Saturday, May 19, 2007
Ned Yost needs to be fired
Seriously, what is with this team. They were the hottest team in baseball and now they can't beat the Twins at home. What is with this lineup?
Tony Gwynn-RF
JJ Hardy-SS
Prince Fielder-1B
Bill Hall-SS
Johnny Estrada-C
Geoff Jenkins-LF
Craig Counsell-3B
Tony Graffanino-2B
Pitcher
First, I like Tony Gwynn in the line up. He is fast as hell and is a true leadoff hitter. But why is Bill Hall still batting 4th? Why is Geoff Jenkins still hitting 6th? And why is JJ Hardy batting second still?
Because Ned Yost doesn't know how to fix a lineup.
Coming into tonight's game, Hall is batting .257. he has struck out 27 times this year. He is awful with runners in scoring position. If I am any opposing pitcher, I would gladly walk Prince to get to Hall.
Now, JJ is batting second, leading the league in homers. However, there is at most only one player on the bases at any given time. So, many of his homers are solo shots. He should be batting third, not second.
Jenkins has been hot this season--maybe because he is playing for a contract. He is still batting 6th behind swing-at-the-first-pitch Estrada. Like Hardy, Jenkins doesn't hit many homers with runners on the bases--both Hall and Estrada are ahead of him. I am not a Jenkins fan. In fact, I thought he should have been traded in the offseason. But having him hit behind two guys that that can't get on base doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And with Kevin Mench going 0 for May, its time for Mench to ride the pine or get traded. We can insert Gwynn in left field when Jenks needs to sit against a lefty.
So the ideal lineup when Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart get healthy would be:
Against Righties: (About 75% of the time)
Tony Gwynn-RF
Rickie Weeks-2B
JJ Hardy-SS
Prince Fielder-1B
Geoff Jenkins-LF
Bill Hall-CF
Johnny Estrada-C
Craig Counsell/Tony Graffanino-3B
PitcherAgainst Lefties: (About 25% of the time)
Rickie Weeks-2B
Bill Hall-CF
JJ Hardy-SS
Prince Fielder-1B
Johnny Estrada-C
Corey Hart-RF
Craig Counsell/Tony Graffanino-3B
Pitcher
And on days off, adjust accordingly.
Why bat Hall second? He will get better pitches to hit. Let's face it, right now a pitcher would rather pitch to Hall than Hardy. Hardy is tearing it up. He is everything you want in a No. 3 hitter--he can hit for power and percentage. And with Fielder behind him, he is even more effective.
Don't even get me going on pitching...that will come tomorrow after I attend getaway day at Miller Park
UPDATE: Next Season
Jenkins should be gone next year. I would be shocked if they give him the money. If they do give him the money, he would need to platoon in left field again--only this time with Corey Hart. Hart is going to be the future starting outfielder.
Tony Gwynn-CF
Rickie Weeks-2B
JJ Hardy-SS
Prince Fielder-1B
Bill Hall-RF
Ryan Braun-3B
Johnny Estrada-C
Corey Hart-LF
Pitcher
And on the bench, you would have Craig Counsell, Gabe Gross (if he re-signs) and Damien Miller if he doesn't retire. Fill in the rest of the positions in the 25-man roster with unneeded prospects.
On the way out would be: Tony Graffanino, Kevin Mench, and possibly Jenkins.
If the Brewers don't do anything this year, look out for next season...
Labels: 1982 Redux, Sports
