There’s a great old punk song that goes “Ya Ha Ha Be Be” over and over for no apparent reason. I find myself now humming that.
New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel is pondering the idea of dropping his speedy shortstop from the leadoff spot, one of several tweaks that could be on tap for a team coming off consecutive September collapses.
Luis Castillo might get a shot at the top of the lineup, perhaps with Carlos Beltran batting second and Reyes No. 3. Reyes could also be handed more leadership responsibilities on defense, such as aligning other infielders and visiting the mound.
It’s all part of the master plan for Manuel, entering his first full season in charge of the Mets. After general manager Omar Minaya rebuilt a wretched bullpen this winter, Manuel is ready to make his own mark.
“My emphasis will be on team vs. individual. I think that message is so critical,” he said Saturday.
“This is not about statistical success. This is about winning as a team, and you have to put people in positions that you feel is best to win as a team,” Manuel said during a 40-minute news conference, one day before New York’s first official workout for pitchers and catchers.
“Whether that means Jose batting second, third, whatever—first or leading off—you have to accomplish that. And that’s a big part of the message throughout spring training: The game takes precedent over individual stats.”
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1. Leroy Kincaid Posted: February 15, 2009 at 03:00 AM (#3077295)Don't they all go like that?
I'm all for creative lineup solutions, but I was hoping for something more along the lines of:
Reyes Beltran Wright Delgado Church Murphy Castillo Schneider P
Well, that's not quite true; I was really hoping for:
vR: Reyes Beltran Wright Dunn Delgado Church Murphy Schnider P
vL: Reyes Beltran Wright Dunn Tatis Delgado Castillo Castro P
but beggars can't be choosers, right, Omar?
I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. And yes, it is pretty dependent upon how much or how little Castillo sucks.
But last I checked, Reyes provided OBP and speed and is a good overall hitter too. Beltran provides OBP and speed and is a good overall hitter too.
I'm pretty sure "The Book" would put the optimal lineup at Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Church/Murphy in whatever order, who cares. At least against righties. Against lefties, I could see Castillo, Reyes, Beltran, Wright in the top 4 in some order.
He certainly didn't.
The importance of Ramon Martinez in the final week of last season is something I'm likely to forget, and, if ever reminded, reject as being totally implausible.
Why not just go all LaRussa and bat Castillo 9th?
If Castillo can still post a .360-ish OBP, it's not a terrible idea
I repeat, you can never expect guys who can't hit to keep getting walks. PITCHERS AREN'T STUPID!
Mark Smellhorn's head just exploded
I agree that Beltran would probably feel very comfortable hitting 2nd, and in most other lineups would be worth more hitting there, including in the hypothetical one where Moises Alou played baseball. But given the specifics of the players the Mets have in '09, I think a lefty has to hit 2nd. I'd nominate Murphy, since he seems to be a disciplined hitter and since I really don't know whether Church is going to be worth much of anything; concussions are freaky.
Again, I'd like to hear Manuel explain why exactly Castillo should hit 1st and Reyes 3rd, other than "they'll hit where I want them to hit", which, although I agree with the principle, isn't really a reason.
v LH Castillo Reyes Wright Delgado Beltran Tatis Castro <OFer not Church>
v RH Murphy Reyes Beltran Wright Delgado Church Schneider <2bman not Castillo>
The DA's right, that you can't let someone's LOOGY run the table.
The thing with Castillo is that everyone predicted his decline perfectly. You knew that he was slowing down - that his knees were bothering him - that after the steals fell, the defense would go and the batting average would follow. Everyone was talking about this stuff, in specific terms, when he was a free agent in 2003. It happened at age 32.
I don't see it as an isolated bad year in an otherwise consistent record - it is the end that we knew was coming.
I don't think Castillo is going to light the world on fire but .700 OPS is probably where I'd put the Over/Under. I am more worried about his defense than I am about his offense.
Yep.
No. You've missed the key point that this OPS against lefties has risen three straight years.
I can't say whether Murphy has actually improved, but I don't think you can read much if anything into 350 PA spread over three years.
Hey red, if you're still around, how do you feel about moving Murphy to the top of the order against righties? Not an ox on the basepaths, good enough OBP...
Mets management is intrigued; what is this LOOGY concept of which you speak?
Maybe in that ironic fat-guys-named-slim and bald-guys-named-curly sort of way. B-Ref lists him at 6'3".
Not sure if this is a joke? The Mets led the world in frequency of pitching changes, and shortest reliever stints. The entire problem with the team last year was that everyone in the bullpen was an OOGY.
Are you being snarky because they got rid of Schoeneweis?
I was being snarky (and a bit dated) by how they used SS.
The four-five best batters on the team need to bat in the top five of the order. It's that simple, and there's no way Castillo's bat control or capacity to take a walk diminishes that fact.
Wasn't there some magical 2-game stretch where he had 2 HR last year? And I think one of them was even an important one, too.
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