Washington Nationals Move Jayson Werth To Leadoff Spot Tonight, Pitcher Batting Eighth...
by Patrick Reddington on Jun 11, 2011 4:58 PM EDT
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PrintThe Washington Nationals just released tonight's starting lineup:
- Jayson Werth - RF
- Ian Desmond - SS
- Danny Espinosa - 2B
- Michael Morse - 1B
- Wilson Ramos - C
- Jerry Hairston - 3B
- Rick Ankiel - CF
- John Lannan - SP
- Roger Bernadina - LF
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He's just shaking it up.
It’s not like the offense can get worse. I just don’t understand why Ankiel is in again and Nix is not. I’m not sure I understand Lannan at 8. Especially since he’s our worst hitting pitcher. I hope it somehow works.
Makes sense with a lefty on the mound.
Werth vs Shark in leadoff: Bernadina bats all of .138 vs lefties (Nix .133), so batting him anywhere in the order makes little sense. Neither has hit a HR since May 20th, so no advantage to Werth there, plus planning on HRs in Petco Park would be stupid.
Shark vs Lannan in the #9 spot: Whoever bats last obviously gets some protection from Werth, so why waste that on a pitcher? With Werth behind him, maybe Bernadina will get some hittable pitches.
It seems pretty clear Manager Jim Riggleman realizes his leadoff hitters are not cutting it – their collective .267 on-base percentage is the worst in the majors by 12 points. Werth, with his .345 on-base percentage, provides them a better option at leadoff. But by slotting Bernadina ninth, he also gives Werth a more likely chance to drive in runs.
I don’t think Kilgore’s reasoning is all that strong though.. I don’t think Riggs would do this against a righty, and I don’t think it matters to Riggs whether Werth or someone else drives in the runs. This lineup just takes one early at bat away from the lefty challenged Bernadina and lets the hotter part of the lineup do the heavy lifting for a day.
If it works, good thinking outside the box.
If it doesn’t, Riggleman’s a bonehead.
Looks like someone took too much Offenza...perhaps an
intervention is in order? LOL
Patiently waiting for "next year" since 1971.
by Princess Jazzy on Jun 11, 2011 5:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
LOL. I like it.
Patiently waiting for "next year" since 1971.
by Princess Jazzy on Jun 11, 2011 6:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
RobBoBS gets the answer to his question from last night's thread...
Q: “What’s to stop Marquis from starting suspension today and serving it between starts (paraphrasing, of course.”
A: Nothing.
Why the punishment for pitchers isn’t just a start makes no sense…
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Jun 11, 2011 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Fangraphs published their own franchise player draft today.
Zimm was 4th overall, Harper 12th, and Strasburg 28th.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Having Ankiel in there just sabbotages this.
He must go.
"I was a victim of a series of accidents. As are we all."
---Malachi Constant
by The Herndon Kid on Jun 11, 2011 6:18 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Good, Bad, Riggles is the one with the gun
He can make these type of lineup moves, and I don’t see any problem batting the Pitcher 8th.
Personally, I’d bat the pitcher second in the lineup. If the lead-off man gets on, you bunt him into scoring position for your two best hitters to follow with just one out. If the lead-off man gets out, the pitcher can stand up there like a statue and try to work the count. Hack at anything down the middle, stare at anything else. Chances are, with the number 3 hitter on deck, the pitcher would see something decent to hit in play.
by Andrew Davidson on Jun 11, 2011 6:22 PM EDT reply actions
why not mix it up
It’s not like the regular lineups have been producing so well it would be a crime to change them. See if it works. Can’t wait to see the throwback unis.
Go Sen er Nats!
Bat your best hitter first...
…that way he gets more ABs.
"I don't believe in luck, but it was just one of those things where it wasn't really skill, either." --Jerry, jr.
...but almost never comes to bat with anybody on base.
Don’t forget, our #7 and #8 hitters can’t hit much, and #9 (pitcher) can’t hit at all. So, regardless of how many outs, the #1 hitter almost never comes up with anybody on – which is why, come to think, lead-off is called lead-off.
I know it seems irrelevant to Mr. Riggleman, but putting your best hitter (or even your second, or third best hitter) at lead-off is not likely to produce many runs.
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
men on base always help
I know the point you are trying to make, but reality disagrees with you.
Aim for the head baby Jesus
Reality rarely disagrees with logic for very long
"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." - Earl Weaver
Kilgore has lots of quotes on the lineup:
"We’ve been thinking for a while about maybe having Jayson lead off," Riggleman said. "Really, the only guy who’s got a good on-base percentage is Jayson. Somebody in the one or two spot has got to get on-base for us. Jayson has talked about it in recent days. We’ve tossed it around in the coaches room. It’s just kind of been hanging there. We just have not been a successful offense to this point. So we’ve got to try something."
Riggleman said he will continue to bat the pitcher eighth at least tomorrow, against right-hander Tim Stauffer, to see how the lineup functions against a right-hander. With Ryan Zimmerman’s return likely to come Tuesday, Riggleman will have to decide how Zimmerman would fit into the lineup.
BIXLER WARNING!!!
AdamKilgoreWP:
Late lineup change: left hamstring tightness for Bernadina. Bixler in, will bat ninth and play LF. Straight-up.
It's like skipping every 3rd inning, except the other pitcher has to throw a few.
"I don't believe in luck, but it was just one of those things where it wasn't really skill, either." --Jerry, jr.
Having Zimmerman back will fix a lot of things
Then it may not matter as much who bats leadoff and where the pitcher bats. The Nats need one of their best players back in the line-up. Imagine having Zim and Morse hitting back-to-back for the rest of the year. Scary stuff for opposing pitchers.
-------------------------------------------------
"Save it. I'm goin' for a smoothie."
The Washington Nationals, the team of the 2010s!
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