Lineup?

[25 Nuggets]

Admittedly, I'm bullish on him but also, given the current OF situation, is Rickard really that far behind Reimold, Hoes, Alvarez or Hank?

I would put Reimold ahead of the rest, he's more advanced with the bat. I expect Rickard to get some PAs this season though.

[LA2]

1) L Kim (LF)

2) R Machado (3B)

3) R Jones (CF)

4) L Davis (1B)

5) R Trumbo (DH)

6) R Schoop (2B)

7) S Wieters ©

8) R Reimold (RF)

9) R Hardy (SS)

L-R-R-L-R-R-S-R-R. Notes:

- Machado could still lead off if the team is comfortable with Kim batting second.

- Davis and Jones could switch if another lefty is in the lineup.

- Right now, I think Trumbo is spelled a bit with Paredes DHing. The team can still use one more value left handed bat.

- It's plausible to have Hardy bat 8th with Reimold 9th, turning over the lineup better. Reimold did do a bit of leadoff hitting remember. If Kim busts, you'll see that happen again.

Reimold's performance in the leadoff slot late last year should win him a continued look. By the time he gets injured again (inevitably), maybe Kim will be ready to move up from the bottom third of the lineup.

Warning: Trumbo has a career OPS of only .735 as a DH (298 plate appearances).

[Aristotelian]

1) L Kim (LF)

2) R Machado (3B)

3) R Jones (CF)

4) L Davis (1B)

5) R Trumbo (DH)

6) R Schoop (2B)

7) S Wieters ©

8) R Reimold (RF)

9) R Hardy (SS)

L-R-R-L-R-R-S-R-R. Notes:

- Machado could still lead off if the team is comfortable with Kim batting second.

- Davis and Jones could switch if another lefty is in the lineup.

- Right now, I think Trumbo is spelled a bit with Paredes DHing. The team can still use one more value left handed bat.

- It's plausible to have Hardy bat 8th with Reimold 9th, turning over the lineup better. Reimold did do a bit of leadoff hitting remember. If Kim busts, you'll see that happen again.

This, with Alvarez having a chance to beat out Reimold and Rickard sure to get some platoon ABs.

[jabba72]

No way Davis is moving to the OF full time. I think Trumbo will be a spot starter/DH. Rickard should get every chance to earn a roster spot, his high OBP is needed.

[25 Nuggets]

Here's something to be excited about. With Machado-Jones-Davis-Trumbo-Schoop, it is legitimately reasonable to predict five straight 30+ HR players in the lineup. I don't think anyone else in baseball can say that, even the Blue Jays.

[FanSince88]

No way Davis is moving to the OF full time. I think Trumbo will be a spot starter/DH. Rickard should get every chance to earn a roster spot, his high OBP is needed.

Trumbo and Davis will do the 1B/DH shuffle. I think they should split the two equally so they both get reps in the field. I'm not sure there is a whole lot of difference between the two defensively.

[FanSince88]

No way Davis is moving to the OF full time. I think Trumbo will be a spot starter/DH. Rickard should get every chance to earn a roster spot, his high OBP is needed.

Only way Davis plays OF a whole lot is if Paredes hits well enough to merit starts at DH, which would push Trumbo to first and Davis to OF.

[kemosabe]

1. Machado 3b

2. Jones Cf

3. Davis 1b

4. Trumbo Dh

5. Weiters C

6. Schoop 2b

7. Bruce Rf

8. Hardy Ss

9. Kim/ Reimold Lf

[Orsulak4Prez]

1) L Kim (LF)

2) R Machado (3B)

3) R Jones (CF)

4) L Davis (1B)

5) R Trumbo (DH)

6) R Schoop (2B)

7) S Wieters ©

8) R Reimold (RF)

9) R Hardy (SS)

This is exactly what I was thinking. A lot hinges on whether or not Kim can lead off, but I think this is what we will see to start out. Also, I'd say Reimold and Hardy are interchangeable at eight and nine. I can see Urrutia and/or Alvarez getting a serious look as well.

[bandy75]

1 Reimold

2 Kim

3 Machado

4 Davis

5 Jones

6 Trumbo

7 Wieters

8 Schoop

9 Hardy

I would like to switch Wieters and Trumbo, but not a big fan lumping together a bunch of righties in the lineup. Reimold and Kim will probably be our highest OBP guys along with Machado and Davis, I'd like to have them on base when Machado, Davis and Jones come to the plate. I could also see removing one of Reimold or Kim from the top and moving the others up a spot in the order to give Machado and Davis an extra 60 ABs or so

[jamalshw]

I think a lot depends on what we see from Kim in Spring Training. If he gives Buck confidence he can get on base at a solid clip, I think he leads off. If there's doubt, I think you see him hit 9 and Reimold 1 (at least against lefties) to set it up as a second lead-off option feeding into Manny, Jones and Davis.

Assuming Kim is good enough to lead-off, I'd go with something like this:

VS. RHP

1. LF- Hyun-Soo Kim (L)

2. 3B- Manny Machado ®

3. CF- Adam Jones ®

4. 1B- Chris Davis (L)

5. DH- Mark Trumbo ®

6. C- Matt Wieters (S)

7. 2B- Jonathan Schoop ®

8. RF- David Murphy/Matt Joyce/Will Venable ***FREE AGENT SIGN***

9. SS- J.J. Hardy ®

VS. LHP

1. RF- Nolan Reimold ®

2. 3B- Manny Machado ®

3. CF- Adam Jones ®

4. 1B- Chris Davis (L)

5. DH- Mark Trumbo ®

6. C- Matt Wieters (S)

7. 2B- Jonathan Schoop ®

8. SS- J.J. Hardy ®

9. LF- Hyun-Soo Kim (L)

Another interesting idea, particularly against LHP, would be to get Joseph's bat in the lineup by moving Wieters to DH, Davis to RF and Trumbo to 1B. Then you could either put Reimold in LF with Kim on the bench or put Reimold on the bench if you're convinced Kim is more than a platoon bat.

[El Gordo]

I think a lot depends on what we see from Kim in Spring Training. If he gives Buck confidence he can get on base at a solid clip, I think he leads off. If there's doubt, I think you see him hit 9 and Reimold 1 (at least against lefties) to set it up as a second lead-off option feeding into Manny, Jones and Davis.

Assuming Kim is good enough to lead-off, I'd go with something like this:

VS. RHP

1. LF- Hyun-Soo Kim (L)

2. 3B- Manny Machado ®

3. CF- Adam Jones ®

4. 1B- Chris Davis (L)

5. DH- Mark Trumbo ®

6. C- Matt Wieters (S)

7. 2B- Jonathan Schoop ®

8. RF- David Murphy/Matt Joyce/Will Venable ***FREE AGENT SIGN***

9. SS- J.J. Hardy ®

VS. LHP

1. RF- Nolan Reimold ®

2. 3B- Manny Machado ®

3. CF- Adam Jones ®

4. 1B- Chris Davis (L)

5. DH- Mark Trumbo ®

6. C- Matt Wieters (S)

7. 2B- Jonathan Schoop ®

8. SS- J.J. Hardy ®

9. LF- Hyun-Soo Kim (L)

Another interesting idea, particularly against LHP, would be to get Joseph's bat in the lineup by moving Wieters to DH, Davis to RF and Trumbo to 1B. Then you could either put Reimold in LF with Kim on the bench or put Reimold on the bench if you're convinced Kim is more than a platoon bat.

I think this is what we'll see.