2017 Lineup

[rileyn]

So the lineup should be Murphy, Harper, Rendon?

Until I see otherwise next year, Turner is our 2nd best hitter on the team, not Harper.  That may change, but going into next year......

[Ray D]

Why is Turner most comfortable at #2?

There's a balance between getting on base and hitting homeruns.  Leadoff is supposed to get on base. So is #2, but with a bit more emphasis on power.  Turner wants to get on base, but he want to hit homeruns too.

[whytev]

There's a balance between getting on base and hitting homeruns.  Leadoff is supposed to get on base. So is #2, but with a bit more emphasis on power.  Turner wants to get on base, but he want to hit homeruns too.

Turner never hit bombs until this year.

[Ray D]

Turner never hit bombs until this year.

  I think he probably never gave homeruns alot of thought until he hit his first one or two this year and said, hmm, this is fun, I'm going to try to hit more of these. He's probably capable of 20 homeruns.  He probably just never realized it before this year.

[Slateman]

Inspired by the 3/15 GDT

Turner SS, Eaton CF, Harper RF, Werth DH, Rendon 3B, Zimmerman 1B, Wieters C, Taylor LF, Drew 2B. Cole P

Almost our opening day lineup?

So what do you guys think? What should the lineup/order be?

I think the biggest issue is the three left handed hitters we have that should all, hopefully, be top of the order bats. Do you hit them back to back to back, ignoring LHP pitching match-ups because Eaton and Murphy hit LHP well?

[imref]

thread already exists:  http://www.wnff.net/index.php?topic=34718.0

[Slateman]

Damnit Mods, how can you let this happen!?!?!?!

[imref]

Damnit Mods, how can you let this happen!?!?!?!

Obama's fault.

[Elvir Ovcina]

  I think he probably never gave homeruns alot of thought until he hit his first one or two this year and said, hmm, this is fun, I'm going to try to hit more of these. He's probably capable of 20 homeruns.  He probably just never realized it before this year.

He's probably not going to see as many fastballs in the middle of the plate going forward, although his speed is a great asset there: guys who can't consistently throw their breaking stuff for strikes will have to keep throwing him fastballs because walking him causes such headaches.  If he hits 15 homers, I'll be very happy.

[Slateman]

Obama's fault.

DAMNIT TRUMP

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'll bite. 

Vs. RHP - Eaton, Harper, Rendon, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, Turner, inanimate carbon rod, pitcher.
vs. LHP - Turner, Rendon, Harper, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, inanimate carbon rod, Eaton, pitcher.

[imref]

I'll bite. 

Vs. RHP - Eaton, Harper, Rendon, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, Turner, inanimate carbon rod, pitcher.
vs. LHP - Turner, Rendon, Harper, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, inanimate carbon rod, Eaton, pitcher.

I think Dusty goes with one lineup regardless of the pitcher:

Turner
Eaton
Harper
Rendon
Murphy
Werth
Zimmerman
Wieters

[Expos]

Eaton
Turner
Harper
Murphy
Rendon
Weiters
Werth
Zimmer
Pitcher

[NatsAllThe Way]

I'll bite. 

Vs. RHP - Eaton, Harper, Rendon, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, Turner, inanimate carbon rod, pitcher.
vs. LHP - Turner, Rendon, Harper, Murphy, Werth, Wieters, inanimate carbon rod, Eaton, pitcher.

The carbon rod went 2 for 3 today.

[_sturt_]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nationals-are-loaded-with-offense-but-every-bat-needs-to-find-its-right-place/2017/03/15/93f26394-09a8-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html

Largely based on what I read there, both in the lines and between them... I see Dusty running them out there this way when he's not otherwise giving someone a day off... which, let's remember, he does seemingly daily if not every other day...




Essentially, you've got Turner, then depending on lefty or righty SP, the 4-man block of Murphy-Harper-Rendon-Eaton with either Werth hitting in front of that block (LHP), or behind it (RHP)... and Wieters and Zimmerman at the bottom of the order.

Whether Zimm has that elusive bounce-back year, or if he continues the descent, it will be interesting to see how Dusty handles that.

[Truconfidence]

it seems Dusty has settled on batting Eaton 6th, now will he put Zim or Weiters 7th?

[_sturt_]

Of course, I would interpret this as Dusty must be following this thread and saying to himself, "Ya know, I like how that _sturt_ guy thinks... let's give this some serious consideration... "

But that's just me. (hehe)

http://districtondeck.com/2017/03/21/washington-nationals-jayson-werth-hitting-second-often-spring/

[Slateman]

it seems Dusty has settled on batting Eaton 6th, now will he put Zim or Weiters 7th?

Catcher always hits 8th. Standard Decision.

[_sturt_]

What I'm curious to see is, where does Zim start the year, and if he rebounds, where does he end the year... and in-between that, at what point will Dusty have moved him to his ultimate order slot... end of May?... ASB break?... later?

[Ray D]

What I'm curious to see is, where does Zim start the year, and if he rebounds, where does he end the year... and in-between that, at what point will Dusty have moved him to his ultimate order slot... end of May?... ASB break?... later?

What I'm curious about is at what point doe Dusty begin platooning him with Lind. Interesting question because Lind, being the lefthander in the platoon, will get about 75% of the action.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

What I'm curious about is at what point doe Dusty begin platooning him with Lind. Interesting question because Lind, being the lefthander in the platoon, will get about 75% of the action.

It would take a prolonged and extreme slump from Zim to be a strict platoon with Lind.  I think you'd gradually see Lind get starts against righties.  Like once a week then maybe more.  I doubt it would just boom happen Lind starts against every righty.

[aussienatsfan]

if werth bats 2nd and Eaton 6 i will be peeved.. but thats my selfish fantasy baseball interests that bother me most about it

[imref]

It would take a prolonged and extreme slump from Zim to be a strict platoon with Lind.  I think you'd gradually see Lind get starts against righties.  Like once a week then maybe more.  I doubt it would just boom happen Lind starts against every righty.

And it would take lind producing. Iirc, Dusty didn't give many abs to Robinson when Zimmerman was struggling because Robinson was just as awful.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

if werth bats 2nd and Eaton 6 i will be peeved.. but thats my selfish fantasy baseball interests that bother me most about it

I'm not so sure from a fantasy perspective.  I could easily see Dusty saying "don't run into an out and take the bat out of Harper's hands" and keep Eaton from running if he were hitting #2.  Down at #6, it might be "we need to create stuff in front of Face and Wieters."  He may run more there.  You may lose some runs scored, but otherwise this should not hurt you.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

I'm not so sure from a fantasy perspective.  I could easily see Dusty saying "don't run into an out and take the bat out of Harper's hands" and keep Eaton from running if he were hitting #2.  Down at #6, it might be "we need to create stuff in front of Face and Wieters."  He may run more there.  You may lose some runs scored, but otherwise this should not hurt you.

Yea I own Eaton in my league, but I'm not expecting more than maybe 15 steals with him in the 2-hole ahead of Harper and Murphy.  100+ runs though and he'll get a decent share of RBIs because singles could drive in Turner since Turner has extra base pop and is capable of walking/singling then stealing 2nd.