Fire Matt Williams! (2015) - Standard Decision.

[aspenbubba]

Since the GDT hasn't started I will make my first suggestion ever about batting order. Werth and Escobar should switch.

Williams almost got it right last nite. Keerrist if I can call it what took him so long?

[BeltwayBaseball]

I think I would prefer Werth/Danny/Harper/Zim...just don't know where to stick Escobar. So I guess you sort of have to put Escobar in front of that line, I would prefer Escobar second but he's a double play machine. Hitting him after Zim seems to waste one of our best avg. hitters (and in turn, OBP guys) until after most of the damage has been done already. I don't like Danny hitting 3rd but I want his speed early...The hell with it, I guess stick him 5th, we want Harper to get as many ABs as possible. Escobar/Werth/Harper/Zim/Danny.

[aspenbubba]

I think I would prefer Werth/Danny/Harper/Zim...just don't know where to stick Escobar. So I guess you sort of have to ...The hell with it, I guess stick him 5th, we want Harper to get as many ABs as possible. Escobar/Werth/Harper/Zim/Danny.

What's with your last sentence?

[BeltwayBaseball]

What's with your last sentence?

It's just frustrating juggling so many possible lineups. None of them really feel like they're as good as we should be with Span/Rendon/Werth/Harper at the top, and none of them feel like they're making full use of the resources we have. Doesn't feel right to stick Danny lower and waste his production/speed, but I don't know that it's a good idea to have Harper fewer PAs per game. Escobar doesn't really fit anywhere but near the top of the lineup, because if he gets on towards the bottom of the lineup, nobody will drive him in. Werth is looking excellent suddenly, and I think the leadoff spot encourages him not to do too much, and I can't think of anybody better to lead off unless Span comes back. And last but not least if Zim is going to be really hot you don't want him to have to bat 5th and maybe have nobody on for him.

It doesn't feel like there's a right answer. Ideally, if everyone was producing as they should and they were healthy, our lineup would be Span/Rendon/Werth/Harper/Zim/Escobar/Danny/Ramos. However, Span is injured, Rendon is MIA, and Ramos has fallen off a cliff. So Desi has to stay in the lineup and so does Taylor. Our top 5 are not as potent as they should be, and our bottom 3 are almost free outs. As soon as you get past Zim, the inning is basically over.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I want Harper 2d or 4th.  That is close to my starting point in any batting order.  If Rendon were going, he'd be my other 2d or 4th hitter. Without him off, maybe I want Rendon 3d.  When Span is back, I suspect we can slot him straight into leadoff, but until then, I'm more than OK with Werth there.  It is 2012 all over again, when he was terrific in that slot. 

Yunel's low K, contact-heavy OBP makes him a sneaky RBI guy even with his lack of power.  I'm good with him 3d or 4th or 5th, right behind Harper or Rendon.  It isn't the classic "protection" of the next best power guy behind the protected hitter, but it is a good way to get runners on and knocked in through contact.  Maybe there is GIDP potential, but I think you'll get more contact with multiple guys on base this way.

RZ is the tough guy to slot.  I think he's less of a hitter than Harper or a good Rendon, but I don't mind him 4th if Rendon is not doing well.

There's no ideal way to arrange things.  When Span is back and Rendon is going well, the lineup comes close to writing itself - Span, Rendon, Escobar, Harper, RZ, Werth, SS, C.  If Rendon isn't doing much, swap him and Werth or RZ.

[Optics]

Werth hit leadoff in 2012 too didn't he? And wasn't half bad at it. Maybe this will be what turns him around. If so, kudos to Matt Williams I guess...

[dracnal]

Werth hit leadoff in 2012 too didn't he? And wasn't half bad at it. Maybe this will be what turns him around. If so, kudos to Matt Williams I guess...

There are thirty MLB manager jobs in the world. I'd like to have a guy who's toolset includes more than 'trot bullpen arms out because I decided who will pitch when before the game started,' and 'throw lineups at the wall until something sticks.'

[BrandonK]

There are thirty MLB manager jobs in the world. I'd like to have a guy who's toolset includes more than 'trot bullpen arms out because I decided who will pitch when before the game started,' and 'throw lineups at the wall until something sticks.'

Janssen in the 8th was surprising to me.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Janssen in the 8th was surprising to me.

Kudos for that.  Maybe something has lit a fire and told him manage like winning this game is important in contrast to the long term view.

[BrandonK]

Kudos for that.  Maybe something has lit a fire and told him manage like winning this game is important in contrast to the long term view.

True. I'll believe it more when Storen pitches in the 6th or 7th, or Paps gets a 4/5 out save

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Werth hit leadoff in 2012 too didn't he? And wasn't half bad at it. Maybe this will be what turns him around. If so, kudos to Matt Williams I guess...

Houston wrote a nice draft article on this back in 2012, but it never made it into print before Span was picked up that off-season.

[whytev]

I want Harper 2d or 4th.  That is close to my starting point in any batting order.  If Rendon were going, he'd be my other 2d or 4th hitter. Without him off, maybe I want Rendon 3d.  When Span is back, I suspect we can slot him straight into leadoff, but until then, I'm more than OK with Werth there.  It is 2012 all over again, when he was terrific in that slot. 

Yunel's low K, contact-heavy OBP makes him a sneaky RBI guy even with his lack of power.  I'm good with him 3d or 4th or 5th, right behind Harper or Rendon.  It isn't the classic "protection" of the next best power guy behind the protected hitter, but it is a good way to get runners on and knocked in through contact.  Maybe there is GIDP potential, but I think you'll get more contact with multiple guys on base this way.

RZ is the tough guy to slot.  I think he's less of a hitter than Harper or a good Rendon, but I don't mind him 4th if Rendon is not doing well.

There's no ideal way to arrange things.  When Span is back and Rendon is going well, the lineup comes close to writing itself - Span, Rendon, Escobar, Harper, RZ, Werth, SS, C.  If Rendon isn't doing much, swap him and Werth or RZ.

Werth is making a strong case to be in the 2 hole when Span returns. Him seeing that many pitches while Span threatens to steal is a recipe for awesome.

Span
Werth
Harper
Rendon
Zimmerman
Desmond
Escobar
Ramos

...if Rendon wakes up.

Span
Werth
Harper
Escobar
Zimmerman
Desmond
Espinosa
Ramos

...if he doesn't wake up.

[whytev]

Kudos for that.  Maybe something has lit a fire and told him manage like winning this game is important in contrast to the long term view.

Drew threw a lot in the previous game. I'm sure he wasn't available.

[Baseball is Life]

Janssen in the 8th was surprising to me.

Apparently Storen was unavailable last night and remember Janssen was supposed to be the 8th guy at the start of the season.

I don't know how the guy gets guys out. He can't break a plate of glass.

[Slateman]

Werth is making a strong case to be in the 2 hole when Span returns. Him seeing that many pitches while Span threatens to steal is a recipe for awesome.

Span
Werth
Harper
Rendon
Zimmerman
Desmond
Escobar
Ramos

...if Rendon wakes up.

Span
Werth
Harper
Escobar
Zimmerman
Desmond
Espinosa
Ramos

...if he doesn't wake up.

If Rendon doesn't wake up, call up Turner

[whytev]

If Rendon doesn't wake up, call up Turner

Espinosa has been great all year.

[varoadking]

Espinosa has been great serviceable all year.

FIFY

Danny has not been great by any stretch of the imagination.  He has been good, yes...perhaps even very good...certainly better than E6...

[dracnal]

He's played excellent defense with a .250ish BA. That's pretty much what you ask for from a middle infielder.

[varoadking]

He's played excellent defense with a .250ish BA. That's pretty much what you ask for from a middle infielder.

Sure...but not great...

[MorseTheHorse]

I want Harper 2d or 4th.  That is close to my starting point in any batting order. 

Me too.  Harper hitting 3rd is a huge waste.  Leads to him coming up way too often w/ 2 out and nobody on. 

[aspenbubba]

Me too.  Harper hitting 3rd is a huge waste.  Leads to him coming up way too often w/ 2 out and nobody on. 

Do not understand your reasoning. If he bats second are you expecting the nos. 8,9 and 1 hitters to get on with more frequency with the nos. 9,1,2? Or in the first inning do you expect him to drive in the #1 batter? And doesn't this repeat itself if he bats in the 4 position? Yes he has had a lot of solo shots but isn't that the batters before him responsibilities and how pitchers are throwing to him being more cautious with men on base? 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He's both a power guy and an OBP guy.  In this line up, he's both the guy who knocks people in and the guy who gets on for folks to knock him in.  Hitting him 4th means you don't take advantage of that OBP as much because the hitters are weaker behind him pretty quickly (although he will leadoff at 4th a good number times so OBP with a high BB rate is more useful than hitting 3d).  Hitting him 3d means he comes up with 2 outs a lot, either when 9 and one of 1 and 2 have the most common outcome (an out) or when the top of the order starts with 2 outs.  The walks he draws are less valuable at 3 if they are 2 out walks. Hit him 2d, and he gets extra PAs, comes up with bottom of the order guys in scoring position a bit, sets up the guys after him as a baserunner, and with his power can knock in Span / Werth if they are on.  More or less, you use all of Harper's offensive skills when you hit him 2d.

I prefer to split Span and Harper, so I'd bat him 2d when Werth is leadoff and 4th when Span leads off.

[whytev]

Rendon back in today.  Seems like he's letting Espinosa and Rendon play themselves into and out of the lineup.

Espinosa has a great game?  He's back in tomorrow.

Espinosa has a bad game?  Rendon gets a chance.

I like it.  So much.

[whytev]

Williams gets Treinen: Great move.

Williams leaves him in vs. a lefty with guys on: NO!

[mitlen]

Williams gets Treinen: Great move.

Williams leaves him in vs. a lefty with guys on: NO!

Whaddaya want?    He made one good decision this week.