Guess the Opening Day Lineup

[MurphDogg]

49 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

You are probably right, especially if we are playing for the future. If DJ has any chance of a future in MLB, this is the time to prove it. I am concerned that he has already proven he doesn't have a future in MLB. Still, I would also like to see what Alberto can do vs RHP and get a look at Velazquez too.

Yeah, Velazquez is intriguing as a super utility guy, definitely more so than Wilkerson, in that he supposedly can play a passable SS and CF and he is 2 and a half years younger. He didn't hit much last year in AAA even with the superball, but he only played 46 games at AAA in 2019, so it is tough to judge. Based on his 2018 AAA stats before they had the MLB ball, he could have value if he is playable at short and center. 

DJ has had fewer than 200 PAs at the Major League level, he crushed AAA last year, he has earned a shot to see whether he is a big leaguer.

Alberto's struggles against RHP is fairly unprecedented, a .300+ OPS difference between facing righties and lefties is really wild, especially for a right handed hitter. Occasionally you see lefties who struggle against left handed pitching to that degree of difference,  but I can't think of any right handed hitters with that severe of a difference. If anyone can figure out how to look up the numbers on that, I would be curious. Wilkerson was another extreme L/R split outlier last year, as a switch-hitter.

Alberto actually hit BETTER against righties than lefties in AAA in 2018, which makes it even more bizarre. He had a .789 OPS against RHP and .735 against LHP, over 414 PAs. Also, he the plurality of his AAA starts that year were at shortstop (44 starts), which is new information to me.

 

[atomic]

1 hour ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

Against Eovaldi, I'm thinking...

CF - Hays
3B - Ruiz
DH - Nunez
1B - Davis
C - Severino
RF - Santander
LF - Stewart
SS - Iglesias
2B - Wikerson

OR

2B - Alberto
RF - Santander
1B - Davis
DH - Nunez
C - Sisco
CF - Hays
3B - Ruiz
SS - Iglesias
LF - Stewart
 

I don't see Wilkerson playing second base on a regular basis. I thought we got rid of him? How does he keep coming back?

[Tony-OH]

1) Hays - CF
2) Ruiz - 3B
3) Santander - RF
4) Nunez -DH
5) Davis - 1B
6) Severino - C
7) Stewart - LF
8) Iglesius - SS
9) Alberto - 2B

[MurphDogg]

13 minutes ago, atomic said:

I don't see Wilkerson playing second base on a regular basis. I thought we got rid of him? How does he keep coming back?

Off the 40-man roster but not out of the organization or our hearts.

Some people here see his 2019 splits against RHP of .264/.311/.472 and think he can be a strong side platoon candidate. 

[SteveA]

Just now, MurphDogg said:

Off the 40-man roster but not out of the organization or our hearts.

Some people here see his 2019 splits against RHP of .264/.311/.472 and think he can be a strong side platoon candidate. 

I have a feeling he'll be starting the on the IL so this discussion is probably moot at the moment.

[MurphDogg]

11 minutes ago, SteveA said:

I have a feeling he'll be starting the on the IL so this discussion is probably moot at the moment.

That would be my guess too, going to see a hand specialist and not going on the IL seems pretty unlikely, but its possible.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

5 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

That would be my guess too, going to see a hand specialist and not going on the IL seems pretty unlikely, but its possible.

Precautionary? Especially after Martin didn’t know he had a broken wrist until he tried to throw a ball.

He isn’t on the 40, so he won’t have to be on the IL.

[Yardball85]

52 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

1) Hays - CF
2) Ruiz - 3B
3) Santander - RF
4) Nunez -DH
5) Davis - 1B
6) Severino - C
7) Stewart - LF
Iglesius - SS
9) Alberto - 2B

I think this is probably it, especially after last night's lineup had Ruiz second.

Speaking of Ruiz, he hit the ball well in ST, and in yesterdays tiny sample size, seemed like he hit some line drives.  Maybe he'll surprise with an .800 OPS during the short season?

[atomic]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

Off the 40-man roster but not out of the organization or our hearts.

Some people here see his 2019 splits against RHP of .264/.311/.472 and think he can be a strong side platoon candidate. 

Terrible OBP even against right hand pitching and he won't field well enough to stay on second. 

[MurphDogg]

17 minutes ago, atomic said:

Terrible OBP even against right hand pitching and he won't field well enough to stay on second. 

I agree, even if you could lock in those numbers and completely avoid having him hit against lefties, he would have to either be a very good defensive second baseman or at least average defensively in center, left, right, third AND second to be an asset.

[VICIOUS]

On 7/18/2020 at 9:24 AM, Aristotelian said:

I'd rather keep Alberto at 2B and see how he does vs RHP for a while. Put Wilkerson or Velazquez in LF and push DJ to the bench. I really want an OF that can catch the ball. 

Alberto 2B

Hays CF 

Nunez DH

Santander RF

Davis 1B

Iglesias SS

Ruiz 3B

Severino C

Velazquez LF

I like this one

 

[BohKnowsBmore]

On 7/20/2020 at 11:23 AM, atomic said:

I don't see Wilkerson playing second base on a regular basis. I thought we got rid of him? How does he keep coming back?

 

23 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

Off the 40-man roster but not out of the organization or our hearts.

Some people here see his 2019 splits against RHP of .264/.311/.472 and think he can be a strong side platoon candidate. 

 

23 hours ago, SteveA said:

I have a feeling he'll be starting the on the IL so this discussion is probably moot at the moment.

Probably moot, as @SteveA mentioned, but at the time of my post he had started the game on Sunday night and Martin had been ruled out of the season with his wrist.

[Il BuonO]

Can I just say right now that I called Milone as the OD starter?

No? Just checking.

[Il BuonO]

On 7/20/2020 at 10:23 AM, atomic said:

I don't see Wilkerson playing second base on a regular basis. I thought we got rid of him? How does he keep coming back?

Hey, better than me. I don't see him on a ML roster. Period.

[Il BuonO]

On 7/18/2020 at 8:24 AM, Aristotelian said:

I'd rather keep Alberto at 2B and see how he does vs RHP for a while. Put Wilkerson or Velazquez in LF and push DJ to the bench. I really want an OF that can catch the ball. 

Alberto 2B

Hays CF 

Nunez DH

Santander RF

Davis 1B

Iglesias SS

Ruiz 3B

Severino C

Velazquez LF

I agree with the Alberto idea, except not as a lead off hitter. His lack of walks  is concerning, slightly mitigated by his contact rate.

Disagree about Stewart. There seems to be this narrative that he can't play defense and I've never really understood it. Scouting reports see him as slightly below average. Now, Mountcastle, there's a guy shouldn't be anywhere near the OF on defense. I like Stewart's work ethic. He puts in the work and he's willing to improve defensively. That's half the battle.