Baseball Talk, what’s your starting lineup?

Paxton Kling is going to be hard to keep out of the outfield and lineup. The only advantage Stevenson has is 1 year of experience.

C - Milazzo/Travinski/Neal
1B - Morgan
2B - Dugas/Nippolt/Guidry/Merrifield
3B - White
SS - Thompson
RF - Pearson
CF - Crews
LF - Kling/Stevenson/Dugas
DH - Skenes/Jobert/Jones/Travinski/Dugas

CJJ is going to keep batting Crews lead off and ranters will keep predicting him third in the lineup.

1. Crews, CF
2. Morgan, 1B
3. Tommy Tanks, 3B
4. Skenes, DH
5. Pearson, RF
6. Thompson, SS
7. Dugas, 2B
8. Milazzo, C
9. Kling, LF

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Over the course of the season Skenes will only DH 28-30 times more than likely.

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Hunt Palmer on on3 yesterday said he got some good info yesterday that the plan for Skenes is to start on Fridays, DH on Sunday and 1 midweek game - want to give him Saturdays off. So he should be DHing roughly twice a week.

Josh Stevenson isn't starting. I can promise you that. You also don't have Kling even in the sub group and he is likely to be a starter by May.

Before I post MY starting lineup, it seems fairly obvious that Crews is going to bat leadoff given how much he was there in the fall.

1. Pearson RF
2. Crews CF
3. White 3B
4. Morgan 1B
5. Dugas LF
6. Jobert DH
7. Thompson SS
8. Nippolt 2B
9. Milazzo C

I just don't put any freshmen in on opening day until they play and prove it in games. Crews, White, and Morgan are probably the only ones that will stay the enitre season.

I think Kling will be starting in RF in place of somebody by May.

Neal will play 50% of the time at catcher. I think that will be a platoon all year based on performance, defensive need, and RHP/LHP matchup.

Skenes will obviously bat a lot as DH. Jared Jones has a chance to make an impact too I think. Jobert is so hard to project because he has no defensive ability and, when he's cold, he's such an anchor on the lineup. But then he gets hot and he's the best hitter for a weekend... I think he will start about half the games.

The middle infield will be so intriguing to watch between Thompson, Nippolt, Dugas, Merrifield, and Guidry... Thompson has to perform better more consistently than he did last year to keep his spot the whole season. Merrifield has to be given some kind of opportunity after his fall. I really hope Dugas starts the entire season-- whether it be in LF or 2B. Nippolt seems like the guy that everybody is counting out but I think he's going to be one of the best 9 for most of the season. I don't get the feeling that Guidry is going to be one of the best 9 this year-- although he'll play some.

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The only advantage Stevenson has is 1 year of experience.

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And he’s a lefty in a lineup with only 1-2 solid lefty starters.

Catcher should be interesting too. Milazzo is gonna have to hit.

I’d include Pearson in that statement, arguably 5 of the best in the sport.

I know this doesn’t answer your prompt, but I was reviewing the roster last night and we are unbelievably stacked. Every position is 2 deep talented.

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If either Floyd or Hurd becomes the Friday starter, I would be tempted to pitch Skenes on Sunday so he can hit on Friday and Saturday.

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Mentioned earlier in this thread, Skenes will only hit twice a week, once on a weekend typically. Start on mound friday, rest Saturday, hit on Sunday and 1 weekday game.