Comments on: Projecting The Most Ideal Lineup For Mets This Season

By: CB

CB — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:23:08 +0000

Daniel Murphy is not the Mets most patient hitter, nor is he anywhere close. He is one of their most impatient hitters. Actually, if you define patience as percentage of pitches swung at outside of the strike zone, believe it or not Jason Bay was the Mets most patient hitter last year at 20.2%.

By: HarryDoyle

HarryDoyle — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:00:14 +0000

For the Mets? Nope. He’s not even in big league camp.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:52:05 +0000

Can anyone see Corey Patterson playing CF and leading off?

By: Jeff McKnight's Glasses

Jeff McKnight's Glasses — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:14:42 +0000

I don’t have much of a problem with the lineup posted – I think its one of several potential lineups to consider, but I disagree with some of the characterizations of the players. Murphy (followed by Tejada) actually had the highest overall swing rates, highest rate of swinging at pitches out of the zone, and lowest number of pitchers per plate appearance of any of the current regulars listed. So I wouldn’t call either of those guys overly patient or particularly skilled in working pitchers. That doesn’t mean they can’t learn to do that or that even given their current stills that they can’t fit in the particular spots in the lineup you have them slated, but to this point its not really true that they are big time patient hitters. Though they are among the best on the team at making contact when they do swing.

And Baxter was actually the second best OBP guy on the team last year. Though it was a relatively small sample and his first year so I’m not convinced on him.

By: Jeff McKnight's Glasses

Jeff McKnight's Glasses — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:58:19 +0000

Lineup order is overrated IMO, but I’ve never really understood the fascination with making the lineup “deeper” when making it “deeper” is just pushing the better hitters further down in the lineup. Giving less AB to the better hitters generally isn’t a good thing.

All in all I don’t think it really matters all that much though, especially when you are talking about one spot in the order.

By: TJ

TJ — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:24:27 +0000

Van,
I’m with you. Even though the suits left this team short once again, I will cross my fingers and root for the guys that are there to sieze the moment.

By: stu Ehrilch

stu Ehrilch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:38:34 +0000

I agree with batting Nieuwenhuis leadoff and perhaps platoon him with Cowgil there
And for the reasons mentioned Tejada 2nd. But I would bat Murphy 3rd and back up Wright & Davis to 4&5. Murphy did not display much power last year. Ut showed he can hit for average and hit the gaps. You don’t need tp be a home run hitter to drive in runs from the 3 hole
I rember a guy named Keith Hernandez who some would say was the consummate #3 hitter. With men on base and Wright & Davis behind him Murphy would get lots of pitches to hit and as a result we probably would see more pop from his bat. Also the 5 hitter should be more of a power guy tham Murphy is. What good a .300 hitter with not much speed or power hitting behind Davis. I understand wanting to bat Wright 3rd but his skill set. Will play just as well hitting 4th. This also makes the batting a little deeper and plays to Murphy’s skill set better. Wright &Davis hitting 4th & 5th will still ne just as effective. Would you have batted Carter 3rd strawberry 4th and Keith 5th?

By: Matt Mosher

Matt Mosher — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:20:48 +0000

“Terry C is doing a great job”

On what planet? The guy has lost everywhere he’s been and with some damn good teams. With the Mets the team quit in late August two straight years. Terry Collins is an assclown and a thoroughly mediocre manager.

By: Matt Mosher

Matt Mosher — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:16:58 +0000

That line-up is downright horrible.

I know people love springtime optimism but there’s no offense here at all. Tejada leading off makes me want to vomit. Talk about an empty bat.

By: van

van — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:45:20 +0000

not like it seemed to help them.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:43:10 +0000

This just in:

@AdamRubinESPN
ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reports alleged link between Mets prospect Cesar Puello, ex-Met Fernando Martinez and Biogenesis.

https://twitter.com/AdamRubinESPN/status/304043116854390785

By: Winners vs. Losers

Winners vs. Losers — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:05:17 +0000

CThomp519 — I don’t think about Bobby V at this time. Terry C is doing a great job. He just might be back in 2014.

By: CThomp519

CThomp519 — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:56:06 +0000

I like Tejada batting second or eighth, not lead off. I’m putting Kirk or Baxter first, Murphy, Wright, Davis, Buck, Duda, Bryd or Cowbell, Tejada, then the pitcher.

I think Davis and Duda will end up hitting back to back.

Tejada shouldn’t hit first.

What would Bobby V. do?

By: van

van — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:37:27 +0000

cross your fingers that Cowgill just needed his big opportunity to get some PT to show what he could do, and builds on his 200 ML PAs and runs with it.

I came up with another interesting comparable to Cowgil. Shane Victorino. Vicky actually did not do all that much in the minors. Some more steals than Cow, but less power. And he never did enough to get much respect, being a rule 5 guy 2 years in a row (SD took him 1st and returned him).

sometimes a guy with tools/skills kicks around a bit in the minors trying to get settled in the majors, and finally gets a shot at a real ML gig and makes the most of it.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:12:36 +0000

If this team had a legit leadoff hitter, a #5 RH hitter with some pop, and a closer, they’d be right in the playoff mix. Since they couldn’t procure those players from outside the organization with unlimited funds, D’Arnaud and Parnell have an outside chance of filling those two needs competently. I hope someone rises to the occasion in the CF/leadoff spot…the hardest one to fill. That’s what dreams are made of.

By: Jerry M

Jerry M — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:26:42 +0000

Sorry should be John notJoe.

By: Jerry M

Jerry M — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:25:56 +0000

I like your lineup Joe. I think this would give us a good chance to win games with our pitching lineup.

By: van

van — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:20:25 +0000

Or, a better way to win more games, and isn’t that the whole point?

anyway, as to rookies, depends on who it is. If you are talking about a “star” prospect coming up, where you can project him to be a main cog in the lineup for years to come (Say, Strawberry or Wright or Ike when they came up) then yes, you play them every day to learn OTJ.

but, for guys that are not likely to be more than a PT/bench/platoon type, yes you can use them that way, if the other choice is letting him toil away in Vegas.

not every 25 YO coming up is destined to be an everyday guy.

By: van

van — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:16:59 +0000

murphy is also not an OB machine. Actually one of the bigger hackers on the team, so does make some sense in the 5 hole.

I still think if they get a “normal” team on the field, he would be the 2 hole guy, spraying doubles around the park. Could be a lot of 2nd and 3rd opps for the middle of the order. Plus he is reasonably quick, certainly won’t clog up the basepaths.

but, since odds are there will be 2 OF platoons you really do need seperate LHSP and RHSP lineups.

By: Just-Da-Damaja

Just-Da-Damaja — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:10:47 +0000

Sandy and his goons feel platooning rookies is the best way for them to learn !