FIRE DAVE MARTINEZ! Martinez does not know what he is doing. So far this season he has managed to turn a team that finished first in its division in 2017 winning 60% of its games into a mediocre .500 team that seams so be going nowhere. His constantly changing lineups has reduced a potent offense to a group of players who do not know from day-to-day where they will be batting or what their role is in the offense. The key to the National's offense is not Harper, or Rendon, or Eaton or anyone else but Trea Turner. Last year, playing only 98 games because of a broken wrist, Trea had the best runs per game average of any leadoff hitter in the National League. His .77 runs per game exceeded Dee Gordon's .72 runs per game and Billy Hamilton's .61 runs per game. Trea's .77 runs per game translates to 125 runs scored in a 162 game season! This year Martinez's scrambled lineups have had Turner batting first, second, sixth and seventh; Harper has hit first, second, third, fourth and fifth; and Rendon, Eaton and others have also been scattered throughout the lineup. Martinez has even had the pitcher batting eighth sometimes. The result of these endless changes has been an unproductive offense. As stated before, the key to the offense is Turner. If he were the every-day leadoff hitter he would energize the offense, steal 100+ bases, score 120 to 140 runs and distract opposing pitchers to the advantage of hitters following him. The every-day lineup should have Turner batting first, Easton or Soto second, Rendon third, the catcher eighth and the pitcher ninth. Harper, Murphy, Adams/Reynolds and Taylor are the obvious 4th through 7th hitters. Unfortunately, Martinez will probably continue his mindless lineup scrambling resulting in continued unproductivity. Martinez should be fired!
Zukova in Arizona
