Why wouldn't you want at least an avg bat in the lineup? I mean I dont get why you would ever be for putting an inferior team than what you could put on the field. I just cant understand this logic. Always put your best lineup on the field during the last days of a pennant race. I'm all for putting the best bats in the lineup as often as possible. Particularly because it wont hurt the team defensively.
Going by hot bat now for a bat in a month is weird. Defense does matter. I would be surprised if Caratini or Diaz at 1B are as good as Singleton.
Then it's stil 2 or 3 more than most teams. Tell me how many playoff teams will have hitters in their lineups with ops+ under 95????
Yankees have 5 hitters in their lineup out of 9 with ops+ under 95. Baltimore is deeper than us, but a lot of inexperience...
I'm not understanding what you're saying in your 1st sentence? Some guys have seasons that are just better than their career numbers Caratini is one of those guys this year. Mainly because he's getting more AB's than he has gotten before in his career. See: the Rangers last year. Apparently you haven't seen fat azz Singleton waddle around on defense. His range sucks and waddling around lazily cost them a game against the Orioles last week. It's not like Singleton's a GG 1B. Heck, he's not even avg defensively.
Defense aside, I like Jon but his K’s are coming at a higher rate now. If you’re gonna strike out 96 times in 303 at bats, you gotta have a lot more than 11 homers and 7 doubles. I trust him more than Dezenzo though. I kinda hope they have Whitcomb taking reps at 1B.
Caratini and Diaz in their major league careers have spent 400 innings at 1B. This year it's 47 innings. As bad as the team is at 1B; they only played about 5 games there this year. So clearly the team doesn't seem them as a solution there just like how they didn't put Loperfido there. Bad defense affects your pitching and 1B touches the ball a lot.
If/When Tucker gets healthy, this team will have 7 positions set. Good news: The potential rotations among AL playoff teams have very few LHSP. Tucker, Alvarez, Bregman, Diaz, and Altuve are all 116 or better vs RHP. Only Meyers (84) and Pena (94) are below 100 among those 7. Among the potential guys to fill the other 2 spots, Whitcomb, Gamel, Caratini, and Singleton are all 116+. Vs LHP, Tucker, Alvarez, Diaz, Altuve, Pena, and Meyers are all 116+. Only Bregman is lagging (86). Bad news: none of the potential other 2 hit LHP well. Dubon (84) and Chas (54) have historically, but not this year. The best thing they can do is give Whitcomb and Dezenzo as many PAs vs LHP they can before the post season and hope one or both "click". Heyward also projects to be a vs RHP Only bat.
The idea that anyone other than Hunter Brown will pitch game 2 of the playoffs for the Astros is pure nonsense.
Vs RHP: 2B Altuve 3B Bregman DH Alvarez RF Tucker C Diaz 1B Singleton LF Heyward CF Gamel SS Pena vs LHP: 2B Altuve SS Pena LF Alvarez RF Tucker DH Diaz 3B Bregman CF Meyers C Caratini 1B Dubon
Are they worse than Singleton? Not really. BTW, did you notice that Caratini batted this inning got a hit and the Stros scored the tying run? Dezenzo walks with the bases loaded. Doobie with a 2 run single
He gave up a routine GB to 3B and an oppo bloop 2B on the line while the LF was shifted about 150 yards away Terrible.
