Sox fans, I was arguing with some friends the other day about where exactly I would bat Joe Mauer if he were playing for the Chicago White Sox.

 

The whole argument started because I said that I liked the 3-4 combo of Quentin and Dye and I think it's possibly one of the best in the league. I then said I like a 3-4 of Quentin and Dye over a 3-4 of Mauer and Morneau.

 

Basically it ended up with me saying I'd bat Mauer 2nd or somewhere else because of his superb bat control and knack for getting base hits and walks. I also said I'd prefer Dye in the 3-4 hole because he can hit for good average + good power (he had about 30 more XBH than Mauer)... whereas Mauer who hits for REALLY good average but really not that much power would be better suited in more of a table setter role, or cleaning up after the 3-4-5 hitters, but mostly #2 because his bat is just so good.

 

Is this even a logical argument, or would the majority here bat Mauer 3rd or 4th if he played for us?

 

Also, where do you think Ozzie would bat him and would you agree with it?

Edited November 26, 200817 yr by YahtzeeSox

As we are set up today he would have to bat second, so that we have someone on base for the big boppers. Ideally, he'd be my #3 hitter with runners on base and the big men coming up behind him.

If Mauer was a White Sox player, he would bat 3rd, TCQ 4th and Dye 5th. You stereotypically put your best "hitter" 3rd, and if we had Mauer he'd be our best pure hitter. I guess i could foresee a scenario where you'd bat him 2nd, but really i could only see that if your lineup was absolutely loaded or you had absolutely nobody else that could bat 2nd...

 

just my thoughts

If Mauer was a White Sox player, he would bat 3rd, TCQ 4th and Dye 5th. You stereotypically put your best "hitter" 3rd, and if we had Mauer he'd be our best pure hitter. I guess i could foresee a scenario where you'd bat him 2nd, but really i could only see that if your lineup was absolutely loaded or you had absolutely nobody else that could bat 2nd...

 

just my thoughts

 

This is where I disagreed with some. I'd argue that if Quentin comes back next year and performs like he did in 2008, then he is a player capable of being a perennial all-star/MVP candidate as well as a household name and franchise player for the White Sox for many years to come.... Mauer is very similar to that description, however he just doesn't hit for good power too, like Quentin. 44 extra base hits from the 3-hole is not very spectacular, in my opinion. What do you think? Am I totally off-base expecting my 3 and 4 hitters to hit for good power and good average, like Quentin and Dye, and not just good average?

Edited November 26, 200817 yr by YahtzeeSox

Mauer has a fantastic OBP and excellent bat control, which sounds to me like an ideal #2 hitter. Hitting in front of Quentin, Thome, and Dye would give them an assload of scoring opportunities.

This is where I disagreed with some. I'd argue that if Quentin comes back next year and performs like he did in 2008, then he is a player capable of being a perennial all-star/MVP candidate as well as a household name and franchise player for the White Sox for many years to come.... Mauer is very similar to that description, however he just doesn't hit for good power too, like Quentin. 44 extra base hits from the 3-hole is not very spectacular, in my opinion. What do you think? Am I totally off-base expecting my 3 and 4 hitters to hit for good power and good average, like Quentin and Dye, and not just good average?

No, you're not. Those guys are expected to drive in runs which the middle of the Sox order does quite well. Given that Quentin's SLG will probably dwarf Mauer's in any given year by 100 points or so, it'd just not be the best place to use Mauer in our lineup.

With the current roster, I think this is almost answered by default as "#2" because it's been since 2005 that the Sox have regularly had a good 1-2 punch in the order. Look, for example, about how many different guys we tried in the #2 hole last year, while the #3 and #4 spots were quite soundly filled. AJ was there for a chunk, I think Swisher was there for a while, etc. No one we put out there really did a job anything like what Iguchi did for us in 05.

Mauer would hit 2 here, but...

 

Mauer-Morneau > TCQ-Dye

 

 

Mauer would hit 2 here, but...

 

Mauer-Morneau > TCQ-Dye

HERESY!

 

 

Mauer would hit 2 here, but...

 

Mauer-Morneau > TCQ-Dye

TCQ>God>Mauer>Morneau>Dye

Justin Morneau is really good but when he was slumping in September, Mauer didn't help much to pick up any of the power slack that is left when Morneau was struggling. Thusly, the Twins were not a very scary team in September. They got beat by chump teams with nothing to lose.

 

I'd take a 2-3-4 of Mauer Quentin and Dye or Mauer Morneau Dye but not any 3-4 that includes Mauer. Until Mauer develops power along with his superb batting average, he would not be the best hitter on the White Sox or the Twins, and not our ideal 3-4 hitter, in my opinion.

Edited November 26, 200817 yr by YahtzeeSox

What about Mauer leading off, followed by Alexei then CQ?

TCQ>God>Mauer>Morneau>Dye

I thought TCQ was God

I thought TCQ was God

if man is 5, then the devil is 6. If the devil is 6, then God is 7. Q wears number 20.

So, he's four men, 3.33333333... devils and 2.8571428142814... gods.

So, he's four men, 3.33333333... devils and 2.8571428142814... gods.

That sounds correct to within a reasonable margin of error.

Mauer would hit 2 here, but...

 

Mauer-Morneau > TCQ-Dye

 

True

Interesting thread.

I have my own question out of leftfield.

Should Thome try to bust the Thome shift? He has power to all fields. Why not stroke it to left field next season? Any ground outs will be base hits instead of grounders to the right fielder.

for the month of april I want Thome to power bunt it to the left side for the sheer gimmick and gaudiness of having a player bat 1.000 no matter the detriment to our production.

for the month of april I want Thome to power bunt it to the left side for the sheer gimmick and gaudiness of having a player bat 1.000 no matter the detriment to our production.

Agreed, and I've been wanting him to do that for a while now. They practically give him first base if he can bunt it past the pitcher, so all he has to do is show the opposition he'll do it a couple times and then you'll see teams start to reconsider the shift.

 

I don't see any way bunting could hurt him, especially in April when he's typically bad. Bunting, at the very least, will force him to watch the ball longer.

Edited November 28, 200817 yr by Kenny Hates Prospects

the constant bending over may hurt his back!

if man is 5, then the devil is 6. If the devil is 6, then God is 7. Q wears number 20.

Nice Pixies reference...