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Tranq
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Registered: 10-2006
Location: Having drinks with your mom
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So, leading off the first innning tonight is...
...who? As things are at this moment, who is leading off?(think about that for a second) So obviously things can't stay as they presently are....er, right?
Well lets say they do. Stay the same, that is. Who's leading off?
While between chicken firings the other day I was thinking about the obvious order placement of what the starting field would most likely look like. Scary stuff if taken at face value.
Does anyone here think that if given a new contacts prescription, and the pressure of real expectations by batting him lead-off could lead to a not spectacular but decent .OBP in the 1 spot? He does have that veteran savvy stuff I've heard about, he can grasp the "I don't care what you do, but get to first base" concept.
Having him bat 8th seems silly, yet 2nd seems stupid. And every spot in between has much better candidates. I think #2 has Frandsen's name written all over it, when the dust clears.
I think Schierholtz upside will be a #3 hitter on this team eventually. But not clean-up, ever. Obviously. But he has good wheels, just lacks discipline/skills in the batters box to get the .OBP of a legit, productive #3. He has *adequate* power that is still developing as he does as a hitter in general. I'm opposed to using the major league club for teaching what should have been learned earlier in the minor league system. But obviously, the G's system is lacking in that department. So doing it in the big's during a season that there is no expectations at all makes sense.
That being the case, is it feasible to put Nate in a position that forces him into learning some of the tricks of the trade of getting on base at all cost? Knowing we are going to suck regardless, can we put Nate in the position to learn new skills as a #1 batter that will lend to and expedite his being a servicable #3?
I can hear the cry's of agony from here, hailing back from the future. But seriously, it's a huge hole with very few solutions. I don't consider Roberts an option as he will be a platoon, if he's still here at all. He's my number one pick as "who is the G's best lead-off man?" But he's not in our long-term plan therefore his time should be minimal.
Davis is another likely candidate, but he will suffer from too many OF'ers to get a regular gig in '08, barring injuries.
Ok, I'm just droning on about my lead-off thoughts now. Please do tell me what you're thinking about that, it's a big hole we created by addition, not subtraction.
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12/20/2007, 5:31 am
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KCDrummer82
PROVEN VETERAN POSTER
Registered: 04-2007
Location: On a stage near you.
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You must have just started watching the giants...if Roberts is on the roster, he will lead off, and I doubt he will platoon. That's the way this team operates.
--- Make Yourself Heard.
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12/20/2007, 10:32 am
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Lionel Mandrake
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Registered: 10-2006
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I'm just wondering what the chickens did to get fired.
Last edited by Lionel Mandrake, 12/20/2007, 10:47 am
--- Even after all this time, the Sun never says to the Earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with a love like that: It lights up the whole sky.
Hafiz
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12/20/2007, 10:44 am
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chefjuan
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Registered: 04-2006
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Re: So, leading off the first innning tonight is...
I think the problem is that just about every hitter on the Giants roster is a 2, 7 or 8 hitter on any other team.
If I had my way, I'd have Winn as the leadoff hitter next year. He's the only one with OBP that *almost* resembles a leadoff hitter and his thimble of "pop" is much more than Roberts or Davis can offer.
I think a leadoff hitter should have speed, but I don't believe he has to be a traditional basestealer. I can't stand the singles hitter types like Roberts, Davis and Pierre.
I'd rather have a guy with an average SLG that can hit for extra bases and not have to steal bases. He should possess just enough speed to got first to third or score from second or steal a base is absolutely necessary. If a guy hits a double it only take one hit to score him. If a guy hits a single, it takes risking an out and a hit to score him. Having and XBH guy in the leadoff role creates much more scoring opportunities.
Winn's ability to hit double makes him more valuable than Roberts. With the Giants putrid offense, giving up outs to score runs is the last thing they should be considering, which is what leading off with Davis/Roberts entails.
All that said, this comes down to Bochy. And he's a traditional small-ball, stolen base guy to the core. I don't think we'll see anything besides Robert and Davis at the top next year
--- "If the Pilgrims had landed in California the East Coast would still be wilderness"
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12/20/2007, 12:54 pm
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22TheThrill
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Roberts will lead off 90% of the time and Davis will get a change the remaining 10% of the time to lead off, mainly because Sabean is unable or unwilling (I'm not sure which) to trade Roberts.
My guess is that Winn will get traded to some team in need of an outfielder for an infielder, more than likely a third baseman, e.g., Winn to the White Sox for Crede and a junk prospect.
Just my $.02
--- ------------
Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand.
Leo Durocher
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12/20/2007, 1:08 pm
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Freshbreaker
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Does anyone see Molina getting any fatter this season?
--- Travis Ishikawa is NOT a competent first baseman.
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12/20/2007, 2:14 pm
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22TheThrill
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Re: …
quote: BruteSentiment wrote:
Nate should NOT be batting leadoff. That's about as bad a fit as there could be, and it's setting him up to fail.
Getting on-base is not the end-all of baseball...it's scoring runs. Nate is a contact machine. The majority of pitches he swings at he can put into play, often for hits, and often for extra bases. He's not going to walk often, but he'll advance runners (even if he's not advancing himself).
The best place for him this season will probably be in the 6 hole, batting behind Molina. Even without homers, Nate hits doubles enough to even advance Molina a couple of bases at a time, and can get other 3-4 hitters home with frequency.
Can Molina advance more than one base at a time?
Just sayin'
--- ------------
Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand.
Leo Durocher
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12/20/2007, 2:22 pm
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MarcoPolo666
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Registered: 07-2007
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Please, everybody - chip in with more unmistakable truths.
And make sure to quote the largest text possible.
--- Do not suggest trading for somebody for only two years (unless the Giants dump a crappy contract)
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12/20/2007, 2:51 pm
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MarcoPolo666
LIVING LEGEND
Registered: 07-2007
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I'll start ... an orgasm in the bush is worth two in the hand..
--- Do not suggest trading for somebody for only two years (unless the Giants dump a crappy contract)
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12/20/2007, 2:53 pm
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