New lineup logic the last few years

[tree3five]

I’m old school and don’t quite follow the new lineup logic that many MLB managers have been using the last couple years. All I know is your best hitter is in the 2 spot now (used to be 3 spot). But who goes in the other spots?

Can anyone explain how to construct a batting order with this new logic? Like what should I be looking for in each spot of the order?

[Master Live 013]

You have it right, analytics suggest batting your best hitter 2nd is the optimal approach. Leadoff should be a high OBP guy who may or may not be fast (it isn't necessary). Then your next best hitters hit 3rd/4th/5th etcetera keeping an eye on staggering lefties and righties if possible.

[tree3five]

Quote: Originally Posted by Master Live 013

You have it right, analytics suggest batting your best hitter 2nd is the optimal approach. Leadoff should be a high OBP guy who may or may not be fast (it isn't necessary). Then your next best hitters hit 3rd/4th/5th etcetera keeping an eye on staggering lefties and righties if possible.

So basically the same logic as before except put your best hitter at 2 now? Is the 3 spot like your cleanup hitter now or is it more like what a 2 hitter used to be?

[Master Live 013]

In summary it makes not much difference, but why not try to capture any marginal gain :P

I would bat a "cleanup hitter" 3rd, get a homer, hopefully someone is on base.

From Keith Law's Smart Baseball:

Spoiler

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[tree3five]

Quote: Originally Posted by Master Live 013

In summary it makes not much difference, but why not try to capture any marginal gain :P I would bat a "cleanup hitter" 3rd, get a homer, hopefully someone is on base. From Keith Law's Smart Baseball: Spoiler ******** src="moz-extension://a8462fe0-d9b6-4eb4-9021-b8c5a4f16443/js/app.js" type="text/javascript">

This is great stuff. Thank you for your help.

[Blzer]

Times have changed now that the leadoff hitter is no longer as important since the NL uses the DH now. However, the NL could have remedied this by batting their pitcher 8th instead of ninth, and still had their best hitter bat 2nd.

These days, it's literally a crapshoot. Bat anybody anywhere, it doesn't matter. Better hitters should get more at-bats I guess, but the logic is pretty much thrown out the window now.

Take pressure off guys who can't handle it though. Some guys just hit better/worse based on where they bat in the lineup. I used to see a standard three-hitter (Schwarber, Springer, Harper, etc.) bat leadoff, hit a home run, hear somebody say it paid off, and I'd sit there thinking "Would've been better if he had guys on base," only to think harder about the fact that maybe he wouldn't have homered in the situation otherwise.

I still don't like what they do now with it, but **** around by taking away my pitcher from hitting and now I honestly couldn't care less.

[CBoller1331]

Yeah in general it seems to be a "get your best hitters to the plate as often as possible" strategy, which is why you see some of the best hitters in the game hitting 1st or 2nd these days. I sort of like the simplicity of that approach. I think FanGraphs has done some analysis articles on lineup "optimization" and it seems like it doesn't have as big an impact as everyone assumes it does.

[reyes the roof]

I’d be curious which spot in the lineup gets the most plate appearances with runners on or RISP. I know the article that was posted mentioned not batting your best hitter first because they have less guys on, but I can’t get behind batting the best hitter second if you’ve got two jabronis batting 8 and 9 that can’t get on base