to you u nl guys

[Ghostciv]

just seeing where everyone puts there pitcher at in lineup. i play a cubs/stros chise and i play my pitcher in the number 8 slot and love it

doing so gives the top of my lineup better rbi chances as byrat/rizzo r 1/2 in nl in rbi's

[HozAndMoose]

Re: to you u nl guys

just seeing where everyone puts there pitcher at in lineup. i play a cubs/stros chise and i play my pitcher in the number 8 slot and love it

doing so gives the top of my lineup better rbi chances as byrat/rizzo r 1/2 in nl in rbi's

Not an NL guy but ive been doing the same for years when i play at an NL park. Like having speed in the #9 slot and most pitcher have none.

[sljivo]

Re: to you u nl guys

A few days ago, actually, I was reading online about how best to optimize one's lineup. Apparently, as the author of the article I read contends, most of the old baseball strategy is overrated and sometimes just plain wrong. For example, historically, the first 4 guys were the team breakers and makers. And yes, you're best hitters should be coming to bat more, but a lot of the times these guys bat with no runners on base much less scoring position.

Also, the author discussed the ludicrousness of having a pitcher bat 9th. Why? So he can NOT get on base for your lead-off man? After reading, I was convinced that the pitcher should bat somewhere like the 7 or 8th spot.
The 9th hitter doesn't get to the plate as often as the lead-off guys but he is directly interacting with the top of the order. He should at least be capable of drawing a friggin walk so that the high-contact hitters can drive him in. If the pitcher bats 9th and happens to get on base, he ain't coming home, trust me. By the time the slow poke comes around the bases, 2 base hits might be needed, maybe 3. (In the game at least, where their speed ratings are atrocious. They're still athletes right?)

So yeah, I'll try to find that article and post it because it was very refreshing, for me at least.

Ok, in typing this message I realized I could easily find the article from the world wide web! So here it is...

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/3/17/795946/optimizing-your-lineup-by

Geez, my reading comprehension is waay off.

[Ghostciv]

Re: to you u nl guys

A few days ago, actually, I was reading online about how best to optimize one's lineup. Apparently, as the author of the article I read contends, most of the old baseball strategy is overrated and sometimes just plain wrong. For example, historically, the first 4 guys were the team breakers and makers. And yes, you're best hitters should be coming to bat more, but a lot of the times these guys bat with no runners on base much less scoring position.

Also, the author discussed the ludicrousness of having a pitcher bat 9th. Why? So he can NOT get on base for your lead-off man? After reading, I was convinced that the pitcher should bat somewhere like the 7 or 8th spot.
The 9th hitter doesn't get to the plate as often as the lead-off guys but he is directly interacting with the top of the order. He should at least be capable of drawing a friggin walk so that the high-contact hitters can drive him in. If the pitcher bats 9th and happens to get on base, he ain't coming home, trust me. By the time the slow poke comes around the bases, 2 base hits might be needed, maybe 3. (In the game at least, where their speed ratings are atrocious. They're still athletes right?)

So yeah, I'll try to find that article and post it because it was very refreshing, for me at least.

Ok, in typing this message I realized I could easily find the article from the world wide web! So here it is...

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/3/17/795946/optimizing-your-lineup-by

Geez, my reading comprehension is waay off.

i basically use this when i come up with my lineups i rather have 3 guys with good to decent contact before the heart of my lineup comes up. plus a 4th in later innings when i sub out my pitcher plus gives me more flex when needing a double switch late in game. atm with my cubs i bat fowler leading off la stella 2nd playing 2nd base ( lost castro for season early and he been killing it atm 25 game hitting streak) then bryant/rizzo have beaz hitting 9th sometimes 7th and plantom my lf there some games

[ShowTyme15]

Re: to you u nl guys

Not an NL guy but ive been doing the same for years when i play at an NL park. Like having speed in the #9 slot and most pitcher have none.

I am the same way. I usually put speedsters or high on base guys at the 1 and 9 spots. Pitcher always hits 8th for me.

[cusefan74]

Re: to you u nl guys

Never understood hitting the pitcher 8th myself. Every time I see it on TV it backfires the whole game. Have never seen it prove to be worth while to do it that way.

[thedudedominick]

Re: to you u nl guys

Never understood hitting the pitcher 8th myself. Every time I see it on TV it backfires the whole game. Have never seen it prove to be worth while to do it that way.

As a Cubs fan, watching Russell hit in the 9 spot behind the pitcher has been good for the team. He's almost like an extra lead off hitter and allows Maddon to put Rizzo or Bryant at #2 in the order with a real shot at having two guys on base before them.

[cusefan74]

Re: to you u nl guys

As a Cubs fan, watching Russell hit in the 9 spot behind the pitcher has been good for the team. He's almost like an extra lead off hitter and allows Maddon to put Rizzo or Bryant at #2 in the order with a real shot at having two guys on base before them.

Or he could put them at 3 and 4 and get the same thing with Russell hitting 2nd. Also Russell would get more AB's in the 2 hole, and he should be getting as many as possible because he gets on base a lot. IMO it's a push, can't see were it helps.

[cts50]

Re: to you u nl guys

Or he could put them at 3 and 4 and get the same thing with Russell hitting 2nd. Also Russell would get more AB's in the 2 hole, and he should be getting as many as possible because he gets on base a lot. IMO it's a push, can't see were it helps.

Yeah, I think the value of hitting the pitcher 8th is overrated.

Sure, you are getting a good OBP guy in front of your leadoff guys, but it has to be the right situation otherwise you are simply wasting a high OBP guy.

I think Russell is ok in the 9 spot for now, but I wouldnt keep him there forever.


You get your best hitters a few more PA's, but if you are giving the pitcher more PA's and taking away PA's from the "high OBP" guy you have hitting 9th......I think it is all a wash in the end.

[zephyr13]

Re: to you u nl guys

I've always thought that the pitcher batting anywhere but 9th is useless. By hitting a pitcher higher in the order, you are taking away potential ABs from established hitters...

I also agree that pitchers running speed in The Show is poorly implemented. Why do they all have to run like tanks? Andrew Cashner regularly pinch runs for the Padres IRL games when the bench is thin because he is fast. The game has him ridiculously slow.

[rjackson]

Re: to you u nl guys

The Book by Tom Tango et al gets in to it exhaustively and determined that batting the pitcher 8th will net a team a handful more runs over the course of a season and maybe a win or two if I recall correctly? It doesn't add up to a ton. From my experience in The Show which will not add up to the sample size they are simulating, I tend to end up with RISP, 2 outs, pitcher up more often with him hitting 8th than I end up with the extra runner on and my #2/#3 hitter up...