1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Never made much sense because if the weather is so bad on opening day to require a postponing it probably isn't going to be much better the next. Just schedule two in a row.

It's such a letdown. Especially after last night...I want to sit down and enjoy another game right away, especially after not having baseball for 4-5 months. 

This Astros lineup this evening will be much different than the one that handed Lynn his lunch in the past.  

 

1 minute ago, Harry Chappas said:

This Astros lineup this evening will be much different than the one that handed Lynn his lunch in the past.  

 

Not that much different. Even Maldonado is 7–14 with a dinger against him. If Maldonado has your number, you’ve got problems with that lineup.

8 minutes ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

Not that much different. Even Maldonado is 7–14 with a dinger against him. If Maldonado has your number, you’ve got problems with that lineup.

I was thinking Correa, Springer, Altuve and Brantly but didn't dig too deep.  I know Correa and Springer were gone last year. 

4 minutes ago, Harry Chappas said:

I was thinking Correa, Springer, Altuve and Brantly but didn't dig too deep.  I know Correa and Springer were gone last year. 

You’re right but Alvarez, Tucker and evidentially Maldonado still match up with him very well. 

1 hour ago, pcq said:

We might see Grandal DH tonight?

Neh, Colas should get his first start in RF and you're not going to sit Eloy or Benintendi. Grandal shouldn't DH very often, especially against a RHP when Sheets is also an option.

4 minutes ago, ChiSoxTrojan said:

Neh, Colas should get his first start in RF and you're not going to sit Eloy or Benintendi. Grandal shouldn't DH very often, especially against a RHP when Sheets is also an option.

We need to run our guys into the ground if they are ready. 120 games for Grandal, 140 for Vaughn, etc. Get the training staff ready. No more sunday lineups three times a week TLR style.

I play the same guys except Colas over Romy.  Move Beni up and roll on

15 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

We need to run our guys into the ground if they are ready. 120 games for Grandal, 140 for Vaughn, etc. Get the training staff ready. No more sunday lineups three times a week TLR style.

I don't think you'll see Grandal that much at catcher. The other regulars should be in the 140 range. 

2 minutes ago, ptatc said:

I don't think you'll see Grandal that much at catcher. The other regulars should be in the 140 range. 

Agree, so he needs to catch about 100 and then DH/1B 20. Just get him in the lineup when possible.

19 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

I play the same guys except Colas over Romy.  Move Beni up and roll on 

Only comment here is about moving Beni up. Grifol was on record sometime the past week saying he doesn't like to tinker with lineups too much, like to get guys in a slot and let them get comfortable there. I personally like that approach rather than the lineup blender we've seen in the past. 

Obviously Day 1 lineup doesn't mean we can't change things and adjust, just saying I don't think we'll see lineup shakeups just for the sake of moving things around

 

Just now, chitownsportsfan said:

We need to run our guys into the ground if they are ready. 120 games for Grandal, 140 for Vaughn, etc. Get the training staff ready. No more sunday lineups three times a week TLR style.

I want Grandal to catch as many games as possible. That means that when he's not catching, he should be on the bench getting a full day off. Those off days should come against LHP as much as possible, because that's when Zavala's bat is most useful.

Just now, MiddleCoastBias said:

Only comment here is about moving Beni up. Grifol was on record sometime the past week saying he doesn't like to tinker with lineups too much, like to get guys in a slot and let them get comfortable there. I personally like that approach rather than the lineup blender we've seen in the past. 

Obviously Day 1 lineup doesn't mean we can't change things and adjust, just saying I don't think we'll see lineup shakeups just for the sake of moving things around

 

It seems reasonable to have two "standard" lineups, one when they're facing a LHP and one when they're facing a RHP. That doesn't seem like a lot of tinkering.

4 minutes ago, ChiSoxTrojan said:

I want Grandal to catch as many games as possible. That means that when he's not catching, he should be on the bench getting a full day off. Those off days should come against LHP as much as possible, because that's when Zavala's bat is most useful.

That is incorrect. .749 OPS vs RHP, .653 vs LHP

2 minutes ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

That is incorrect. .749 OPS vs RHP, .653 vs LHP

Also, Grandal has hit significantly better against LHP the last few years

3 minutes ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

That is incorrect. .749 OPS vs RHP, .653 vs LHP

too small of a sample really. that said, for whatever reason the Sox seem to have done a pretty good job finding backup catchers recently. it's been the least of our concerns. Zeby had a 108 OPS+ last year in 200 or so PA, do that again please.

2 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

too small of a sample really. that said, for whatever reason the Sox seem to have done a pretty good job finding backup catchers recently. it's been the least of our concerns. Zeby had a 108 OPS+ last year in 200 or so PA, do that again please.

Regardless, since Yaz has been in a Sox uniform he has hit LHP much better than RHP. And it may be a small sample size but it certainly doesn’t support using Zavala against LHP either

Edited March 31, 20233 yr by FourEyesShottenhoffer

Personally, I would have Grandal catch tonight. Seby catch Saturday, then Grandal catch Sunday. But I could see alternating and not having Grandal catch two in a row during the early part of the year. 

1 minute ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

Regardless, since Yaz has been in a Sox uniform he has hit LHP much better than RHP. And it may be a small sample size but it certainly doesn’t support using Zavala against LHP either

I mean I agree, if we're going to have success we need our stars to play often and well. We need Grandal's bat in the lineup as much as his body can handle.

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I mean I agree, if we're going to have success we need our stars to play often and well. We need Grandal's bat in the lineup as much as his body can handle.

Right but particularly against LHP. Zavala should only start against RHP

I’m not going to do the math but Yaz’s OPS vs lefties is damn near 1.000 since 2020. He should never sit against a lefty

1 minute ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

Right but particularly against LHP. Zavala should only start against RHP

Grandal is a better LHH without the shift.  Zavala should only start against LHP 

1 minute ago, Harry Chappas said:

Grandal is a better LHH without the shift.  Zavala should only start against LHP 

How does the shift explain extremely higher HR rate vs lefties

23 minutes ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

Only comment here is about moving Beni up. Grifol was on record sometime the past week saying he doesn't like to tinker with lineups too much, like to get guys in a slot and let them get comfortable there. I personally like that approach rather than the lineup blender we've seen in the past. 

Obviously Day 1 lineup doesn't mean we can't change things and adjust, just saying I don't think we'll see lineup shakeups just for the sake of moving things around

 

He had Benny 3rd most of the spring.  I expect him to be higher vs RHP.  

I don’t expect to see a lot of tinkering unless it’s not working, but I think he’ll switch it up vs Lefties. 

Edited March 31, 20232 yr by Tnetennba

Sorry but none of the numbers support your position. Grandal is much better vs LHP than right and any indication indicates the inverse for Zavala. Grandal should always start against LHP and Zavala should get his 40+ starts against RHP

Edited March 31, 20232 yr by FourEyesShottenhoffer