shago Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 "Spring Training dictates to me where they're going to hit," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "How they feel more comfortable. How the team looks better. I want to protect Adam and PK with Rios, and I can do a lot of things here. Rios can steal bases and stuff, and A.J. [Pierzynski] can hit-and-run with [Carlos] Quentin. We can do a lot of things with them. I'm just going to start with Dunn batting third to see how it works." Protect Adam and PK with Rios? GMAFB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (La Marr Hoyt HOF @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 09:51 AM) "Spring Training dictates to me where they're going to hit," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "How they feel more comfortable. How the team looks better. I want to protect Adam and PK with Rios, and I can do a lot of things here. Rios can steal bases and stuff, and A.J. [Pierzynski] can hit-and-run with [Carlos] Quentin. We can do a lot of things with them. I'm just going to start with Dunn batting third to see how it works." Protect Adam and PK with Rios? GMAFB Regardless of the reasoning, I'll take the guy with the .381 OBP hitting 3rd vs the guy with the .331 OBP. Ozzie, without question, is making the right call here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 10:07 AM) Regardless of the reasoning, I'll take the guy with the .381 OBP hitting 3rd vs the guy with the .331 OBP. Ozzie, without question, is making the right call here. Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shago Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 11:07 AM) Regardless of the reasoning, I'll take the guy with the .381 OBP hitting 3rd vs the guy with the .331 OBP. Ozzie, without question, is making the right call here. Rios is, at-best, a 2/6-hole hitter. Using a clean-up batter in the 3-hole is a waste of his production... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 10:07 AM) Regardless of the reasoning, I'll take the guy with the .381 OBP hitting 3rd vs the guy with the .331 OBP. Ozzie, without question, is making the right call here. He is also going to be our biggest RBI guy, which is what I would rather maximize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (La Marr Hoyt HOF @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 10:20 AM) Rios is, at-best, a 2/6-hole hitter. Using a clean-up batter in the 3-hole is a waste of his production... No it's not. You prefer to see him hit 4th, but really, hitting behind two guys who are going to get on base quite a bit as it is and guaranteeing a plate appearance in the first inning is not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 11:21 AM) He is also going to be our biggest RBI guy, which is what I would rather maximize. Beckham and Pierre are going to be on base more than Rios in all likely hood, so Dunn will get plenty of rbi opportunities. 3rd is where this guy needs to be hitting in our lineup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottyDo Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 It's a fight between three factors: Dunn's sheer hitting ability and the need to maximize his number of AB's, the OBP of the people in front of him, and the protection from the people behind him. If you hit him 4th, you either have PK 3rd or 5th. PK 3rd gives you the best OBP in front of him but then Rios is behind him and who's gonna pitch to Dunn? If you put PK 5th, then you have the lesser OBP in front of him but greater speed and PK protecting him. If you bat him 3rd, you maximize his AB's and have PK protecting him. None of these situations are perfect, but none is that bad either. I'm fine with 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 He is also going to be our biggest RBI guy, which is what I would rather maximize. Unless you can bat Dunn behind Dunn, Ozzie will never be able to maximize Dunn's RBI production. Batting Dunn 3 or 4 is really just a matter of preference. If he is the Sox best hitter, Id prefer he gets the most at bats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 10:57 AM) If he is the Sox best hitter, Id prefer he gets the most at bats. I still think that's Paulie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Hurtin Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 11:33 AM) Beckham and Pierre are going to be on base more than Rios in all likely hood, so Dunn will get plenty of rbi opportunities. 3rd is where this guy needs to be hitting in our lineup. Is Beckham going to be hitting 2nd? I thought Ozzie wanted to keep him lower in the lineup, which caused a lot of anger here. I'm sorry if I missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILMOU Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I just hope that Ozzie will make the right moves with the lineup, based on their performances as the season progresses. I agree that Rios is more of a "2/6 or lower" type of bat, and that a reasonably healthy Q (or even Dayan if he ramps up quickly enough in the OF) will provide better protection for Donkey-Kong. I certainly don't mind Donkey in the 3 hole to start the season, and I believe it will produce more runs than putting Alex there. I, for one, am expecting a BIG breakout year for Slayer, who, I believe, is following a familiar pattern of the sophomore slump - followed by really figuring it out in year three. Watching him now, you really can't believe how bad Troy Tulowitski was in year 2 - worse than Beckham, IMO - absolutely lost at the dish for most of the season. I never lost faith in Tulo, and I certainly haven't lost it for GB. I truly believe that THIS year, Gordon will be the bat we all thought he'd become - Tulo, w/o as much power, or Pedroia with a little more power. I think he sets up as our best candidate for the 3-hole longterm - how soon he gets there is anybody's guess. The only thing that is unfortunate, IMO, is that Ozzie is still VASTLY overrating AJP's abilities with the stick. Was Ozzie napping during ALL of AJ's AB's last season?? We'll see far too much of him in the 6 and 7 holes, and god forbid, if Gordon/Lexi slump early, even in the 2 hole. I think even Morel will be a significantly better hitter than AJ this year, but AJ will get too many AB's merely because of his left-handedness. As god-awful as AJP was overall, he was even worse in RBI situations - and he'll have too many of these opportunities again in 2011. It really does bother me that he'll likely bat higher in the order than Lexi on a consistent basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Big Hurtin @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 12:14 PM) Is Beckham going to be hitting 2nd? I thought Ozzie wanted to keep him lower in the lineup, which caused a lot of anger here. I'm sorry if I missed it. Link "I want to protect Adam and PK (Paul Konerko) with (Alex) Rios, and I can do a lot of things here," said Guillen, who originally had Rios batting third, followed by Dunn and Konerko. "Rios can steal bases, and A.J. (Pierzynski) can hit-and-run with (Carlos) Quentin. We can do a lot of things with them. I'm just going to start with Dunn batting third to see how it works." Quentin will bat sixth, followed by Pierzynski. Guillen said he kept Gordon Beckham in the second spot because he wants Alexei Ramirez to bat in more of a run-producing spot in the eighth position. He also resisted any temptation to put Pierzynski in the second spot to avoid having two left-handed hitters at the top of the order followed by a predominately right-handed-hitting lineup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigruss Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 If only Alexei could get that OBP up he would be a great 2/5 hitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 12:03 PM) If only Alexei could get that OBP up he would be a great 2/5 hitter. Yeah, well, that's never going to happen so we'll just have to be satisfied with a great glove a short with a .750 OPS. Life could be worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Don't fear, TCQ will be hitting 3rd by June 1st. Book it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigruss Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 01:06 PM) Yeah, well, that's never going to happen so we'll just have to be satisfied with a great glove a short with a .750 OPS. Life could be worse. Just a dreamer here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 12:41 PM) Don't fear, TCQ will be hitting 3rd by June 1st. Book it. Hopefully it won't be during a rehab stint in Charlotte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I, too, think Rios should be batting 3rd, but it's really not a big deal where the 3-5 is placed, this team should hit pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Early spring training talk. Nothing to get too excited about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 01:49 PM) I, too, think Rios should be batting 3rd, but it's really not a big deal where the 3-5 is placed, this team should hit pretty well. If Rios could hit .320 for the full season, without the major slump he's had the last couple years, I'd agree, because that kind of average would push up his OBP. Right now, I'd somewhat prefer Dunn there, because Rios putting up a .320 OBP or worse for 1/2 the season while hitting in front of Dunn is something that hurts us more than it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 10:44 AM) Hopefully it won't be during a rehab stint in Charlotte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 07:50 PM) Early spring training talk. Nothing to get too excited about. I watched the ST game, which of course was the first one of the spring training schedule, and Dunn struck out twice and Konerko once. I think we should trade them both as they obviously don't have it anymore My point is you are right Tex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Mar 1, 2011 -> 09:41 AM) I watched the ST game, which of course was the first one of the spring training schedule, and Dunn struck out twice and Konerko once. I think we should trade them both as they obviously don't have it anymore My point is you are right Tex! Yep wait and if they do that in the season opener, then trade them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shago Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 28, 2011 -> 11:07 AM) Regardless of the reasoning, I'll take the guy with the .381 OBP hitting 3rd vs the guy with the .331 OBP. Ozzie, without question, is making the right call here. All good for conversation... Might I suggest however that Dunn is even slower than Konerko and can eat a bag of raw meat before getting home vs. Rios, who has speed. Doesnt matter if he has a higher OBP if he can't score from 1B. Just saying, think he is a true clean-up guy and you protect him with TCQ until Ginger Kid's prophesy comes true and then you put Rios or Beckham in the 6-hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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