Not against lefties, though - certainly not Reddick. Here's what Reddick, McCann and Gattis did v LHP last year: Gattis: .288/.341/.545/.886 McCann: .218/.317/.345/.662 Reddick: .155/.212/.155/.366 (not a typo, btw - jeez louise!) But last night, against a LH pitcher: McCann 6; Reddick 8; Gattis 9. I think there's some strategy there - burying Reddick, maybe?... I don't know. Just weird Gattis wasn't 6th, frankly.
Gattis doesn't get on base for the top 4, and it wastes his best skill, driving in runs, i don't like it. When Aoki plays, I would prefer to have him hit 9th. He can act as a table setter for our top 4 which figures to pack quite a wallop. My ideal lineups RHP CF Springer 3B Bregman 2B Altuve SS Correa DH Beltran RF Reddick C McCann/Gattis 1B Gurriel LF Aoki LHP RF Springer 3B Bregman 2B Altuve SS Correa DH Beltran C Gattis 1B Gurriel CF Marisnick LF Aoki
No way Aoki plays everyday. You're RHP is spot on. I could see any number of options in LF against lefties: Beltran, Gonzalez/Gurriel with the other at 1B. Reddick will play RF almost everyday and Marisnick will sit most of the time, unless Reddick performs terribly like last year against lefties. Hinch also said JD Davis was going to get some time in LF in the minors. If he continues to stroke he could get called up at some point to play LF at least against lefties, but may get a chance as everyday player if he is decent in LF.
Beltran is only supposed to play 1/4 of the time in the OF and Reddick has been dog s**t against lefties for years now, not just last year. If the Astros are letting him play regularly against lefties they are idiots. Aoki certainly won't play everyday, but if they follow through on the plan to limit Beltran's OF starts, Aoki will start the majority of the games out there.
Maybe bat Reddick in the 2 spot against RHP pitching. Put Bregman 6th in the order between Beltran and McCann. I agree Aoki should definitely see much more time than Reddick vs lefties.
Damn, I almost wish there was a certain old poster still around to tell us every single day how HINCH!!1! is screwing up the lineup. He'd have a field day given all of the options the manager has this year.
I wasn't a fan of the Reddick signing. He is a AA caliber hitter against lefties and his defense isn't close to what it was a few years ago. I figured the Astros intended to only have him hit righties, liked that he didn't strikeout and even with a step back defensively he is still capable. If Hinch starts playing Reddick against lefties, he is a fool.
If I had to guess, Reddick was promised an everyday role in the lineup regardless. I'm fine with him getting an extended leash to try and figure things out against LHPs because of the depth of the lineup but definitely could get away with Marwin/Beltran in DH/LF and Jake in CF some games against LHPs.
I don't know the numbers, but I would think lefties only constitute about 25% of the starters in the AL. Not saying that it will happen, but that means Beltran could play OF on whenever lefties start and hit the 25%. Also, Hinch has already said he is going to start the year out playing Reddick against lefties. He will adjust if Reddick continues to struggle against them. Marisnik should very seldom start. That is what would be idiotic. How many years are we going to give the guy to learn how to hit?
As many years it takes or how many years his defense makes him better than other better hittinf options for last OF spot.
Over the last 3 years Reddick's OPS against RHP has been up close to .850. If he could maintain an .850 OPS against all pitchers, he would easily command 20 million. But he hasn't shown an ability to do so, so he didn't command that. He can only do it against 2/3 of the league, so he gets 2/3 of 20 million. I've always like the Reddick signing, but I've liked it knowing he was a platoon hitter. He's not worth 13 million if he's actively hurting the team against lefties, instead of merely being a bystander. Marisnick hasn't shown an ability to hit, but he's still been better than Reddick against LHP, and he's been better by a good margin (which says more about Reddick than Jake). On top of having the world class glove.
Sorry, but I don't think his defense makes him a better option than Gonzalez, Beltran, Gurriel or even Aoki against lefties at least to start the game. Defensive replacement sure. My ideal lineup against lefties with current roster: CF Springer 3B Bregman
2B Altuve SS Correa LF Beltran 1B Gurriel/Gonzalez C Gattis LF Gonzalez/Gurriel RF Reddick (If can hit 250 or better), Aoki if not.
Marwin, Aoki, and Beltran are all poor defensive players in the outfield, and would be a fairly significant liability in RF. Meanwhile Marisnick is off the charts good defensively. If the offensive numbers are even in the same ballpark, he is a more valuable player. The OF will be a jigsaw puzzle this year, I imagine it will look different just about every day. Projecting a regular lineup is really kind of pointless (but we have to discuss something). It will be mix and match around Springer all year.
Yeah. I'll agree with you on this. I just have too many bad memories of Marisnick and Castro killing rallies last year. Not sure Aoki is a terrible outfielder, but I had never heard of him before this year. If either Marisnick or Reddick could get their **** together against lefties we could have an incredible 1-9 this year, pretty good already though. LF not too bad a reliability in Minute Maid, but could be in other parks.
And the team's ability to judge defense as they sure the hell haven't been playing him for his offense even though it is only about 15% below average against lefties (a lot worse against RHPs which there are a lot more.). Granted I think he'll play a lot less this year and I am worried they will play him in LF with Springer in CF. His one carrying card is heavily muted in LF making it hard for him to be a positive with his negative hitting.
If you are playing Marisnick against lefties he should be in center, Springer in right, and Beltran or Gurriel in LF. Still wish we had a right handed outfielder option other than Marisnick. Of course in order to sit Reddick it would have to be someone that could play center or right.
