ClutchFans - Predicted Astros Batting Order

JLEW1818

03-17-2009, 02:17 AM

BrooksBall

03-17-2009, 02:48 AM

Cooper already talked about Matsui leading off and Bourn hitting near the bottom of the order to start the season. I suppose that could change if Cooper sees something in ST or Matsui gets injured.

This would be my guess for Opening Day if everybody stays healthy:

Matsui
Pence
Berkman
Lee
Tejada
Rodriguez
Bourn
3rd baseman

Malcolm

03-17-2009, 06:55 AM

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

Only problem is we will be giving up as many as we get. Look at the starting pitching we have

Oswalt who's dominate except in season he play in the WBC

Wandy who's a 3 at best but a 2 in this rotation

Hampton who should be a number 4 or 5 he will miss half at least 10 starts

Moehler who played well last year but not sure we should expect the same results this year

Backe who had neck problems last season from wilplash looking at balls going over the fence

DoitDickau

03-17-2009, 07:46 AM

Predicted Astros Batting Order

Here Is mine, let me know what you think.

1)Michael Bourn
2)Hunter Pence
3)Lance Berkman
4)Carlos Lee
5)Miguel Tejada
6)Ivan Rodriquez
7)Geoff Blum
8)Kaz Matsui
9)Pitcher

Looks dirty to me!!!!!

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

And there is actually, what, two players in that lineup that hit above league average for their position? The offense is still the biggest problem for this team, and unfortunately because it's 2009 and not 1999, Rodriguez is not going to be a big help.

leroy420

03-17-2009, 08:12 AM

Kaz 2B
Bourne CF
Berkman 1B
Lee LF
Pence RF
Tejada SS
Rodriguez C
Blum/Boone 3B
P

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

Maybe 5 years ago it would have been. The best Astros offensive team ever won 102 games in 1998. This team is not going to match Biggio, Bagwell, Bell, Carl Everett, & Alou in their primes.

MadMax

03-17-2009, 08:29 AM

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

maybe, maybe no.

1998
1999
2000
2004

I think Hunter Pence is the X factor for this team. I think he has the potential to be much more than he has been.

NIKEstrad

03-17-2009, 09:42 AM

Predicted Astros Batting Order

Here Is mine, let me know what you think.
1)Michael Bourn
2)Hunter Pence
3)Lance Berkman
4)Carlos Lee
5)Miguel Tejada
6)Ivan Rodriquez
7)Geoff Blum
8)Kaz Matsui
9)Pitcher

Looks dirty to me!!!!!

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

If this were 2002 for Tejada and Pudge, maybe. They're both still above average offensive players for their positions, but neither are the absolute forces they once were. The teams Max listed had better offenses, at least on paper to me.

kona-

03-17-2009, 09:56 AM

Only problem is we will be giving up as many as we get. Look at the starting pitching we have

Oswalt who's dominate except in season he play in the WBC

Wandy who's a 3 at best but a 2 in this rotation

Hampton who should be a number 4 or 5 he will miss half at least 10 starts

Moehler who played well last year but not sure we should expect the same results this year

Backe who had neck problems last season from wilplash looking at balls going over the fence

By looking at your sig and this post we can tell your a negative nancy. Everyone knows the Stro's rotation isnt very hot. But doesnt mean the offense will be bad. Thats what we are talking about right?

bigtexxx

03-17-2009, 10:01 AM

Please keep Michael Bourn on a short leash. He is not a MLB caliber hitter.

JunkyardDwg

03-17-2009, 11:06 AM

Matsui
Tejada
Berkman
Lee
Pence
Bourn
Rodriguez
Blum/Boone
Pitcher

Cooper has said Matsui will bat lead off (at least for now) and that Bourn will be toward the bottom. I don't like Bourn in the seven spot because then you have three potentially easy outs one right after the other (so what's new!) I'd rather sandwich him in between Pence and Pudge, forcing pitchers to possibly pitch to him, especially if Pudge does well. He gets on base, and then he could use his speed to his advantage with Rodriguez hitting behind him.

jev5555

03-17-2009, 11:14 AM

1. Bourne
2. Kaz
3. Puma
4. Lee
5. Pence
6. Tejada
7. Pudge
8. Boone/Blum

The rotation is not solid but it's ok. People need to stop having manic depressive meltdowns about the rotation. All our starters are serviceable. The biggest concern will be their longevity. Our bullpen is a strength and they will be used often. There is a need to carry 12 pitchers if not early on then at some point this season as arms will be getting tired. Hampton will show you why he was signed here. I'm predicting 28 starts and 180 IP...he'll also hit 3HRs ;) I'm very optimistic about the upcoming season.

Cannonball

03-17-2009, 12:23 PM

Might be the best offensive Astro team ever.

The 2000 team scored over 900 runs. The 1998 team probably would have too if they hadn't been in the Dome. This team will finish in the 700's. We scored 712 runs last season. Pudge isn't going to help us THAT much more.

ryan17wagner

03-17-2009, 12:50 PM

justtxyank

03-17-2009, 12:55 PM

I don't know. '98 and '04 line-up were sick.

I'm thinking he had to be sarcastic. Unless you are getting career years from every single person in the lineup, and Bourn suddenly learns how to get on base, there's just no way it's going to be an elite offensive team. They can be solid offensively, but there's just not enough ops in that lineup to be one of the best. I think people underrate how good some of the past Astros teams were.

JLEW1818

03-17-2009, 01:45 PM

lol ya i was teasing a little bit. We have the offense to win, just up to the pitching. Now that we have pudge behind the dish, that will help the pitching staff some.

Kate81

03-17-2009, 03:52 PM

1. Kaz
2. Pence
3. Berkman
4. Lee
5. Tejada
6. Blum
7. Pudge
8. Oswalt
9. Bourn

This is how I would do it.

SamCassell

03-17-2009, 04:07 PM

1. Kaz
2. Pence
3. Berkman
4. Lee
5. Tejada
6. Blum
7. Pudge
8. Oswalt
9. Bourn

This is how I would do it.
They'd never bat the pitcher 8th on a regular basis, but if there's anyone who deserves to hit 9th, it's Bourn. Dude was horrible last season. I'm pretty sure that Hampton is a better hitter than he is.

Fulgore

03-17-2009, 04:12 PM

Biggio
Guiterez (sp)
Bagwell
Bell
Alou
C. Everett
Spiers
Ausmus
R. Johnson

98 lineup

bigtexxx

03-17-2009, 04:15 PM

Biggio
Guiterez (sp)
Bagwell
Bell
Alou
C. Everett
Spiers
Ausmus
R. Johnson

98 lineup

Yeah this was a great offensive team. Dam you Kevin Brown

NorCal Texan

03-17-2009, 08:18 PM

Opening Day

2B Kaz
CF Bourn
1B Berkman
LF Lee
RF Pence
SS Tejada
C Pudge
3B Blum
Pitcher

2nd Half

2B Kaz
C Pudge
1B Big Puma
LF Lee
RF Pence
SS Tejada
3B Johnson
Pitcher
CF Bourn

Fulgore

03-17-2009, 10:42 PM

Yeah this was a great offensive team. Dam you Kevin BrownCould you imagine that lineup at Minute Maid??? Wow.

2004

Biggio
Beltran
Bagwell
Berkman
Kent
Lamb/Ensberg
Everett
Ausmus
Oswalt

Its hard for me to pick which one.

JLEW1818

03-17-2009, 10:52 PM

Could you imagine that lineup at Minute Maid??? Wow.

2004

Biggio
Beltran
Bagwell
Berkman
Kent
Lamb/Ensberg
Everett
Ausmus
Oswalt

Its hard for me to pick which one.

KILLER BEES

Fulgore

03-17-2009, 10:58 PM

KILLER BEESI think we would have beaten the redsox that year. Edmonds cost us that chance with that game 7 play on Ausmus

JLEW1818

03-17-2009, 11:07 PM

I think we would have beaten the redsox that year. Edmonds cost us that chance with that game 7 play on Ausmus

and jeff supon or w/e schooled us... but yah the loudest I've ever yelled at a tv was when kent hit the walkoff off izzy to send it to St lou up a game.

Fulgore

03-17-2009, 11:30 PM

and jeff supon or w/e schooled us... but yah the loudest I've ever yelled at a tv was when kent hit the walkoff off izzy to send it to St lou up a game.Hell yeah. Backe pitched the game of his life and I remember Beltran robbed Reggie Sanders of extra bases late in the game with a man on second base with 2 outs.Kent had the biggest homer in Astros history until Chris Burke did it to the Braves.

JLEW1818

03-18-2009, 12:07 AM

when kent hit his homerun I about ran on the field. If somebody else would have ran on first, i would have been behind him.