Update on Red Sox Batting Order

Note: This post has been updated with comments on  the Opening Day Changes Here:

 

July 11th, 2011 Update:

At this point, the defacto everyday lineup for the Sox is as follows. They don't really have an "everyday" line up, but if everyone is healthy, and its an important game, here's what it would look up. Below is the post I wrote in Spring Training.  I don't mind pointing out that the defacto line up is just like the one I penciled in in December, except Crawford got bumped down to seventh, largely because Ortiz has surpassed every expectation and earned his spot at five..  It took Francona over a month to see the wisdom of my lineup, but he got there eventually.  Perhaps next year he'll just ask me?

 

1. Ellsbury

 

 

 

It's worth noting that the Crawford, is, of course, on the DL, but he won't break the top 5 unless he returns to form AND someone gets hurt.  Also, the 6,7,8 spots are all interchangeable based on the starting pitcher.  Reddick has been on-fire, and guys that hit over .400 will move their way up in any lineup, as he has.  Lowrie will have to prove he can swing the bat when he gets healthy - and that could be a month from now.  But he'll see time regardless, as he's a better option than Scutaro when healthy.

 

Well, the Sox batting order is "unofficially" out.  I think we've all seen enough down in Florida to see how Francona intends to play it:

 

1. Ellsbury

2. Pedroia

3. Crawford

4. Gonzales

5. Youkilis

6. Ortiz

7. Drew/Cameron

8. Salty/Tek

9.Scutaro

 

So where did I go right and wrong in my earlier post (in DECEMBER mind you....)

 

Well, overall I did pretty good.

Francona is going to put Crawford 3, not fifth.  I get it - I do - he's not a prototypical 5 hitter. It's the logical choice. Crawford doesn't have enough power. But that means batting Youk fifth, and I don't understand how you can have a top five hitter in the LEAGUE not in your top four of the batting order. Combine that with your best hitter should hit third, and Crawford is the third best hitter.  I also think that Francona is figuring that with Gonzales so good against lefties, you can worry much less about Crawford and Gonzales hitting back to back, and that helps give him flexibility which I didn't think he had. A-Gon is practically a switch hitter in there.  I did get the drop of Ortiz right, and I think 7&8 could switch around based on who the starting pitcher on the opposing team, vs. the starting catcher of the day, so that's really a wash.  (That's a long way of saying that Tek will be batting higher against pitchers he can hit, especially if Drew doesn't).  Not bad really, not bad at all for a FAN, especially when so many of the media guys were espousing some pretty silly lineups.

 

 

Do Good Things Today!

 Matt Heisler