Lineup/Rotation

[bmw800]

So with the signing of Tejada, I think the lineup (at least, who's in it) and the rotation are fairly well set:

 

Line-up:

 

Roberts 2B

Jones CF

Markakis RF

Atkins 1B

Reimold LF

Weiters C

Tejada 3B

Scott/Wiggy DH

Izturis SS

 

I don't think this will really be the order, but its the closes I can figure. There really is no true clean-up hitter on this team, unless Weiters evolves into that role. Markakis really is a 3-hitter, and I like Jones in the 2-spot much more than the 4 (he has a tendency to try to hit the ball out every time he swings when batting clean-up). Beyond that, it really will shuffle a bit.

 

Rotation:

 

Millwood

Bergesen

Guthrie

Matusz

Tillman

 

I like that rotation a lot actually.

 

In any case, I think the O's have a chance to take a huge step forward as long as the young guys continue to develop

[dc.]

I don't think there is any way Atkins is the #4...or close to it... I also don't think Tejada is that low - if he is in form and can hit 300, he deserves to be significantly higher. I also think Wieters starts at clean-up, much as he finished last year

 

2b Robers

CF Jones

RF Markakis

C Wieters

DH Scott

3b Tejada

1b Atkins

LF Reimold

SS Izturis

 

The other catch here is how good Reimold is feeling vs. how well Pie plays in the spring. It actually would be nice to have Pie swing a hot bat in the spring, start him at LF and #8... and then be able to switch Reimold and Scott (R and L) at DH. Keep Wiggy out of the line-up altogether. We'd also probably like the speed of Pie and Reimold at the bottom of the line-up.

 

But again, no way Atkins... with his avg and hr totals the last few years gets the clean-up spot.

 

Rotation I think you're on... but I think Guthrie stays at #2. I also think Tillman and Matusz switch, just for the R-L switch.

 

Millwood

Guthrie

Bergesen

Matusz

Tillman

 

Uehara, Hendrickson, Hernandez(?), Gonzalez, Johnson... who knows who else, Albers, Bass?

[thundercleetz]

I like dc's lineup. Although it would not surprise me to see Tejada bat #2. Last year he thrived in the #2 spot hitting at a .922 OPS in 289 ABs. I would like to see Reimold high in the lineup as well. I think he is already a better hitter than Scott. Although Scott is so streaky, his batting spot will probably change depending on how hot or cold he is.

[varaven45]

The lineup is getting better. I see the team scratching out 70 wins this year. If we can get a legit SP and hitter in 2011, maybe we get to .500.

 

We have a huge mountain to climb to compete with the Yanks/Bosox.

 

Still, we are going in the right direction (unless Angelos gets in the way again).

[thundercleetz]

Here is one prediction from me: Nolan Reimold is going to have a big year. I definitely think he is capable of hitting 30-35 homers this season. He could be our #4/5 hitter when it is said and done.

[dc.]

Schmuck has Tejada starting the season at clean-up... which I could definitely see. I still don't see Wieters batting lower than 5th though... not after how he closed out last year and how streaky Atkins, Reimold and Scott all are.

 

I mean, I'd love to see Reimold higher too - but we are getting to the point of just having too many bats... Roberts, Jones, Markakis were the bet 1-2-3 in the game for the first 3 months last year. Then Tejada, Wieters up there somewhere... I mean, Reimold at 4, 5 or 6 wouldn't be bad, but I don't see him 1-3, obviously. Or even 4 right away. And I don't see him above Wieters at this point.

[thundercleetz]

Schmuck has Tejada starting the season at clean-up... which I could definitely see. I still don't see Wieters batting lower than 5th though... not after how he closed out last year and how streaky Atkins, Reimold and Scott all are.

 

I mean, I'd love to see Reimold higher too - but we are getting to the point of just having too many bats... Roberts, Jones, Markakis were the bet 1-2-3 in the game for the first 3 months last year. Then Tejada, Wieters up there somewhere... I mean, Reimold at 4, 5 or 6 wouldn't be bad, but I don't see him 1-3, obviously. Or even 4 right away. And I don't see him above Wieters at this point.

 

You are right, we have too many good bats, but not great ones (yet at least, I am thinking Reimold and Wieters are going to put up breakout numbers this season). Tejada (.922), Jones (.882 OPS), and Markakis (.924 OPS) all raked out of the #2 spot last season, but these guys did not do nearly as good in the #3 spot (Tejada had an OPS of .728, Jones .587, Markakis .811). Over the past three years Tejada has an OPS of .852 in 343 ABs batting clean-up, so he does have good production there. Wieters raked out of the #3 spot in 50 ABs (which became his regular spot toward the end of the season) with an OPS of .909. Reimold batted almost everywhere in the order and produced (except 48 ABs batting 6th). I have a feeling you could stick this guy anywhere and he would hit, he is a very professional hitter. With his power, he could be an ideal clean-up hitter. Then we have Luke Scott whose best spot is batting 6th (.969 OPS) as he was pretty terrible elsewhere.

 

With all that said, how about a line-up of this?

 

2B. Roberts

CF. Jones

RF. Markakis

3B. Tejada

C. Wieters

DH. Scott

LF. Reimold

1B. Atkins

SS. Izturis

 

Another variation I like is:

 

2B. Roberts

RF. Markakis

C. Wieters

3B. Tejada

CF. Jones

DH. Scott

LF. Reimold

1B. Atkins

SS. Izturis

 

A similar lineup to this which would be just as good is batting Wieters clean-up with Markakis third and Tejada second.

[dc.]

I like the first of your two options better. No way I want Jones down at 5.

 

I think Markakis' struggles in the 3 hole (and Jones') were largely due to a weak set of bats behind them. Huff, Wigginton, Scott... none were a threat last year. Scott was the most of a threat - but I think his best streak came while he was hitting 5th behind Huff anyway. Give Markakis some protection and he'll be just fine.