• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

Playoff Lineup???

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
1. Fowler CF
2. Zobrist 2B (maybe at the 5 spot)
3. Bryant LF
4. Rizzo 1B
5. Russell SS
6. Baez 3B
7. Contreras C
8. Heyward RF
9. P

1. Arrieta
2. Lester
3. Hendricks
4. Hammel
...and save Lackey for relief with runners on. He throws hard and never gets nervous and throws lots of strikes.
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
DH Soler
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Fowler, CF
Bryant, LF/3B
Rizzo, 1B
Zobrist, 2B
Addy, SS
Contreras, C
Baez or Soler, 3B/LF, this will be based on matchups
Heyward, RF

Arrieta
Lester
Hendricks
Lackey

Maddon doesn't have faith in Hammel.

DH will depend on the pitcher they are facing. Soler, Szczur and La Stella will all be options along with Contreras if Ross is catching Lester. Almora could be the surprise player to make the playoff roster for a late inning defensive replacement. Imagine finishing a game with Almora, Fowler and Heyward in the OF. That is some serious coverage in the OF.

Due to the amount of off days in the playoffs the Cubs will probably shorten the pitching staff. Arrieta, Lester, Hendricks, Lackey, Hammel, Chapman, Rondon, Strop, Wood, Edwards and maybe Montgomery. Leaving space for 14-15 position players.
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Oh. I know he hates Hammel. But this thread is about what you want to see, not what you think will happen.

Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Lackey should be in the rotation over Hammel. Lackey has pitched better this year. Hammel has a very lucky .250 BABIP suppressing his ERA. Lackey has been better in every measurable way for a pitcher to be better, including K/9, BB/9, OPS allowed, BAA, WHIP, FIP, xFIP and SIERRA. Hammel has the lowest BABIP and strand rate of his career. I wouldn't want to bet on him continuing to have a career year in those areas into the playoffs. Maddon will continue to protect Hammel from letting those normalize by pulling him early, 5th/6th inning, in games.
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Best producer last playoffs was Soler, didnt he get on base 8 straight times or 8/10? He gets the nod in left, Zobrist out there to finish the game with Javy at 2B.
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
If we are basing it on last year then Bryant and Rizzo need to hit lower in the order since they hit .188/.257/.375 and .176/.243/.441 in the playoffs last year. Baez should be the starting 3B since he hit .333/.333/.533. I guess that leaves Bryant as a PH and defensive replacement. If we are going to base things off an irrelevant sample size of last year's playoffs.

Heyward's gotta be back at the top of the order. He hit .357/.438/.643 in the playoffs last year. Zobrist hit .303/.365/.515 in the playoffs last year. Can't bench either of them for Bryant. So Bryant to the bench because of last year's playoffs? I'm going to say no. Playoff stats from year to year have too much sample size volatility. Play the best players.
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
So. Comment with the playoff lineup you'd like to see....
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
If we are basing it on last year then Bryant and Rizzo need to hit lower in the order since they hit .188/.257/.375 and .176/.243/.441 in the playoffs last year. Baez should be the starting 3B since he hit .333/.333/.533. I guess that leaves Bryant as a PH and defensive replacement. If we are going to base things off an irrelevant sample size of last year's playoffs.

Heyward's gotta be back at the top of the order. He hit .357/.438/.643 in the playoffs last year. Zobrist hit .303/.365/.515 in the playoffs last year. Can't bench either of them for Bryant. So Bryant to the bench because of last year's playoffs? I'm going to say no. Playoff stats from year to year have too much sample size volatility. Play the best players.

Solers 25 plate appearances vs Javy's 15 is irrelevant where they were hitting in the batting order?

I agree, Javy should start, they never needed to sign Zobrist to be a full time second baseman.
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Why is Bryant still batting 2nd with all his production?
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Why is Bryant still batting 2nd with all his production?

Because that is the optimal lineup spot for your best hitter. Are you wanting to lower Bryant in the order and reduce his PAs while increasing the PAs of a lesser hitter and decreasing the offensive production?
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Because that is the optimal lineup spot for your best hitter. Are you wanting to lower Bryant in the order and reduce his PAs while increasing the PAs of a lesser hitter and decreasing the offensive production?
More quality guys getting to base in front of him is more important than getting to bat one more time every 20th game or so, that game maybe not even being in contention
 

wood20ks

Well-Known Member
Staff member
28,644
18,233
1,033
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Location
Cubbie country
Hoopla Cash
$ 6,227.93
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
1. Fowler CF
2. Zobrist 2B (maybe at the 5 spot)
3. Bryant LF
4. Rizzo 1B
5. Russell SS
6. Baez 3B
7. Contreras C
8. Heyward RF
9. P

1. Arrieta
2. Lester
3. Hendricks
4. Hammel
...and save Lackey for relief with runners on. He throws hard and never gets nervous and throws lots of strikes.


Well if it was up to me,Lester would be getting the 1st game start over lester.......Hes starting to fall out of favor me.
I know the way he pitched last season setting records and all,but damn,it seems like every time he comes out to pitch its not the same anymore.........I really think Lester should be the no.1

and I believe Lackey should be the no.4........
Id also start Soler over heyward.............(I don`t know if STL would take him back even for a ham sandwich).
 

ElTexan

Board Chancellor Emeritus
12,587
1,020
173
Joined
Jan 9, 2013
Location
Austin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Yeah. Lester could easily be #1, but thst has more to do with match ups.
It has really gone south for Heyward. Can you imagine a 21 million dollar defensive replacement? I think we're there.

The Lackey in Reserve thing was just a pipe dream. And now that Hammelhas had a few bad outings, it's less than that.

We still have the best ERA and best OPS+ in MLB. I have to remember to not be a negative nancy.
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
the talk is that Solers at bats are going to be scripted, he might play the game sunday, I am guessing as long as there is dry grass and blue skies. They went to rookies last two games, but will still close with Lester and Hendricks. I know they have 5 days off, but I would really like to see two more spot starts by this pen since it looks like Lester and hendricks are going 1-2. Is the final 2 games going to make a mark for the cy young voters?
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
was not expecting Szczur to be left off for Almora with all his clutch hitting. Stronger lefties off the bench, but against Madbum, I think Szczur has a better shot at getting on base.
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Almora is the better player and has been much hotter recently. Szczur hit .120/.154/.120 in September and for the season he hit .225/.276/.394 against lefties. Almora hit .321/.345/.571 in September and .262/.279/.548.
 

anotheridiot

There will always be someone to blame......
7,568
417
83
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
should see an interesting lineup tonight. I think Miggy gets the start and the out in the 8th spot to catch Jake, but we might see Almora and or Soler in the lineup today. Just takes 1 pitch for Jorgie to change the game.
 
313
3
18
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Maddon overthinking game 3 is frustrating. There is never an acceptable reason to start Soler over Heyward. However, when you start Soler for his offense then PH for him with Coghlan and then PH Heyward, who you didn't start because of his offense, for Addy WTF?!?!?! Bryant, Javy and Contreras are really the only ones that have been hitting in the postseason so why if building a lineup for offense over defense did Soler get the start and not Contreras?!?!?!

I'm not even going to start on the bullpen usage. Putting Chapman in multiple times with runners on, which is not a good situation for him to enter a game in. Having a short, one batter, leash with his high leverage relievers. The series is still very winnable going into game 4, but Maddon needs to step back and stick to the formula that worked so well in the regular season. Hopefully that broken bat single in the 9th will get Rizzo going, although taking two walks he's clearly seeing the ball and has made some good contract, but that should help with any mental blocks he could have been having.
 
Top