Lineup w/ Rasmus if everyone's healthy?

[ChuckS]

Versus RHP

1. De Aza LF

2. Pearce DH

3. Jones CF

4. Davis 1B

5. Machado 3B

6. Wieters C

7. Hardy SS

8. Rasmus RF

9. Schoop 2B

Versus LHP

1. Pearce LF

2. Hardy SS

3. Jones CF

4. Young DH

5. Machado 3B

6. Wieters C

7. Davis 1B

8. Alvarez RF

9. Schoop 2B

I believe that both Rasmus and De Aza absolutely need to be platooned, so I have Daniel Alvarez as our fifth OF and the right handed half of the platoon with Rasmus. Lough is traded or sent to AAA to start the season. I actually really like the lineup against LHP. Those top six will tattoo left handed pitching and then you got some power on the back end.

[Babypowder]

Delmon Young: clean up hitter.

[ChuckS]

Delmon Young: clean up hitter.

He hit there for us plenty towards the end of last season, so I can totally see Buck putting him in that spot against LHP.

[Babypowder]

He hit there for us plenty towards the end of last season, so I can totally see Buck putting him in that spot against LHP.

People expecting the Delmon Young of 2014 are going to be disappointed in 2015 most likely. That BABIP is unsustainable, and with his walk rate and middling power....look out. Even the 2014 version wasn't a middle of the order hitter. He doesn't hit for power like his body type and violent swing implies. I don't want a .140 ISO hitting 4th.

[ChuckS]

People expecting the Delmon Young of 2014 are going to be disappointed in 2015 most likely. That BABIP is unsustainable, and with his walk rate and middling power....look out. Even the 2014 version wasn't a middle of the order hitter. He doesn't hit for power like his body type and violent swing implies. I don't want a .140 ISO hitting 4th.

I'll take a career .806 OPS against LHP in the prime of his career hitting fourth for this team when we don't have better options further down in the order.

[Ven6]

The Young batting 4th thing is an issue, for sure. And expecting Alvarez to be on the team, much less play is not reasonable at this point I'd say. Also, dumping Lough to pay Rasmus FA money and only play him half the time isnt reasonable either, IMO.

With Pearce, if he's going to start vs both handed pitchers, why not give him a constant position? I don't think he's a better fielder than Lough or Rasmus, so maybe he is our fulltime DH, sending Delmon back to best PH in the league (if we're lucky.) Or, Pearce is our LFer with Colby in RF and De Aza goes to the bench.

[SteveO]

People expecting the Delmon Young of 2014 are going to be disappointed in 2015 most likely. That BABIP is unsustainable, and with his walk rate and middling power....look out. Even the 2014 version wasn't a middle of the order hitter. He doesn't hit for power like his body type and violent swing implies. I don't want a .140 ISO hitting 4th.

I think Delmon can be productive if used selectively like last season. I doubt though as you point out that he nearly as productive as his BABIP is indeed likely unsustainable. He can however be a decent stick to through out there vrs LHP for the price they are paying him

[Babypowder]

I'll take a career .806 OPS against LHP in the prime of his career hitting fourth for this team when we don't have better options further down in the order.

Over the last 2 years he is at .722 and .684 respectively. Wieters is easily a better option and you have him 6th.

[ChuckS]

Over the last 2 years he is at .722 and .684 respectively. Wieters is easily a better option and you have him 6th.

88 at bats last year against LHP and 87 at bats in 2013. I'm going to go with the career numbers over the super small sample size (SSSS). With that said, I'd be fine with flip flopping Wieters and Young if Wieters starts the year hot like last year.

[ChuckS]

The Young batting 4th thing is an issue, for sure. And expecting Alvarez to be on the team, much less play is not reasonable at this point I'd say. Also, dumping Lough to pay Rasmus FA money and only play him half the time isnt reasonable either, IMO.

With Pearce, if he's going to start vs both handed pitchers, why not give him a constant position? I don't think he's a better fielder than Lough or Rasmus, so maybe he is our fulltime DH, sending Delmon back to best PH in the league (if we're lucky.) Or, Pearce is our LFer with Colby in RF and De Aza goes to the bench.

I'm not big on signing Rasmus, but its looking like a distinct possibility at this point and if you do sign him I don't see how you don't platoon him with a RH bat. Pearce is going to play everyday at one of the DH or OF positions so I don't see him as a platoon partner. I don't think many people expected Schoop to break with the big club before Spring Training last year, so I would not count Alvarez out. He is is 26 after all and we know Buck loves his defense.

[Ven6]

I'm not big on signing Rasmus, but it looking like a distinct possibility at this point and if you do sign him I don't see how you don't platoon him with a RH bat. Pearce is going to play everyday. I don't think many people expected Schoop to break with the big club before Spring Training last year, so I would not count Alvarez out. He is is 26 after all and we know Buck loves his defense.

I like the Rasmus idea as purely a high upside, cheap gamble with the floor being good defense.

I think in reality, given the pieces Buck has to play with, I could see a more "set" lineup vs RHP and much more of a flux, changes every time out sorta approach to LHP.

[Guest]

Rasmus will be a everyday player for us.

[Ven6]

Rasmus will be a everyday player for us.

If so, I assume RF with Pearce moving between LF and DH. Maybe DH vs RHP with De Aza in LF and LF for LHP with Delmon at DH.

I'd take that if Rasmus can hold his own vs lefties.

[Babypowder]

Rasmus will be a everyday player for us.

I hope not, he hasn't been able to hit a lefty since 2010.

[ChuckS]

Rasmus will be a everyday player for us.

Rasmus has a career .287 OBP and a career OPS of .648 against LHP. Last year he hit .195 in a small sample size. Playing the guy everyday would be setting him up for failure.