Papi returns to the lineup tonight, and with it comes the wondeful dilemma of how to set up the batting order. Things are not as they were when Ortiz got hurt. Pedroia is the hottest hitter in the league. Drew picked up the slack in a big way. And Ellsbury is struggling a bit.
Here’s my lineup card:
- Pedroia
- Drew
- Ortiz
- Ramirez
- Lowell
- Youklis
- Lowrie
- Varitek
- Ellsbury
Drew is just swigning the bat too well to be dropped to seventh. Ditto with Youk. Putting Ellsbury in the 9 hole still makes allows Drew to be a major RBI guy after the first inning. Think about why Tony LaRussa bats his pitcher 8th
One Comment
i love talking about line ups…you move one piece and the dynamics change dramatically…
I’d love to yuke move back to lead-off - he really make sa pitcher work right out of the gate and he gives ortiz and manny a good chance to see a bunch of pitches before they get to the plate in the first inning…plus he get on base…but that isn’t going to happen.
So, i agree with your line-up except tito won’t disrespect tek and bat him behind the rookie - no way that happens.
If I was coach for the day though, here’s the way I would set things up.
1. Yuke
2. Pedroia
3. Ortiz
4. Ramirez
5. Lowell
6. Drew
7. Varitek
8. Lowrie
9. Ellsbury
You could flop drew with lowell but i think he has earned the right to bat behind manny with his clutch rbi ladden hitting.
of course, this is all contingent upon manny’s “knee”….