July 13, 201015 yr I've forgotten. In what spot in the order did Beckham hit the best last year? Weren't his best offensive games the ones in which he batted second?
July 13, 201015 yr QUOTE (Lillian @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 07:49 AM) I've forgotten. In what spot in the order did Beckham hit the best last year? Weren't his best offensive games the ones in which he batted second? Beckham hit .248 in the 2 hole in 2009. 54/247, 9 HR, .782 OPS. He got more at bats there than any place else, but he put up better numbers lower in the order. .326 average, 1.024 OPS in 43 AB's batting 7th, .394 average, .970 OPS in 71 at bats in the 8th spot.
July 13, 201015 yr Author QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 06:54 AM) Beckham hit .248 in the 2 hole in 2009. 54/247, 9 HR, .782 OPS. He got more at bats there than any place else, but he put up better numbers lower in the order. .326 average, 1.024 OPS in 43 AB's batting 7th, .394 average, .970 OPS in 71 at bats in the 8th spot. Good stuff, but I don't think that had as much to do with the spot where he was batting than the fact of when he started to get hot last year. I think over the course of time any hitter will hit in any position 1-9. In other words does the position they bat in really mean a huge difference in the numbers? My guess is no. The question is when do we want to make a move and try to get him into a spot where we can take advantage his bat getting hotter, which I believe it is (and will) in the second half. I know Ozzie or most on this forum are not risk takers but for me I'd rather take one more shot at it here because I think it could mean a much more intimidating O in the second half, which we will need with JFP down.
July 13, 201015 yr I would keep the kid where he is. He is starting to put together good ABs. Lets let him concentrate on just playing baseball and not worry about being a table setter for right now. In the future, sure I see him towards the top of the order. But with the slump he has had this year, its not the time to do this now.
July 13, 201015 yr Leave him alone for the time being. If he continues to hit,maybe move him up to 7th. I like Omar in the second slot because he can give himself up,let Juan steal,hit with two strikes, move runners along, and bunt. None of that is stuff that Gordo is really ready to do yet, nor do I want him to be bunting Omar over, hitting with two strikes,ect. I think if current trends hold...lineup vs righties : Juan,Omar,Alex,PK,Carlos,Kotsay,Gordo,AJ,Alexei. vs Lefties: Juan,Alexei,Alex,PK,Carlos,Andruw,Gordo, Dayan,Castro. Edited July 13, 201015 yr by Hawk09
July 16, 201015 yr Author I think GB is back. I really do, and it's silly to continue to bat him in the 9 hole. Switch him and Omar around sometime in the next week if he continues to prove me right, that he will have a good second half, with over a .300 BA and hit for power again...
July 16, 201015 yr QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Jul 16, 2010 -> 06:08 AM) I think GB is back. I really do, and it's silly to continue to bat him in the 9 hole. Switch him and Omar around sometime in the next week if he continues to prove me right, that he will have a good second half, with over a .300 BA and hit for power again... If Vizquel was struggling, I'd consider it. Reality is, Vizquel is not hurting us right now at all. Since May 1, he's hitting .292 with a .343 OBP. Obviously he's not a power threat, but he's been flat out solid at filling his role. Give Beckham a few more weeks to see if he's genuinely Becktackular again, and then maybe, maybe we think about it.
July 16, 201015 yr If Beckham is killing it in the 9 hole, leave him there. Why f*** with what is working?
July 16, 201015 yr Author QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 16, 2010 -> 11:49 AM) If Beckham is killing it in the 9 hole, leave him there. Why f*** with what is working? Ummmmmm probably because he's only getting 3 AB's a game and secondly, do you really think its the 9 HOLE that is making him hit better now? I say nonsense, and would also say that being superstitious about it and just leaving him there (like Ozzie will, and most guys here would because clearly the majority on this board are risk takers) will hurt this team in the second half. When Rios got hot in the 6 or 7 hole at the start of the year should we have just left him there because it was "working"?!?!?!!? That argument is weak, is based on pure superstition, and doesn't hold any water IMO
July 16, 201015 yr I'd keep Beckham where he is. Hell, I'd be hard-pressed to mess with anybody in this lineup right now. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
July 16, 201015 yr Keep him there until you find out he is truly back to 09 form. Messing with him right now would be a bad idea.
July 16, 201015 yr QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Jul 16, 2010 -> 12:01 PM) That argument is weak, is based on pure superstition, and doesn't hold any water IMO It's not based on superstition, it's based on the fact that batting lower in the lineup might be relieving some of the pressure from him and helping him get back into a groove. If he continues to hit like this for a few more weeks then you think about putting him back up there but for now, leave him as is.
July 16, 201015 yr QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jul 16, 2010 -> 12:20 PM) It's not based on superstition, it's based on the fact that batting lower in the lineup might be relieving some of the pressure from him and helping him get back into a groove. If he continues to hit like this for a few more weeks then you think about putting him back up there but for now, leave him as is. Where one bats in the order often dictates that hitter's approach. For example, #2 hitters are expected to take/foul off more pitches to (1) increase their chances of a walk and (2) give the #3 hitter on deck more pitches to look at. If Ozzie would want Beckham to take more pitches while hitting in the 2-hole, that may screw up his approach again. Edited July 17, 201015 yr by WCSox
July 16, 201015 yr If he is hitting, don't mess with him right now. As we learned from Crash Davis in Bull Durham, Don't mess with a winning streak.
July 17, 201015 yr Author QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Jul 16, 2010 -> 04:37 PM) If he is hitting, don't mess with him right now. As we learned from Crash Davis in Bull Durham, Don't mess with a winning streak. I understand the approach argument out of what we need out of a 2 hole hitter, that is fair, I just have a gut feeling he's out of it now (and another 2 hits yesterday) and to me it's silly to keep him batting ninth. Put him at 7 at least to where we can get more AB's out of him with runners on base if you don't have the balls to hit him #2 just yet...
July 17, 201015 yr QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Jul 17, 2010 -> 05:26 AM) I understand the approach argument out of what we need out of a 2 hole hitter, that is fair, I just have a gut feeling he's out of it now (and another 2 hits yesterday) and to me it's silly to keep him batting ninth. Put him at 7 at least to where we can get more AB's out of him with runners on base if you don't have the balls to hit him #2 just yet... I'm actually warming up to Gordon going back to the #2, but not yet. When he's hitting .250, then I move him back. Until then, he almost has to go 9th, depending on who we have in the lineup. Pierre - Omar - Rios - Konerko - Quentin - AJ - Gordon - Kotsay - Alexei (against right handers) Pierre - Alexei - Rios - Konerko - Quentin - Gordon - AJ - Viciedo - Lillibridge (against lefties)
July 17, 201015 yr I don't like Beckham batting after AJP and Viciedo when facing a LHP, as that's a good recipe for having Beckham bat with no one on.
July 17, 201015 yr QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 17, 2010 -> 11:53 AM) I don't like Beckham batting after AJP and Viciedo when facing a LHP, as that's a good recipe for having Beckham bat with no one on. Except for last night, where he kept coming up with people on. Anyway, right now I'm worrying more about the 3 slot in our lineup than the 2 slot.
July 17, 201015 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 17, 2010 -> 04:54 PM) Except for last night, where he kept coming up with people on. Anyway, right now I'm worrying more about the 3 slot in our lineup than the 2 slot. He came up with someone on after AJP and Viciedo faced a righty though. Hopefully Rios starts making more contact, as he's striking out a lot lately compared to the first few months.
July 19, 201015 yr If he keeps on hitting well in Seattle, I think it will be time to move him back in the 2 spot. The fact that Juan Pierre couldn't drive in a run to put us up 7-3 in yesterday's game might have cost us. We gotta do something about the top of the order. Edited July 19, 201015 yr by chw42
July 19, 201015 yr QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 19, 2010 -> 01:19 PM) If he keeps on hitting well in Seattle, I think it will be time to move him back in the 2 spot. The fact that Juan Pierre couldn't drive in a run to put us up 7-3 in yesterday's game might have cost us. We gotta do something about the top of the order. I thought Pierre was safe, but I also didn't have a great view of the play.
July 19, 201015 yr Author His swing is starting to look like last year again. If we see him in the 9 hole again tonight I am going to flip. It's time to get him more at bats during the game and start getting on base for the big boys...or consider putting him in the 6 slot instead of Kotsay...
July 19, 201015 yr QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Jul 19, 2010 -> 12:01 PM) or consider putting him in the 6 slot instead of Kotsay... This makes more sense. Putting a hitter in the #1 or #2 spot often changes their approach at the plate (taking/fouling off more pitches), and Beckham doesn't need that right now.
July 19, 201015 yr He's hitting so well we should move him up. Why not? It's not like we have to keep him so low for some superstitious reason.
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