Swisher takes over at leadoff, center field

By Mark Gonzales - 7:01 p.m.

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Manager Ozzie Guillen announced after Wednesday's 12-10 loss to Milwaukee that Nick Swisher will bat leadoff and play center field most of the time while Jerry Owens recovers from a small tear of the right adductor muscle.

 

Despite his lack of experience at the leadoff spot, Swisher welcomes the assignment. His high on-base percentage and ability to work deep counts made the decision easy for Guillen. Pablo Ozuna will remain the leadoff batter for Monday's season-opener against Cleveland because he's a lifetime .400 hitter (12-for-30) against C.C. Sabathia.

 

 

 

Glad he's leading off. I wonder if Quentin or Anderson will play LF. If Anderson were to play he'd play CF, right? Who knows--last year Ozzie put Erstad in center and Anderson in left a couple times.

What? In CF? Why?

Nice.

 

Who's in left

No BA in cf?? Man Oz must really not like this kid to sacrifice not putting the best defense out there.

And I wish it would stay that would permanently with Quentin in LF.

 

But BA certainly looks like the 4th OF now.

 

A Quentin / Ozuna platoon at LF I'd say until Owens is healthy. Then Swisher slides back over to LF.

If Anderson is in the lineup with Swisher, and Anderson is playing LF, Ozzie deserves all the abuse he gets.

BA had 24 innings of LF in 2006 and 11 in 2007. It didn't make any more sense then.

If Anderson is in the lineup with Swisher, and Anderson is playing LF, Ozzie deserves all the abuse he gets.

 

I agree with this.

 

Good lord is that retarded. The only conceivable scenario under which this is sane is if it's already decided with a high degree of certainty that Anderson will be traded, and that they want Swisher to get practice out there to hopefully preclude Owens from playing there on a regular basis. Sadly, I don't think that is the case. Even if it were the case, I still find the Anderson being traded part to be idiotic because no way we get more value than he is worth as a player on the field.

 

That is, unless Quentin is healthy and starting in LF beginning with opening day. But even still, I don't see how you don't give Anderson a chance, with his A)ability to play CF and B) his ability to play a great CF

Edited March 27, 200818 yr by Vance Law

BA better not be in LF. I bet its Quentin in LF though. It freaking better be.

A Quentin / Ozuna platoon at LF I'd say until Owens is healthy. Then Swisher slides back over to LF.

How do you platoon 2 righties?

Ozuna is better against lefties isn't he?

How hard is it to go with an outfield of Swisher in LF, Anderson in CF, and Dye in RF (with Quentin getting some starts in LF/RF/DH)? Swisher is TERRIBLE in CF. He's no different than Mackowiak was out there.

Edited March 27, 200818 yr by fathom

 

My question why isnt ozuna hitting leadoff? He has killed cc sabathia

 

 

now this is lineup: swish, ocab, thome, konerko, dye, aj, crede, anderson or quentin and pablo hitting 9th

My question why isnt ozuna hitting leadoff? He has killed cc sabathia

now this is lineup: swish, ocab, thome, konerko, dye, aj, crede, anderson or quentin and pablo hitting 9th

 

The article states that Ozuna is leading off on opening day against Sabathia, check it again.

 

I don't care if Swisher is decent or even above average in CF. Any time Anderson has been in CF, he has been stellar. If he is going to be in the lineup, at least put him in the position that he is most effective in, CF.

 

If it really is Anderson in LF, Swisher in CF, it's Ozzie not using his resources correctly, plain and simple. This is all a moot point of Quentin is the LF opening day.

 

This might be the only time I'll say this all year, but Ozzie isn't stupid. This means Quentin is going to start opening day in LF. The only other possibility is we'll start Uribe or Ramirez at 2nd base on opening day, and Ozuna in LF.

I don't care if Swisher is decent or even above average in CF. Any time Anderson has been in CF, he has been stellar. If he is going to be in the lineup, at least put him in the position that he is most effective in, CF.

 

If it really is Anderson in LF, Swisher in CF, it's Ozzie not using his resources correctly, plain and simple. This is all a moot point of Quentin is the LF opening day.

Yeah definitely. I feel the same.

 

This means that once Prancer2.0 comes back he will be awarded the starting CF job and leadoff role.

Edited March 27, 200818 yr by Whitewashed in '05

Swisher had a RZR in high .800's last season in a bigger ballpark when playing CF.

 

He's not TERRIBLE out there.

This might be the only time I'll say this all year, but Ozzie isn't stupid. This means Quentin is going to start opening day in LF. The only other possibility is we'll start Uribe or Ramirez at 2nd base on opening day, and Ozuna in LF.

 

 

I will now stop posting and stock up on dry goods as the end of the world is nigh....

This might be the only time I'll say this all year, but Ozzie isn't stupid. This means Quentin is going to start opening day in LF. The only other possibility is we'll start Uribe or Ramirez at 2nd base on opening day, and Ozuna in LF.

 

That has to be it. The only two possibilities I can think of.

Swisher had a RZR in high .800's last season in a bigger ballpark when playing CF.

 

He's not TERRIBLE out there.

It's not a question of being terrible. It's a question of how much better our other option is. It's comparing a decent CF to a possibly great CF. You give up maybe 20 runs in a season if you go from Swisher to Mackowiak, but then you save like 20 more runs if you go from Swisher to Anderson.

Swisher is TERRIBLE in CF. He's no different than Mackowiak was out there.

You're wrong, at least as far as the stats go.

2.66 RF .839 ZR -Swish career in CF

2.27 RF .801 ZR -Mack career in CF

 

For comparison's sake:

2.83 RF .885 ZR-BA

So Swish is squarely between Mack and BA.

Edited March 27, 200818 yr by JorgeFabregas

It's not a question of being terrible. It's a question of how much better our other option is. It's comparing a decent CF to a possibly great CF. You give up maybe 20 runs in a season if you go from Swisher to Mackowiak, but then you save like 20 more runs if you go from Swisher to Anderson.

 

Thanks for summing up what I meant when comparing Mackowiak/Swisher to having Anderson out there. Hopefully Quentin hits well at the start, and Anderson isn't needed.

No better thread than this to state this, but I really hope Ozzie knows how to use Ramirez wisely this year.

It's not a question of being terrible. It's a question of how much better our other option is. It's comparing a decent CF to a possibly great CF. You give up maybe 20 runs in a season if you go from Swisher to Mackowiak, but then you save like 20 more runs if you go from Swisher to Anderson.

I'm perfectly fine with a Quentin - Swisher - Dye OF, but I can see why people would rather the Swisher - Anderson - Dye OF instead.

 

I just think even though BA has hit well so far, he'd be ideal as a 4th OF. Put him in as a late inning defensive replacement constantly, and give him at least 2 starts a week.

 

Quentin is the better offensive option out of the 2, and he's pretty good in a corner spot defensively (so long as his shoulder is ok).

It's not a question of being terrible. It's a question of how much better our other option is. It's comparing a decent CF to a possibly great CF. You give up maybe 20 runs in a season if you go from Swisher to Mackowiak, but then you save like 20 more runs if you go from Swisher to Anderson.

I personally think that Quentin's offensive production would outproduce the benefits that you would have starting BA over Swisher in CF.

 

And that's just because I think if he was fully healthy, Quentin is capable of a .800-.850 OPS this season.

 

Don't think BA can do that for a full season.