re: DAT Spring Training Thread: YWCHA Edition

Yordan is supposed to start swinging this weekend. We'll see. Regardless, it seems like this hand shite is going to continue to be an issue with flare-ups

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“If Brantley is in the lineup, Brantley is No. 2,” Baker said Sunday, per the Houston Chronicle's Chandler Rome. “I know Peña’s been good, but he ain’t been good as long as Brantley.”

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This bugs me more than it should. It's not that I think Pena should be batting in the 2-hole, its just that Brantley isnt a top 5 hitter on this team. And depending on how you feel about Pena improving, you could make an argument that he isn't top 6. I just don't like the idea that Brantley gets more ABs than Yordan, Tucker, Bregman and Abreu. All of those are game changing hitters. Brantley is a fantastic contact guy, but he doesn't have the same impact potential the others have and he's not exactly moving around the bases with any real threat either.

If Dusty insists on keeping everything else the same, flipping Brantley for Tucker makes the top of the lineup much more lethal, will give Altuve more pitches to hit (which he needs) and adds much more baserunning threat at the top. That puts the lineup like this:

1. Tuve
2. Tucker
3. Bregman
4. Yordan
5. Abreu
6. Brantley
7. Pena
8. Chaz
9. Corpse

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flipping Brantley for Tucker makes the top of the lineup much more lethal

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No, nada, definitely not

Tucker struggles the higher he is placed in the lineup and I think stats will prove this out in the past and moving forward. I am willing to concede that the lack of shifting will increase his OBP and he is also quicker on the bases, but Brantley's OBP and ability to have more productive outs, in addition to not sacrificing contact for power, makes him ideal in the 2 hole

I wouldn't hate moving Bregman to #2.

1. Tuve
2. Breggy Bombs
3. Yed
4. Abreu
5. Ted
6. Pena
7. Uncle Mike (or Hensley or Yainer)
8. Chas's Dick
9. Might As Well Be Me

And also Bregs is RH, and we know they like to alternate

I think Brantley's ability to get on base and the value that holds (aka he slow AF), is a little overstated. in 2021 Brantley and Tucker had near identical OBP and Tucker had a higher BB%.

But i think this is largely a disagreement in style of lineup contruction, maybe not the players themselves. It's become more and more kosher to bat your most meaningful boppers up front as to give them more ABs and hopefully more chances to hurt the other team.

For example, the phillies chose to use the NL homerun leader as their leadoff hitter and it worked exactly as one would hope. He got a crucial late game AB that he otherwise might not have if he was deeper in the line up and he........struck out bunting to end the innning like the fricking buffoon he is.

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we have a very good top 7 when everyone is healthy and you can mix match them however you want

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Put some respect on Chas's name. MLB.com ranked him as a top 10 centerfielder.

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in 2021 Brantley and Tucker had near identical OBP and Tucker had a higher BB%.

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I'm not internet savvy enough to find it, but I'm certain those numbers would not be relatively close when Tucker hit anywhere higher than 5

And Shane's point on hitting in front of Yed is a significant one. Not something that really favors either, just worth noting.

Ted, Bregs, Yed, Tuve, Mike, Abreu, Pena, Chas, WTFOMG would be a strong lineup.