Designated Lineup Thread / Latest... Haudricourt: Kendall Batting Ninth is Working (reply #113)

[Glennron]

The Brewers face a RHP probably 3-6 times every week. Having Counsell and Gwynn start that many times a week would make a huge dent on the offense. Cameron's played in 17 games. Braun had an OPS of .640 through 17 games. I'm in no way suggesting Cameron will be as good as Braun this year, but you can't form any opinions on a guy after 17 games, especially after he's played about 12 seasons. I'm not buying into the fact that he's declining a lot with age, he was still pretty good at age 34 playing half his games at the Polo Grounds. The only thing Counsell brings that Weeks doesn't is defense, which shouldn't warrant him getting several starts a week. I'm fine with Weeks getting the day off once a week but that's about it. I'm all for bringing up Branyan and giving him some starts at 3B against righties, though.

 

For the actual lineup I wouldn't mind seeing Hart and Weeks switching spots in the lineup. Hart took more walks last year batting 1st than he does now batting 5th so he can change his approach, and Rickie can swing a bit more freely and flash some of his power as well. I mean if people want someone who can be a run producer batting 5th, Weeks has the same amount of XBH's as Hart.

[jhart05]

I'm not saying it's permanent. Like I said, just for a week or so. People want a shake up in the lineup, well I think that's a big shake up.

 

To me, Weeks is the ony thing close to a leadoff hitter. Yes, Hart CAN do it, but I would rather him not HAVE to do it. The team as it is right now, needs Weeks leading off and doing well in that position. But a week of "mental rest", at least against RHP, might do him some good.

 

Maybe that's what I should have called it. My "Mental Rest for a Week" Lineup. A week might seem like a long time, but I don't think giving a player one day off does much.

 

Gwynn, I personally don't think he's any more than a 4th outfielder at best. If nothing else, it would at least show people he isn't an everyday player. But who knows, stranger things have happened. He might do well and someone might be willing to trade you for him.

 

 

 

Also, I think the offense has been a major car wreck so far, I don't think there is space for any more dents. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[piccione88]

The latest article on the brewers main site, has Ned talking about moving Kendall off of the 9 hole. Ned said

""I'm still kind of debating back and forth moving him back to the eighth spot. We'll see," Yost said. "I'm just trying to find some way to get the offense going a little bit."

 

He also said that it has worked, but he just thinks it limits him, as far as shifting the lineup goes.

[uwisfan]

Please dont think, Ned - we know how that turns out. As for Kendall batting 9th or 8th for reasons of getting him on base before the big bats, I'd actually lead him off. Shifting Rickie to 2nd in the lineup puts our best OPS guys at the front of the lineup. Both have plate patience and can get base respectably (for this team). He doesnt steal bases, but he is serviceable. This might negate some of Rickie's speed, but it reduces the pressure of Rickie having to take so many pitches and always Rickie to use his power a bit more. It also moves Cameron out of the 2-hole and puts him in position to give Prince/Braun some protection:

 

1 Kendall

2 Weeks

3 Braun

4 Prince

5 Hart

6 Cameron

7 Branyan/Hall

8 Hardy

9 Pitcher

 

For 2010 (assuming Fielder gone):

1 Brantley (or other CF)

2 Gamel

3 LaPorta

4 Braun

5 Hart

6 Salome/Lucroy

7 Weeks

8 Escobar

9 Pitcher

[T B0NE 10]

i really dont like weeks hitting 1st at all

 

he is not a leadoff hitter

 

he is meant to be a 2-5 hitter

 

i think it is screwing him up big time

 

i remember when he first came up a couple years ago and he tore the cover off the ball......lets get back to that

i know rickie has it in him

[dadofandrew]

Cameron has the best RBI/AB ratio on the team, and Kendall has not hit into a single DP. Everything that Jason hitting 9th was supposed to do it has.

[1992casey]

Cameron has the best RBI/AB ratio on the team

 

Basically, that ties in with what The Book says about the #2 hitter getting high leverage at bats and why it advocates one of the team's two best hitters batting there.

 

On the other side of the coin, we have Braun hitting third. That's the hitter that comes to bat more often than anyone else with two out and nobody on base. Eleven of Ryan's thirteen homers have come with the bases empty.

 

Samples are small, of course, and a lot can play into this, but one has to wonder how much each player's RBI total is affected by his spot in the order.

 

As far as Kendall, I'd leave things alone. If the objective was to avoid double plays and there haven't been any, one would think that decision is working.

[uwisfan]

by batting Kendall first, you can accomplish the same goal of him not hitting into DPs. Plus, with his OBP, he will be able to get on base for Braun/Fielder. Plus, you get his plate discipline, seeing a lot of pitches. Plus you take Weeks out of the leadoff spot and Cameron out of the top of the order.

[TooLiveBrew]

That gives the greatest # of PA to our 8th-best regular batter. I am not in favor of that. His OBP really hasn't been good lately, it's just been good for the #9 slot (.338 for month of May).

 

If Yost takes Kendall out of the 9-slot, he'll actually manage to do away with what I think has been his best strategy all season, and one of the few good things I can find in keeping him as manager. Why do we have to keep putting up with this?

[uwisfan]

Kendall has a career OBP of .374 and is at .353 right now. The guy in the 2-hole has a .311 OBP and a career of .340, who you would essentially be moving. Only Prince has a higher OBP than Kendall right now (.366). If the object is to put someone on base for Prince and Braun to drive in, then it makes sense to put Kendall up there. That is the same point of batting him 9th.

[endaround]

I don't care that Kendall was great six years ago and had a hot April. I care about who projects better for the next four months, and thats Cameron.

[uwisfan]

in other words, you are both saying to throw out the much bigger body of evidence and go by the fact he had a subpar May.

[endaround]

The point is that power does matter and Kendall has zero left. He hasn't had an OPS above 720 since 2004 because he can no longer drive the ball. Add in his extreme GB tendencies and he's not a good hitter. 10-20 points of OBP don't outweigh 80 points of slugging.

[uwisfan]

if there was a position in the lineup where power is inconsequential, it's leadoff. I'm not saying zero, but I'm more concerned about OBP when you start off the inning and have Braun/Fielder/Hart behind you.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Well lookie here. Kendall is batting 8th today with Sheets ninth. This is Neds attempt to shake up the struggling offense. What a dope.

[brewjihad]

Kendall batting 8th

 

"In a major shift in his lineup strategy, manager Ned Yost has moved catcher Jason Kendall from the No. 9 spot in the lineup to No. 8 for today's game against Washington. Yost hinted yesterday he was thinking about the move in an effort to change up a slumping offense."

[TooLiveBrew]

Yost is out of gas. This team needs a new leader. I get the feeling that he's just grasping at straws at this point. Why would you change this? It's been working well... now I guess it's time to stop doing the things that made sense?

[uwisfan]

on his lineup change, Yost commented "I was actually planning on sticking with kend-zie in the 9-hole, but to my surprise my hat told me otherwise. I couldnt believe when I drew his name 8th out of my cap. Imagine my surprise! Well, he's a battler and we need to find a better spot for those kinds of players."

[1992casey]

if there was a position in the lineup where power is inconsequential, it's leadoff.

Leadoff doubles are way cool, and a lot of lineup research suggests that a Rickey Henderson type is absolutely optimum in that spot. Some research even suggests putting a cleanup type there.

 

In a practical sense, you're not likely to have a super power hitter available to lead off once you place these guys in the spots that need power more. But you sure want to have at least some power there.

 

Weeks' recent two week sample, which coincides with his career numbers, makes him an excellent choice to lead off. And if the lineup is clicking, the Brewers have enough power elsewhere that they can afford to put him there.

[brewjihad]

I think I see Ned's twisted thought-process here. He figures that if the team goes on a good run during the homestand, he can point to shifting Kendall up and say- "Look! I made the change that started a good streak! Don't fire me Doug!"

[pretendastronaut]

I don't understand the Kendall move today at all. It's one of Yost's few success in his lineup moves, to put Kendall 9th, and then to "shake things up" again, he's going to move him to 8th? Is he trying to shoot himself in the foot?

 

It's encouraging to know that even though Yost has made far less lineup "shake ups" this year, when he does, they're just as well advised and done with that magic touch.

[1992casey]

Maybe Jason will hit into a double play today and give Ned enough of a sample to switch things back.

[endaround]

Bill with his Bill logic just said that because Kendall hasn't hit into any DPs this season its reason to move him up.

[brewers19]

It's only a matter of time until we have a thread cataloging Bill quotes and which logical fallacies they fall under.

[1992casey]

He explained it so well on the FOX game a couple weeks ago. Maybe Russ can lecture him on cause and effect.