David Ortiz, Brandon Phillips, Carlos Guillen

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:19 am

Agreed, Mm...

Less pressure...and with my man "BRUCE (there it is!)" banging home runs right in front of him...he slaps a single and steals 2nd, with nobody clogging up the basepaths in front of him!

Navel Lint · Post by **Navel Lint** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:25 am

Originally posted by The Mighty Men:

[QUOTE]

I was at the game last night. He fouled off ALOT of pitches and had some good AB's. I told my wife about 30 seconds before his first hit - this guy is due for a hit, he is so close to solid contact. Then, as you would say Eddie, BAM! ( continuation of story )

MM: "See, I knew he was making good swings. It was just a matter of time and getting a good pitch. This guys a solid hitter and he will be back at the top of the lineup within a week"

Wife: "I'm sorry Hunny, were you talking to me"

MM: "Nevermind"

( atleast that's my experience )

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:35 am

Originally posted by rucrew2:

quote:Originally posted by The Mighty Men:

[QUOTE]

I was at the game last night. He fouled off ALOT of pitches and had some good AB's. I told my wife about 30 seconds before his first hit - this guy is due for a hit, he is so close to solid contact. Then, as you would say Eddie, BAM! ( continuation of story )

MM: "See, I knew he was making good swings. It was just a matter of time and getting a good pitch. This guys a solid hitter and he will be back at the top of the lineup within a week"

Wife: "I'm sorry Hunny, were you talking to me"

MM: "Nevermind"

[/QUOTE]...continued...

Wife: Oh, that reminds me of this one time, at band camp...the girls and I were just dying from the heat, and Martha pulled up with a big bag of chilled green grapes...and...

...4 minutes later

...but the way that debutant went on about..."

MM: "SWEET...he just stole second, honey...did you SEE that!"

[ April 23, 2009, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: sportsbettingman ]

The Mighty Men · Post by **The Mighty Men** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:39 am

Originally posted by rucrew2:

quote:Originally posted by The Mighty Men:

[QUOTE]

I was at the game last night. He fouled off ALOT of pitches and had some good AB's. I told my wife about 30 seconds before his first hit - this guy is due for a hit, he is so close to solid contact. Then, as you would say Eddie, BAM! ( continuation of story )

MM: "See, I knew he was making good swings. It was just a matter of time and getting a good pitch. This guys a solid hitter and he will be back at the top of the lineup within a week"

Wife: "I'm sorry Hunny, were you talking to me"

MM: "Nevermind"

( atleast that's my experience ) [/QUOTE]That is REALLY close to what actually happens!

I tried to explain the hit and run to her last night. Second baseman went to cover the steal attempt and the hitter put one right through the hole he vacated. Perfect execution of the hit and run, perfect explanation, little comprehension on my dear wife's part.

eddiejag · Post by **eddiejag** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:23 am

I think moving him down to 6th to take some heat off him was a great idea.Maybe even a homer in next game.Also Alex Rios and Carl Crawford with 4 hits each,know that's what im talking about.Since im in a good mood im giving out my keep an eye on this guy cause he could put up some numbers.

Drum roll please Ben Zobrist just picked him up in the ultimate this week but he is a free agent in many leagues.I know you like him Lance as we drafted him in the Draft Masters league.

Liquidhippo · Post by **Liquidhippo** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:14 am

That someone would feel pressure based on their slot in the lineup rather than the opposing pitcher and their stuff just boggles my mind. Not saying it doesn't happen, just that Phillips has some psych issues he needs to work through if he feels more pressure in one slot over another.

[ April 23, 2009, 01:16 PM: Message edited by: Liquidhippo ]

eddiejag · Post by **eddiejag** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:29 am

Funny when i use to play competive softball i would bat 2nd or 3rd but if not hitting for a couple games i would move down to 5th or 6th .It made me feel better,nice to be a player manager i could bat anywhere i wanted. Gillis Painting in 2000 the RI over 35 men's softball champion's.

Liquidhippo · Post by **Liquidhippo** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:21 am

I'm sure there are many others who feel the same, I just don't understand it. Whether you're hitting 1st, 2nd, 9th....it's the same distance from the mound to home plate. Whichever pitcher you face, they have the same arsenal of pitches. Your job at the plate is the same, to use your hand-eye coordination to put solid wood on the ball, and thus, the pressure, or lack thereof, is exactly the same(at least, that's how it seems to me) regardless of lineup positioning.

Whenever I stepped to the plate, my slot in the lineup was the furthest thing from my mind. My focus was 100% on the ball. At that point in time, the position of my name on a piece of paper in the dugout, the name of the cereal I had for breakfast, the price of tea in China, all those irrelevant things never entered my mind.

[ April 23, 2009, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: Liquidhippo ]

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:30 am

Originally posted by Liquidhippo:

I'm sure there are many others who feel the same, I just don't understand it. Whether you're hitting 1st, 2nd, 9th....it's the same distance from the mound to home plate. Whichever pitcher you face, they have the same arsenal of pitches. Your job at the plate is the same, to use your hand-eye coordination to put solid wood on the ball, and thus, the pressure, or lack thereof, is exactly the same(at least, that's how it seems to me) regardless of lineup positioning.

Whenever I stepped to the plate, my slot in the lineup was the furthest thing from my mind. My focus was 100% on the ball. At that point in time, the position of my name on a piece of paper in the dugout, the name of the cereal I had for breakfast, the price of tea in China, all those irrelevant things never entered my mind. Yup...and gettin the last three outs are the same as the first three...and driving the field inside the 2 min. warning is the same as the middle of the 3rd quarter...and the final 5 minutes in basketball are the same as the first 5...need I go on?

THE BEST hitters are REWARDED the first 5 spots in the batting order by the manager (or player manager

). When they fail in that coveted role...the pressure mounts.

The final shot in a game or last play or last out are all technically the same as any other...but they really just aren't.

liquid(nitrogen)hippo...ice in his veins!

[ April 23, 2009, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: sportsbettingman ]

Dirt Dogs · Post by **Dirt Dogs** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:47 am

Your role is different based on your order in the lineup. When hitting cleanup your role is drive in runs and hit the long ball. At the top is to get on base anyway possible for those guys to drive you in.

So yes your thinking should be different based on your number in the order and thus your thinking might be biased.

Liquidhippo · Post by **Liquidhippo** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:07 am

Originally posted by sportsbettingman:

quote:Originally posted by Liquidhippo:

I'm sure there are many others who feel the same, I just don't understand it. Whether you're hitting 1st, 2nd, 9th....it's the same distance from the mound to home plate. Whichever pitcher you face, they have the same arsenal of pitches. Your job at the plate is the same, to use your hand-eye coordination to put solid wood on the ball, and thus, the pressure, or lack thereof, is exactly the same(at least, that's how it seems to me) regardless of lineup positioning.

Whenever I stepped to the plate, my slot in the lineup was the furthest thing from my mind. My focus was 100% on the ball. At that point in time, the position of my name on a piece of paper in the dugout, the name of the cereal I had for breakfast, the price of tea in China, all those irrelevant things never entered my mind. Yup...and gettin the last three outs are the same as the first three...and driving the field inside the 2 min. warning is the same as the middle of the 3rd quarter...and the final 5 minutes in basketball are the same as the first 5...need I go on?

THE BEST hitters are REWARDED the first 5 spots in the batting order by the manager (or player manager

). When they fail in that coveted role...the pressure mounts.

The final shot in a game or last play or last out are all technically the same as any other...but they really just aren't.

liquid(nitrogen)hippo...ice in his veins!

[/QUOTE]Yes, but the things you mentioned, those are situations. I can understand that. The situation can dictate varying amounts of pressure. However the lineup slotting is just a sequence. I just can't relate to the pressure of being a different number in the sequence. The amount of pressure from the situation afforded to a given slot on a given day is random.

quote:

THE BEST hitters are REWARDED the first 5 spots in the batting order by the manager (or player manager [Big Grin] ). When they fail in that coveted role...the pressure mounts.

unquote

I don't disagree, but that pressure comes from the manager(or fans, or beat writeers, or GM, or whoever) FOR FAILING, not from a lineup slot, and you can fail in any lineup slot, just as you can have success in any lineup slot.

Liquidhippo · Post by **Liquidhippo** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:27 am

Originally posted by Dirt Dogs:

Your role is different based on your order in the lineup. When hitting cleanup your role is drive in runs and hit the long ball. At the top is to get on base anyway possible for those guys to drive you in.

So yes your thinking should be different based on your number in the order and thus your thinking might be biased. There's some truth in that, but I still fail to see where that creates any more or less pressure for a hitter. The situation will dictate alterations in approach more than a lineup slot will. All lineup slots, 1-9, will come up to the plate with nobody on base countless times. Their job in that situation is to get on base. Everyone will come up to the plate countless times with runners on 2nd and 3rd and nobody out. They'll all be called up to get them home. Besides, as we all know, the leadoff hitter is the leadoff hitter once at the start of the game, for the other 8 innings it's pretty random. Every lineup slot will be a cleanup hitter countless times over the course of a season, and Every lineup slot will be the leadoff guy to start an inning countless times. Since they have to do it all anyway, I don't get why a various lineup slot would increase or decrease pressure.

Less than Dave · Post by **Less than Dave** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:11 pm

I still think all 3 will have good years... I definitely think Phillips is in for a better year than last year, though short of 2007. Same for Ortiz. Guillen will be fine also.. for where he went I think he will end up being one of the bigger bargains in the draft... just wanted to see what you guys all thought.