Should Kris Bryant bat 3rd?

[CSF77]

My main problem with Coghlan: He has been in a RBI spot the whole year. Gotten the lion share of AB's there. 71. He has only generated 4 RBI's. 3 from HR's. He has been a major liability.

 

[dabears253313]

Ive been saying Castro should be hitting 2nd all a long. He's got the traits of a number two hitter, he's not a power guy. I just wish Soler would get some of his plate discipline back that he was showiing in the begining and he needs to find his power while he's at it
1) Fowler
2) Castro
3) Rizzo
4) Bryant
5) Soler
6) Montero
7) Coghlan
8) Russel

I agree with all of this. Also, Starlin Casto's hits and walks go to waste when he bats later in the order because 7-9 aren't driving him in. If he bats ahead of Anthony Rizzo then he has a good chance to score. Castro has been consistent and the number two hitters are Jorge Soler and Chris Coghlan. Soler has slumped lately and Coghlan is barely batting over .200. Usually #2 is a contact hitter and 3,4 and 5 are power hitters. Also, putting the team leader in RBI (Castro) behind someone who is known for getting on base (Dexter Fowler) would be a good thing.

 

[CSF77]

I agree with all of this. Also, Starlin Casto's hits and walks go to waste when he bats later in the order because 7-9 aren't driving him in. If he bats ahead of Anthony Rizzo then he has a good chance to score. Castro has been consistent and the number two hitters are Jorge Soler and Chris Coghlan. Soler has slumped lately and Coghlan is barely batting over .200. Usually #2 is a contact hitter and 3,4 and 5 are power hitters. Also, putting the team leader in RBI (Castro) behind someone who is known for getting on base (Dexter Fowler) would be a good thing.

You realize that he only has 4 BB right? Castro has never put up a 10% BB rate. But he has hit near .300 which is what he is. A contact hitter. Contact hitters are better lower in the line up with guys on base ahead of them as they have a good chance of putting the ball into play which can become a RBI opportunity.

To prove this he leads the Cubs in RBI's. Funny how that works.

 

[CSF77]

But BB leader on the team:

Bryant 17
Rizzo: 16
Montero and Fowler 10
Soler 9
Coghlan 8
Ross 6 (plays 1 per 5 games)
Alcantara 5 (not even on the roster)
Then Castro at 4.

Ya good theory guys. Really strong stuff.

 

[SilenceS]

But BB leader on the team:

Bryant 17
Rizzo: 16
Montero and Fowler 10
Soler 9
Coghlan 8
Ross 6 (plays 1 per 5 games)
Alcantara 5 (not even on the roster)
Then Castro at 4.

Ya good theory guys. Really strong stuff.

Fowler bats first
Coughlan .218 AVG and .291 OBP
Rizzo and Bryant go without saying
Castro .295 AVG and .319 OBP
Ross is to slow and so is Montero for 2 spot
Alcantara was a nightmare when up

So, unless, you put Rizzo Bryant or Soler in the 2 spot. Castro is your next bet. Also, you talk about Castro OBP but want to stick him in the 7th spot where pitchers will work around him to get to a pitcher. Doesnt fit his strong suit. He has been pounded away all season because of little protection behind him. Its why he has very little doubles. The 2 spot would bring more power to his bat and make him see fastballs. He is at a .063 ISO. That is the lowest of his career. Pitchers are already working around him and staying away from his power because they are not scared of anything behind him. Putting him 7th would be worse. The 2 spot is not bad for him the way the team is constructed.

 

[CSF77]

The thing is the top 2 OBA guys on the team are Bryant and Rizzo. That is why Montero and Castro were getting that many RBI's. Coghlan has done nothing to add to RBI production lower in the order. But he has added something to OBA the last 2 games.

The team is lacking for sure but it makes little sense to pull your top RBI guy out of the spot where the biggest RBI opertunity is.

 

[CSF77]

If there were more HR's going on this would be less of an issue but since they have been depending on small ball Castro has been invaluable where he has been hitting. When the line up starts to blast some out on a regular basis then the dynamic changes.

 

[CSF77]

Today:
Fowler: .322 OBA (6 RBI's)
Bryant .435 OBA (13 RBI's)
Rizzo .458 OBA (15 RBI's)
Montero .375 OBA (13 RBI's)
Soler .339 OBA (11 RBI's)
Castro .319 OBA (17 RBI's)
Coghlan .291 OBA (4 RBI's)
Hammel
Russell .291 OBA (7 RBI's)

I'm really not down with Bryant hitting #2 but he has been pitched around for sure. Coghlan has added nothing to RBI production so I'm 100% against batting him lower in the line up were the RBI's are at. But, I get what Maddon is doing. He is using Rizzo to get Bryant more hittable pitches. If all else fails at least Bryant will be feeding Rizzo's RBI's.

 

[CSF77]

Alcantara was a nightmare when up

He had 26 AB's in spot play. Maddon viewed him as a super sub but he needs constant AB's right now.

2 for 26 5 BB at Chicago. In 60 AB's in Iowa 14 hits. 2 for 2B, 2 for 3B 4 for HR's. so 8 of his 14 hits have been for extra bases. 7 BB in 60 AB's. So what I'm seeing is for some reason he is taking walks at a way better pace right now. Last 10 games he has been hitting .286.

IMO he should be the starting LF on the team playing every day.