2015 Batting Order

[sychmd]

what can we look at as our lineup.
1. Harrison - spark. wish had better eye. might be better as #2 after polanco figures it out.
2. Mercer - will be better this year now settled as established starter. good pop and good eye
3. Cutch - our best hitter but better as a #2, not reliable enough as an RBI guy to be a #3.
4. Walker - would rather he be a 5 or 6, but alvarez needs to show some consistency at the plate to be here
5. Marte - could be ready to break out and be a 3 or 4 hitter
6. Polanco - will be a 1 by may and a 3 candidate in 2016
7. Alvarez - anywhere from 4 to 8
8. Cervilli - could be a 7 if alvarez tanks, and even a 6 ahead of walker against LH
9. Pitcher

when polanco shows he is ready to stay, then he moves up to the 1 or 2 spot.
need to separate walker, polanco, and alvarez so not too many LH stacked.
think cutch might be a better 2 and not sure who can be 3 this year other than polanco who is still too young probably.

Bench
Stewart RH
Rodriguez RH
Snider LH
Florimon/Sellers/ RH
Lambo LH

 

[steelparrot]

Looks about right, like you said we cant stack Walker, Alvarez and Polanco close together.

Sellers and Lambo both have options left, so depending on what happens, those last 2 bench spots are probably Florimon and an unsigned NRI.

 

[thecrow124]

I am going on record right now and saying that one of Snider or Lambo will beat out Pedro at 1B before we get out of May.

 

[thedddd]

I am going on record right now and saying that one of Snider or Lambo will beat out Pedro at 1B before we get out of May.

I hope so!

 

[sychmd]

I hope so!

not sure why you would hope anyone on the roster would falter. not sure what the term fan means.

 

[thecrow124]

not sure why you would hope anyone on the roster would falter. not sure what the term fan means.

He never said he hoped any on would falter, just that, like me, he hopes one of the two can beat out Pedro.

I, and only me, hope that Pedro falters because I don't like him. I never have and I never will. That does not mean that I am not a fan of the Pirates, it means I don't like Pedro. Not as a person, as I have never met him I don't have a feeling about him personally, but as a baseball player I believe he is worthless.

 

[thedddd]

not sure why you would hope anyone on the roster would falter. not sure what the term fan means.

Yeah I never was hoping for Pedro to suck I really would like to see Lambo and Snider become more. If Pedro somehow becomes the player he was in the playoffs two seasons ago then it would be great but I don't see that happening.

 

[element1286]

Mine would be:

1. Harrison - Like his contact ability as leadoff hitter
2. Cutch/Walker - Cutch should be batting second, because that is where you put your best hitter, but I'm open to Walker, can't see batting Walker anything but 2 or 3
3. Cutch/Walker - For whatever guy you don't bat second
4. Alvarez - Probably high, but protects Pedro and Polanco from the LL matchups late
5. Marte - Best hitter left, so he slots at 5
6. Polanco - Again splitting Pedro/Polanco protects them both from LL matchups
7. Mercer - Best hitter left
8. Cervilli

 

[Darkstone42]

If Polanco works out, I think he profiles best of all our hitters in the leadoff spot. Good eye, good baserunning, hits for average with gap power. But that's if he sorts things out and hits. In that case, I would go with this:

1. Polanco - OBP, baserunning
2. McCutchen - best hitter
3. Harrison - puts the ball in play, gap power, good baserunner
4. Walker - well-rounded hitter, consistent, shown he can handle this role, and splits up lefties
5. Marte - start the rally again, high average, gap power, tons of speed
6. Alvarez - the base clearer, upside to slide up the lineup, just seems to do his best hitting in the sixth spot
7. Mercer - best hitter remaining
8. Cervelli

If Polanco doesn't live up to his skillset this year, I would probably go with element's lineup, and Snider could slot in the same place if Polanco really struggles.

 

[element1286]

I'd start Polanco at 6, if he hits really well through June yeah I think you have to discuss his lineup spot. Can't see starting him at leadoff though this year.

 

[Darkstone42]

I'd start Polanco at 6, if he hits really well through June yeah I think you have to discuss his lineup spot. Can't see starting him at leadoff though this year.

Yup, agreed. But our lineup will obviously be a lot better if he hits, and if he hits, I think Polanco as a leadoff is the best way to go.

 

[Illinest]

My top regression concern is Harrison. I don't expect regression but if I had to pick a player it would be him.
My top bounce-back is Alvarez. He's better than he showed in 2014.

I was buying into the conventional wisdom about Alvarez failing in the #4 spot in the order, but I checked splits and his clean-up struggles seem to be the result of a very low BABIP.
With an eye toward maintaining a Left-right alternation I came up with my proposal.

1. Marte
2. McCutchen
3. Walker
4. Alvarez
5. Harrison
6. Polanco
7. Mercer
8. Cervelli

 

[thecrow124]

I would not be surprised at all to see every one of these line-ups used this year, possibly in the first month of the season.