in moving Hart. Maybe Ned believes if he concentrates long and hard enough, he can make his players play like he wants them to instead of how they actually will.

[endaround]

That has basically been Yost's strategy from the get go, mange to how he hopes things will happen.

[valpocrewsader]

Yost just makes it so easy to hate him. It's like he seeks out opportunities to be a rebel and go against common sense. I'm not even sure Bill Hall's mom would bat him in front of Hart. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The Yosting of 2008 begins.

[MillerParkSouth]

I really don't understand this. Hart is overall a better hitter. Having him bat behind Braun will give Braun better pitches to hit and allow more options for hit and runs, etc. unless Nedly somehow thinks that Billy will get better pitches to hit with Corey behind him, this makes absolutely no sense. It's not even April and we've already been Yosted.

[gregmag]

The #5 hitter leads off more innings than anybody besides the leadoff man (because the #5 is the most likely to lead off the second inning). Therefore, the #5 hitter needs on-base skills as well as slugging. Hart is a better OBP guy than Hall. This is a bad move.

Greg.