Bonds Third?
by Widget on Mar 6, 2007 5:22 PM PST
21 comments
According to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (and the SF Chronicle) Bochy is considering moving Bonds to third in the batting order during the regular season. He'll stay in the three-hole for the remainder of the spring as well.
Reading this paragraph in the PD:
"Bochy said his tentative plan is use Dave Roberts and Omar Vizquel in the top two spots, followed by Bonds. Ray Durham would hit cleanup, followed by Rich Aurilia and Pedro Feliz in either order."
...would give us a lineup of:
Roberts
Vizquel
Bonds
Durham
Aurilia-Klesko/Feliz
Aurilia-Klesko/Feliz
Molina
Winn (since Bochy already indicated that Molina is too slow to bat 8th)
P
Any thoughts on this lineup? Bonds batting sooner is a good thing, but although I like Durham, I wish we had someone stronger batting cleanup. ...And I don't know if I can stomach the thought of Feliz possibly batting fifth.
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070306/NEWS/70306009/1010/SPORT01
This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.
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Re: Bonds Third?
The negative side effect of hitting Winn in the 8th hole is that Feliz is now in the 6th hole, which is one hole sooner than he should be in.
If we're worried about our pitcher's bunting, we should hit Feliz in the 8th hole so that if any men are on base he can erase them with his patented first pitch double play ball. then our pitchers can either lead off, or hit with no one on and 2 out. Problem solved.
by nostocksjustbonds on Mar 6, 2007 5:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by E Ticket on Mar 6, 2007 5:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
That's probably a toss-up these days. I'd probably take Durham in the home run derby.
That either of them is in the discussion for cleanup hitter is grotesque.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Cain, Lincecum, Zito, Lowry.
Whew. Feelin' better.
by Grant on Mar 6, 2007 11:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Walker, Benitez, Blown Save
Walker, Benitez, Blown Save (Omar was out of position)
Surely that doesn't make you feel any better!
by PacBellBoozer on Mar 6, 2007 11:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by hometownboy on Mar 6, 2007 7:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by Rusty the Mechanical Man on Mar 6, 2007 7:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by hairball on Mar 6, 2007 8:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
No One bats cleanup on the Giants except for him since Kent left, no?
Right, like he's going to step aside and watch Pedro swing maddly in the 4th spot with all of baseball watching him chase the HR record. Not a chance. I'll believe it when I see it.
by Rusty the Mechanical Man on Mar 6, 2007 10:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Granted, it only comes out to like a dozen extra plate appearances, but it's shaping up to be a close one.
by Bhaakon on Mar 6, 2007 10:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Yes, by batting fourth Barry also comes to bat with no runners on base nearly a third of the time for his first at bat, but at least it is with no outs, the time at which walking him with no one on can do the most damage to the opposition.
The third spot in the order is important because it precedes the cleanup and fifth-place hitters and because it follows the #1 and #2 hitters, who should be among the best on the team at reaching base. But the third spot is discounted by its being the spot that BY FAR comes to the plate with no one on and two outs the most of any spot in the order.
When he plays, Ryan Klesko seems a good choice for the #3 spot, since he has been good throughout his career at reaching base (which is precisely what one wants the batter before Bonds to do). If Ray Durham isn't batting in enough runs from the #5 spot in which he excelled last season and Klesko is hitting with power, switch them.
Randy Winn and Rich Aurilia are other potential #3 hitters, with even Omar Vizquel a possibility. But Barry Bonds is somewhat wasted while batting #3. If he isn't hitting but walks a lot, yes, bat him third. But if he hits as he did last season, he is clearly the guy who should bat cleanup for the Giants.
by sharksrog on Mar 6, 2007 8:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Bonds will get on at least half the time. That means a lot more pitches thrown in every first inning.
Let me put it like this, the Giants would have made the playoffs in 2004 had Bonds been batting 3rd all year. They barely missed.
by positiveuphemism on Mar 7, 2007 11:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
OK. So if Barry bats with two outs and Barry DOESN'T get on the pitcher STILL gets loose with a 1-2-3 inning and DOESN'T have to face Bonds in the second unless he can't get three outs from eight batters. And if Barry DOES get on base, presumedly under your logic the pitcher is now loose and in a groove to pitch to the Giants anemic cleanup hitter. And by facing at least one more batter, the pitcher is REALLY loose coming out for the second.
"Bonds will get on at least half the time. That means a lot more pitches thrown in every first inning."
How do you know Barry will get on at least half the time? He failed to do so last season -- and even in any single month after April, even though he began to hit better in August and September. Barry also didn't get on base even two-fifths of the time when he came to the plate with no one on, which he would do nearly half the time in the first inning if he bats third.
"Let me put it like this, the Giants would have made the playoffs in 2004 had Bonds been batting 3rd all year. They barely missed."
You're basing your conclusion on what again? I believe you're merely speculating, although I would be happy to listen to your reasoning.
by sharksrog on Mar 10, 2007 11:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by allfrank on Mar 6, 2007 9:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
But if he bats fourth and either Davey or Omar gets on, Barry will still bat with at least one on or at least one run in unless the third-place hitter hits into a double play or Davey or Omar is picked off or thrown out trying to steal.
Most importantly, Barry has a far better chance of batting with TWO runners on (and/or having already scored) by batting fourth than third.
And he has a small chance of batting with the bases loaded (when he has hit his very best) in the first with NO outs if he bats cleanup. If he bats third, the Giants will have scored so many runs when he bats in the first with the bases loaded that it likely won't matter WHAT he does in that at bat.
by sharksrog on Mar 10, 2007 11:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by rotorueter on Mar 7, 2007 6:16 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
CF Roberts
SS Vizquel
LF Bonds
2B Durham
1B Klesko
3B Aurilia
C Molina
RF Winn
OR, if Richie is doing quite well:
CF Roberts
SS Vizquel
3B Aurilia
LF Bonds
2B Durham
1B Klesko
C Molina
RF Winn
I presume you statheads are rolling your collective eyes at my righty-lefty compulsion...
by Lyle on Mar 7, 2007 7:20 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Maybe other managers don't do that. I've probably just seen him do that too many times.
I think I like Bochy, even though I really have no actual idea how he manages. I just think he won't do that.
Wait, what am I talking about?
by groug on Mar 7, 2007 12:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
Roberts
Vizquel
Aurilia
Bonds
Durham
Klesko
Molina
Winn
against righties and:
Winn
Vizquel
Linden
Bonds
Molina
Durham
Aurilia
Feliz
against lefties?
When Aurilia plays first against a righty, it could be:
Roberts
Vizquel
Aurilia
Bonds
Molina
Durham
Feliz
Winn
by sharksrog on Mar 10, 2007 11:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by Lyle on Mar 13, 2007 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re: Bonds Third?
by someguynamedg on Mar 7, 2007 8:15 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
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