Time To Start Considering Moving A-Rod Down In The Line-Up?
Posted by Steve L. on August 18th, 2009 · Comments (14)
Here are Alex Rodriguez’ batting stats for the last 29 games that he’s played this season, as of this morning:
G PA HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG 29 130 4 13 13 31 .243 .331 .391
Good thing the Yankees went 20-9 in those 29 games – or else it might have been open-season on A-Rod…for not playing well during the pennant race this season.
Hopefully, Alex will start to play better over the remainder of the season. If not, the Yankees may have to think about moving him out of the clean-up spot, no?
Who in the 4th? Tex? Matsui? Damon?
This is like the should Jeter be moved from SS question. Sounds like a plan but who are you replacing him with?
Alex has had enough big hits to keep pitchers honest for the most part. Tex is occasionally going to get pitched around but I think that would happen even if Alex was hitting well based on situation and matchup.
Is there someone else who would provide better protection to Tex? Jorge? Matsui? They’ve been running hot and cold this year too. Cano? He struggled when bating 5th this year. Swisher? His BA isn’t better than Alex’s.
As long as he’s seen as something of a threat, he’ll get pitched to on reputation as much as on present day because he is always a threat with one swing.
Possible moves to accomodate this…
1. Jeter
2. Gardner
3. Damon
4. Teixeira
5. Posada
6. A-Rod
or
1. Jeter
2. Swisher
3. Damon
4. Teixeira
5. Posada
6. A-Rod
or
1. Gardner
2. Damon
3. Jeter
4. Teixeira
5. Posada
6. A-Rod
or
1. Jeter
2. Damon
3. Teixeira
4. Matsui
5. Posada
6. A-Rod
Again, I would only do it if A-Rod continues to bat like poop for the next 2 or 3 weeks…because, then, you’re talking about him stinking over a period of over 200 PA…and that’s more than just being in a slump…
Dunno about Gardner in the #1 or #2 hole, personally. He still hasn’t shown me that he can hit enough to warrant 4 AB’s a game. He’s been out of action since July 26th so it’s not like he’s just going to come back and be Pujols…
Tex has gone on record saying he prefers batting 3rd and despite Alex’s absences, Tex never hit 4th this year. Using that guideline, line-ups 1-3 above would be out.
MJ wrote:
Pujols? Who says Gardner needs to hit like that to be useful batting 2nd? All he has to do is get on base 36-38% of the time. And, let his legs do the rest.
throwstrikes wrote:
Well, then, I would remind Tex that he’s getting paid $20 million a year to bat, and, last time I checked, that means he bats where the team tells him to bat, and, I would also remind him that a MVP does what’s best for the team, and excels, no matter if they’re asking him to bat 3rd or 4th…
…my goodness, I like to believe that Tex is not the type of priss that would wet his drawers if the team asked him to bat 4th instead of 3rd…it’s still just batting…the requirements are the same in both slots…it’s not the same as asking Jose Molina to bat lead-off….geesh.
Pujols? Who says Gardner needs to hit like that to be useful batting 2nd? All he has to do is get on base 36-38% of the time. And, let his legs do the rest.
———-
Hyperbole that went over your head, I guess. Mainly I was making the point that Gardner hasn’t yet proved to me that he can hit enough to be in the top two-thirds of the Yanks lineup.
MJ wrote:
In his last 151 PA, this season, before he got hurt, Gardner’s BA/OBA/SLG line was .308/.396/.477 – are you ignoring that?
Link to back up the above data on Gardner: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=gardnbr01&t=b&year=2009&share=0.33#72-127-sum:batting_gamelogs
Steve Lombardi wrote:
Pretty much, yeah. I need to see him do it for a full year, and then some, before I ignore his MiLB numbers and what every scout has written about him to this point in his career.
I’m not saying Gardner isn’t good, I’m just saying I’m not ready to hand an important batting spot in the lineup to him yet.
Steve Lombardi wrote:
Well then, if that’s the case, Rodriguez stays @ the #4 slot
i know ur trying to stir discussion but why would u ever mess with a good thing here? pitchers are still scared of him and he has got big hit after big hit
That .243 says otherwise…