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Flip flop Hart and Counsell?


NYChez
I'm o.k. with the Sveum lineup, except, with Hart's struggles, having Hardy and Hart bat back-to-back just isn't working. It seems like a righty's strategy is to work around Fielder, then throw a bunch of outside sliders to Hardy and Hart. Perhaps sticking a perceived patient, contact hitter between Hardy and Hart would give the pitcher something to think about.
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Frankly, if Hart doesn't get going, I don't think it matters where he bats. He won't carry the team, but we need Braun, Fielder and Hart for this team to succeed. Hart is our third best hitter (no, his numbers don't show it now), and if he doesn't hit, we won't go very far.

 

I'm not sure shaking up the lineup will do anything, but it couldn't hurt.

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1. Hart

2. Durham

3. Braun

4. Fielder

5. Hardy

6. Cameron

7. Counsell

8. Sabathia

9. Kendall

 

Hart can't hurt us with a strike out or a first pitch out at the top of the line up as much as him being behind Fielder and Hardy with men on.

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This offense has been in a huge rut the last month. To expect it to get hot now facing better pitchers is not going to happen. And to sit and do nothing in the hopes of getting hot is not how I want to exit a fight. I say go out swinging and try to make something happen. Hart has been AWFUL!!!! And team in offense in general just a notch above Hart. My lineup for today:

 

Durham (need to get Cameron out of the leadoff spot)

Kendall (Not ideal but with so many holes, someone needs to be here. Kendall doesn't strike out and can advance a runner)

Braun (Need our most clutch hitter here)

Fielder (Need our best hitter here)

Hardy (Offers best protection for Fielder)

Cameron (This is his best place in the lineup)

Counsell (His postseason experience goes a long way considering what we have available)

CC (I hate batting a pitcher 8th but CC is no ordinary hitting pitcher)

Hart (Has been brutal but offers the best chance to contribute offensively batting second leadoff -bunt, sacrifice and hack away - anything more would be a huge bonus)

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I would really like to see Counsell up there in the 2 spot.

 

You know he's going to work the count and probably draw a walk or two.

 

I'd want those walks coming in front of Braun/Fielder, rather than Kendall/Sabathia.

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Do you guys think that the coaching staff actually knows how bad Hart has really been? .414 OPS the past month is just terrible.

I just don't see why we are so against changing it up a bit. It is clear that he is completely lost at the plate. I mean, if Hart had started the year like this, it would have been a Jeff Franceour situation.

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Do you guys think that the coaching staff actually knows how bad Hart has really been?

 

 

 

I'm positive they do. I'm also sure they've been doing everything possible to help him get out of this funk.

 

But you can only help a guy so much in practice. If he can't carry that over into the game...

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Do you guys think that the coaching staff actually knows how bad Hart has really been?

 

 

 

I'm positive they do. I'm also sure they've been doing everything possible to help him get out of this funk.

 

But you can only help a guy so much in practice. If he can't carry that over into the game...

they defientley know it, but what else can they do? Gywnn is the only other ralistic option right now, and as unexciting as that is I wouldnt mind seeing it right now.

 

too bad kapler got hurt, he woldnt be a huge upgrade out there at the moment.

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From June 23rd to July 11th Fielder put up a line of .162/.208/.279/.487 with 18 K in 72 PA and 2 GIDP.

 

From July 12th to August 13th Fielder put up a line of .327/.468/.704/1.172 in 126 PA.

 

Slumps and hot streaks are just part of baseball. You can't really predict when one will start or end. You can look at almost any player in baseball and see the same big jumps all over the place in their season.

 

Hart's current slump really started on September 6th. Since then he has a line of .132/.159/.197/.356 not counting yesterday's game. That is downright ugly but at some point he'll break out of it. Given the alternatives right now I guess we just have to hope it is sooner rather than later.

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Yeah I'm not normally a huge fan of making rash decisions and flipping the line-up everytime someone struggles, but I really think that Gwynn should get a shot at least against Myers. I mean, against a righty we don't have too much to lose do we? Or at least move Hart so he isn't hitting behind our dangerous hitters, because he's overanxious every time there is a run scoring situation.
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I might consider swapping Hart and Cameron in the order. I think Hart's struggles are entirely mental, and perhaps putting him in the leadoff spot would change his overall approach to hitting. Perhaps he could worry more about getting on base than driving guys in....possibly using the occasional bunt, and trying to be more of a slap hitter, using his speed. Sometimes, just being in the leadoff spot will cause a hitter to take that approach.

 

I do hate the idea of having a guy with Hart's tools bunting, and playing small ball. But at this point, that may be the lesser of two evils until he snaps out of this.

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