Thursday, June 02, 2005
Move Beltre From the 3-Hole
I have every faith that Adrian Beltre is going to start hitting sometime. But right now, he is killing us in the #3 spot in the batting order. Lets move him outta there!
In his monster 2004 season, Adrian Beltre batted #3 all of 15 times. He started the season slow, and was relegated to the #7 spot and slowly worked his way up the order (68 ABs at #7, 64 ABs at #6, 96 ABs at #5) to the cleanup spot. For the two years before that he hit 5th through 7th most times.
Big contract or not, he is not doing us much good in the 3 hole most nights. Perhaps a move down in the order will help take some of the pressure off of him because we already have a lead by the time he comes to bat.
A lineup that looked like this might shake up the offense, and keep our currently hot hitters (Winn, Reed, Sexson, Ibanez) batting more often with runners in scoring position.
RF Ichiro! (L)
LF Winn (S)
CF Reed (L)
1B Sexson (R)
DH Ibanez (L)
3B Beltre (R)
2B Boone (R)
SS Morse (R)
C Borders (R)
With our current lineup with Beltre 3rd and Reed down at 7th, we are hitting the black holes of Beltre and Boone with runners on base, making it runners on base and two outs for our hotter hitters, or worse, having Beltre and Boone ending innings.
A lineup shakeup is overdue. Its 2005 and Adrian Beltre has stunk at the plate. Lets try the same remedy that worked in 2004 and move him down in the lineup.
In his monster 2004 season, Adrian Beltre batted #3 all of 15 times. He started the season slow, and was relegated to the #7 spot and slowly worked his way up the order (68 ABs at #7, 64 ABs at #6, 96 ABs at #5) to the cleanup spot. For the two years before that he hit 5th through 7th most times.
Big contract or not, he is not doing us much good in the 3 hole most nights. Perhaps a move down in the order will help take some of the pressure off of him because we already have a lead by the time he comes to bat.
A lineup that looked like this might shake up the offense, and keep our currently hot hitters (Winn, Reed, Sexson, Ibanez) batting more often with runners in scoring position.
RF Ichiro! (L)
LF Winn (S)
CF Reed (L)
1B Sexson (R)
DH Ibanez (L)
3B Beltre (R)
2B Boone (R)
SS Morse (R)
C Borders (R)
With our current lineup with Beltre 3rd and Reed down at 7th, we are hitting the black holes of Beltre and Boone with runners on base, making it runners on base and two outs for our hotter hitters, or worse, having Beltre and Boone ending innings.
A lineup shakeup is overdue. Its 2005 and Adrian Beltre has stunk at the plate. Lets try the same remedy that worked in 2004 and move him down in the lineup.
