Predict the Opening Day Lineup!

[Aristotelian]

Chris Davis is .125 vs Lester. I think he should take the day off.

[Brendan25]

I tweeted this to Roch but I think it's todays lineup. I really do.

[Sanfran327]

Why would you be fine with inexperience over proven success? Is it that your man crush for the rookie flavor of the month is clouding your judgement? Why don't you trust matchups? You have yet to give me a reason. If you want to really argue that Buck likes to bat rookies in the two hole then give me more than two examples. Matusz has a "history" of owning Big Poppi, would you decide to let a rookie LOOGY to face him instead because Buck has a "history" of liking to throw the new guys in the pen in the fire right away? You don't make sense.

How many ABs do Jones and Hardy have vs Lester? I'll concede the fact that matchup history is important and that there's likely a decent (but still small) sample size of data to form such staunch opinions, but we've also seen Hardy in the 2 spot, and it was a disaster. Jones is the second best hitter in the lineup and should be anchoring one of the middle spots.

And I wouldn't quite compare Hardy's success vs Lester to Matusz owning Ortiz. Hardy has great numbers vs Lester relative to his career line, but Matusz just suffocates Papi to the point where he's not just the best option to shut him down late in a game, he's the only option.

[El Gordo]

What is the obsession with matchups versus Lester? I realize he's pitched well for a majority of his starts against us but why is matchup with a single pitcher the be-all end-all to what the lineup should be? On top of that, you want to take guys out of the positions they've been hitting in the lineup for the last year or two to make that happen (Jones hitting first, Wieters 3rd, etc.)

I can tell you why it shouldn't be the only thing to consider while constructing a lineup: SSS.

It shouldn't be ignored. I am saying that if you have to choose between Davis or Cruz to bat #4 v Lester it makes sense to bat Cruz because he has 1.000 +OPS v Lester and Davis has a .550 OPS. If you want to choose between Hardy, Jones, or Schoop to bat #2 it makes sense to go with either the guy with the .849 OPS v Lester ,or the guy with the .393 OBP, over a rookie who looked terrible against a good lefty like Price yesterday and has never faced Lester. If SSS is a reason not to use them then no ML manager would, but the fact is they rely on them all the time. It is a reality of real baseball that some guys see certain pitchers better than others and match up numbers are an indication of that.,

[El Gordo]

How many ABs do Jones and Hardy have vs Lester? I'll concede the fact that matchup history is important and that there's likely a decent (but still small) sample size of data to form such staunch opinions, but we've also seen Hardy in the 2 spot, and it was a disaster. Jones is the second best hitter in the lineup and should be anchoring one of the middle spots.

And I wouldn't quite compare Hardy's success vs Lester to Matusz owning Ortiz. Hardy has great numbers vs Lester relative to his career line, but Matusz just suffocates Papi to the point where he's not just the best option to shut him down late in a game, he's the only option.

So even thou Hardy has had success against Lester in 30 PA, because against other pitchers he hasn't done well you bat Schoop there because of a SSS? Schoops at 0 PA is even smaller. Jones is not the second best hitter in the lineup against Lester, Weiters is, Cruz is the best, why not take advantage of that? Lineup construction is questionable at best, You could put the names in a hat and do jaut as well in most cases,but why not take advantage of indications that some players do better against certain pitchers than others? It's not like your benching any body and it not going to kill them to bat up or down in the lineup a notch or two.

[Sanfran327]

So even thou Hardy has had success against Lester in 30 PA, because against other pitchers he hasn't done well you bat Schoop there because of a SSS? Schoops at 0 PA is even smaller. Jones is not the second best hitter in the lineup against Lester, Weiters is, Cruz is the best, why not take advantage of that? Lineup construction is questionable at best, You could put the names in a hat and do jaut as well in most cases,but why not take advantage of indications that some players do better against certain pitchers than others? It's not like your benching any body and it not going to kill them to bat up or down in the lineup a notch or two.

So basically, and I'm not joking here, you could almost create each lineup tailored to every pitcher every game almost like defensive shifts for opposing hitters. Interesting thinking, actually.

[tntoriole]

Do you think Buck considers anything other than matchups for the opening day, in front of home crowd, game? Does Flaherty get the opening day start because of Buck's consideration of this instead of the perhaps temporary rookie Schoop or the two week so far Oriole Lombardozzi? I say yes.

If Flaherty does not start opening day, does that say that he is still a platoon, non starter utility guy rather than the regular third baseman till Manny returns and then the regular second baseman?

[OFFNY]

.

The final preseason game of 2014.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES O (vs. AAA-Norfolk, 3/29)

David Lough - CF

J.J. Hardy - SS

Chris Davis - 1B

Adam Jones - CF

Nelson Cruz - RF

Matthew Wieters - C

Delmon Young - DH

Ryan Flaherty - 3B

Steve Lombardozzi - 2B

Suk-Min Yoon - RHP (1-0, 3.00 ERA) *

* Spring Training

N oORFOLK T IDES

Julio Borbon - CF

Cord Phelps - 2B

Henry Urrutia - RF

Christian Marrero - DH

Dave Wallace - 1B

Caleb Joseph - C

Ryan Adams - 3B

Alexi Casilla - SS

Quintin Berry - LF

Zach Davies - RHP (7-9, 3.69 ERA) *

* Advanced-A Frederick

[El Gordo]

Do you think Buck considers anything other than matchups for the opening day, in front of home crowd, game? Does Flaherty get the opening day start because of Buck's consideration of this instead of the perhaps temporary rookie Schoop or the two week so far Oriole Lombardozzi? I say yes.

If Flaherty does not start opening day, does that say that he is still a platoon, non starter utility guy rather than the regular third baseman till Manny returns and then the regular second baseman?

I don't know whoi you are talking to but I think Buck takes many things into consideration when making up the lineup. Matchups are one, hot hand is another, FB /GB tendencies of opposing pitcher v defensive capabilities of certain players, veteranosity, etc. others In Flash's case he is the better 3B over Schopp and Lombo and hits LHP better than Lombo so I would think he would play 3B OD.

[El Gordo]

.

The final preseason game of 2014.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES O (vs. AAA-Norfolk, 3/29)

David Lough - LF

J.J. Hardy - SS

Chris Davis - 1B

Adam Jones - CF

Nelson Cruz - RF

Matthew Wieters - C

Delmon Young - DH

Ryan Flaherty - 3B

Steve Lombardozzi - 2B

Suk-Min Yoon - RHP (1-0, 3.00 ERA) *

* Spring Training

N oORFOLK T IDES

Julio Borbon - LF

Cord Phelps - 2B

Henry Urrutia - RF

Christian Marrero - DH

Dave Wallace - 1B

Caleb Joseph - C

Ryan Adams - 3B

Alexi Casilla - SS

Quintin Berry - LF

Zach Davies - RHP (7-9, 3.69 ERA) *

* Advanced-A Frederick

Two LF for Norfolk eh? Deploying an OF shift for the whole game. Innovative. Who's their manager again?

[OFFNY]

Two LF for Norfolk eh? Deploying an OF shift for the whole game. Innovative. Who's their manager again?

The miserable guy who sits in front of his computer and waits to make fun of another poster for making a typographical error. And of course, that miserable guy never makes a typographical error himself.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/RedSox">@RedSox</a> OF <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneVictorino">@ShaneVictorino</a> left Saturday’s game with a right hamstring tweak and will undergo an MRI.</p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="

">March 29, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[OFFNY]

..

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/139931-Predicting-Monday-s-lineup

[Aglets]

Alright, now that Schoop has made the team, I will revise my prediction, just subbing him in for Lombardozzi.

Nick Markakis - RF

J.J. Hardy - SS

Adam Jones - CF

Chris Davis - 1B

Nelson Cruz - LF

Matt Wieters C

Delmon Young - DH

Ryan Flaherty - 3B

Jonathan Schoop - 2B

Can't wait now!

[JayThomas]

Roberts - 2b

Mora - 3b

Markakis - rf

Tejada - ss

Huff - 1b

Gibbons - lf

Millar - dh

Patterson - cf

Bako - c

Wow - I might not be able to get to sleep tonight.