Giants @ Cubs IGT June 28-30

[dabynsky]

With Z hitting i wouldnt think that be bad idea at all. Campana basically becomes the 1 hitter after 1st inning. What scares me when Z not hitting is taking the bat out of ur 7 hole hitter. Usually Soriano is there so dont want him seeing pitches out of the strikezone for the intentional but not intional walk. He would prolly swing at all of them lol

Actually I think Soriano could thrive in that spot in all honesty. He has been doing well recently in drawing walks. He is still going to swing at bad pitches, but when it appears like he has done a better job at recognizing when guys are working around him. Could just be my preception oif things, but the past week or so I like the approach that Sori has been taking at the plate.

I just think the if you want to get Campana in the lineup he screams as that type of guy to do this with, i.e. speedy guy that can't hit.

 

[Rice Cube]

I think Soriano should hit third and Pena fourth. Soriano so far is one of the best power hitters on the team. I'd suggest Pena third, but he gets on base so much better than Soriano that he'd be better served in the #4 spot. Just lineup optimization here. You definitely don't want Campana #1 or #2 until he shows you that he can get on base. So far he's struggling to get the ball past the infield, and he's also got to learn how to bunt if he's going to try that to get on base.

 

[dabynsky]

I think Soriano should hit third and Pena fourth. Soriano so far is one of the best power hitters on the team. I'd suggest Pena third, but he gets on base so much better than Soriano that he'd be better served in the #4 spot. Just lineup optimization here. You definitely don't want Campana #1 or #2 until he shows you that he can get on base. So far he's struggling to get the ball past the infield, and he's also got to learn how to bunt if he's going to try that to get on base.

I disagree that you want more OBP in the fourth spot then the third spot. I want the guys that can on base the most to bat the highest in the lineup. I wouldn't be completely opposed to Soriano in the 3rd spot which makes a lot more sense than Baker or Dewitt there.

 

[Rice Cube]

I disagree that you want more OBP in the fourth spot then the third spot. I want the guys that can on base the most to bat the highest in the lineup. I wouldn't be completely opposed to Soriano in the 3rd spot which makes a lot more sense than Baker or Dewitt there.

It has a bit to do with the Tango approach to lineup optimization. You obviously want the best OBP guy in the #1 spot as he will get the most plate appearances per game. He should be followed by another high-OBP guy who doesn't have to be SLG-heavy as you want to set the table for the rest of the lineup. The #3 guy is most likely to bat with nobody on base and two outs to begin the game, so you want him to be able to hit homers (i.e. Soriano) and you also don't want him to lead off the first two innings (unless they bat around in the first in which case that's irrelevant). The #4 guy is theoretically your best hitter then, as he has good OBP and good SLG. So if #1 and #2 get on but #3 strikes out, #4 can still get the job done. If #1 and #2 are out and #3 gets out, #4 gets to lead off the next inning with good OBP skills.

 

[dabynsky]

It has a bit to do with the Tango approach to lineup optimization. You obviously want the best OBP guy in the #1 spot as he will get the most plate appearances per game. He should be followed by another high-OBP guy who doesn't have to be SLG-heavy as you want to set the table for the rest of the lineup. The #3 guy is most likely to bat with nobody on base and two outs to begin the game, so you want him to be able to hit homers (i.e. Soriano) and you also don't want him to lead off the first two innings (unless they bat around in the first in which case that's irrelevant). The #4 guy is theoretically your best hitter then, as he has good OBP and good SLG. So if #1 and #2 get on but #3 strikes out, #4 can still get the job done. If #1 and #2 are out and #3 gets out, #4 gets to lead off the next inning with good OBP skills.

I can buy that. My theory about lineup construction was getting your best hitters the most plate appearances. The higher you bat the more plate appearances you get.

Either way the lineup construction matters very little at the end of the day. The fact that the Cubs are playing a roster with nearly half the guys having time in the minors is far more important for where they are at this point in the season.

 

[Rice Cube]

I can buy that, either way the lineup construction matters very little at the end of the day. The fact that the Cubs are playing a roster with nearly half the guys having time in the minors is far more important for where they are at this point in the season.

As a whole, the lineup optimization only buys you 1 or 2 wins tops over the course of the regular season, so it doesn't matter as much, but if you're looking for marginal wins with a shitty team, you pretty much need to make sure you don't bat Tony Campana in the #2 spot

 

[dabynsky]

As a whole, the lineup optimization only buys you 1 or 2 wins tops over the course of the regular season, so it doesn't matter as much, but if you're looking for marginal wins with a shitty team, you pretty much need to make sure you don't bat Tony Campana in the #2 spot

Or Darwin Barney 2nd... Or Blake Dewitt 3rd... do we need to go on :smh:

 

[Rice Cube]

Or Darwin Barney 2nd... Or Blake Dewitt 3rd... do we need to go on :smh:

You have to wonder at this point how many runs/wins Quade has cost the team due to lineup construction. I'm not even okay with Castro hitting third, I think he's wasted there as he's a singles/doubles hitter. Marlon Byrd in the #3 spot annoyed the crap out of me because he was so impatient and always hit the ball on the ground.

 

[dabynsky]

You have to wonder at this point how many runs/wins Quade has cost the team due to lineup construction. I'm not even okay with Castro hitting third, I think he's wasted there as he's a singles/doubles hitter. Marlon Byrd in the #3 spot annoyed the crap out of me because he was so impatient and always hit the ball on the ground.

While his lineups are inconsistent at best, I don't think you could put that number at any higher than 5. This team hitting in RISP is so unbelievably bad. I mean they are what top 5 in batting average and bottom 5 in batting average in RISP.

 

[Rice Cube]

While his lineups are inconsistent at best, I don't think you could put that number at any higher than 5. This team hitting in RISP is so unbelievably bad. I mean they are what top 5 in batting average and bottom 5 in batting average in RISP.

Some of it is really bad luck (ewww, that word again) and some of it is the fact that because the lineup is clogged with powerless slap-hitters who can't go first-to-third or first-to-home, you're going to get a lot of guys on base but you won't score more than a run at a time because they can't get the ball off the ground.

 

[dabynsky]

Some of it is really bad luck (ewww, that word again) and some of it is the fact that because the lineup is clogged with powerless slap-hitters who can't go first-to-third or first-to-home, you're going to get a lot of guys on base but you won't score more than a run at a time because they can't get the ball off the ground.

While I agree that is part of the reason why they have problems scoring, I don't think that explains why the batting average is so low in that circumstance.

Founds these numbers at baseball-reference trying to dig up the Cubs batting average with RISP. The Cubs are currently 2nd in BA and BABIP. They are above or average in terms of OBP, SLG, and very interestingly % of Runners Scoring. There ISO is a little below average. I wouldn't have guess those last couple of stats to be as close to league average as they were. Again I guess it goes back to how bad the pitching as a whole has been.

 

[poodski]

I disagree that you want more OBP in the fourth spot then the third spot. I want the guys that can on base the most to bat the highest in the lineup. I wouldn't be completely opposed to Soriano in the 3rd spot which makes a lot more sense than Baker or Dewitt there.

The three spot comes up more with none on and two outs than any other position so thats why you want a guy like Soriano/Colvin hitting third.

 

[dabynsky]

The three spot comes up more with none on and two outs than any other position so thats why you want a guy like Soriano/Colvin hitting third.

I can understand that but why do we want a guy that is less likely to keep the inning going in that spot is what I don't understand. I would think that you would be better off stashing your high power/low OBP players in the sixth spot.

Again I understand the rationale behind the thinking, but I guess I want to maximize the number of PAs for my best hitters. The higher they bat the more they get to hit over the long season.

 

[poodski]

I can understand that but why do we want a guy that is less likely to keep the inning going in that spot is what I don't understand. I would think that you would be better off stashing your high power/low OBP players in the sixth spot.

Again I understand the rationale behind the thinking, but I guess I want to maximize the number of PAs for my best hitters. The higher they bat the more they get to hit over the long season.

And thats a fair assessment. Honestly batting order isnt all that important as long as you aren't doing something stupid like I dont know hitting Campana 2.

It might cost you a few runs in the long run, but honestly it's really not a huge deal.

 

[dabynsky]

And thats a fair assessment. Honestly batting order isnt all that important as long as you aren't doing something stupid like I dont know hitting Campana 2.

It might cost you a few runs in the long run, but honestly it's really not a huge deal.

Exactly batting order matters very little of the course of a season, but what else do we have to talk about (apart from how much they suck and Castro's hitting streak).

 

[daddies3angels]

15 min till Cubs start another game they lose

 

[dabynsky]

15 min till Cubs start another game they lose

We do well in the first game of a series. It is the rest of the series that we can't seem to win.

 

[daddies3angels]

We do well in the first game of a series. It is the rest of the series that we can't seem to win.

This is techinally the 3rd game vs COL..so we lose :smh:

 

[daddies3angels]

Wind blowing out to CF a little. How many HR does COL hit today? How many do Cubs hit today? i have COL out homering Cubs 3-1

 

[dabynsky]

How about this for a prediction. Castro hits a homerun today to extend the streak.