9/16/08 Brewers (Sabathia) at Cubs (Dempster): 7:05 PM CDT

[logan82]

Post All Star break

Weeks .265/.378/.426/.804

Durham .264/.354/.444/.798

I will take the OBP over SLG in a leadoff hitter and both are bad defensively. Different kinds of bad.

[HOF4canrake]

The different kinds of bad defense is a big factor in my mind. Not making a diving play or ranging far to either side is less detrimental than kicking a routine grounder or throwing away a turn for a DP. As I said, most games are lost, not won.

 

And maybe some coaches blow it out of proportion, but baseball intelligence and moxie count for a lot down the stretch in my mind. Not when there's a huge talent gap, but in this case with guys performing similarly, Durham has an edge in those areas as well.

[logan82]

HOF4canrake wrote:

And maybe some coaches blow it out of proportion, but baseball intelligence and moxie count for a lot down the stretch in my mind. Not when there's a huge talent gap, but in this case with guys performing similarly, Durham has an edge in those areas as well.

Your opinion I guess. I will stick to thinking that everybody who wants to go with Durham over Weeks is just thinking that different is better.

[craigharmann]

Why not have Dale pick the lineup out of a hat?

Wasn't that what Ned basically did on Sunday? Look at where that got him.....waiting for the next Nascar race.

[tyguy20204]

Unfortunately I don't see us winning this game. This team has been such a disappointment, why would they change their ways tonight?

[rluzinski]

Everyone wants to bench Weeks, even though he's literally the only starter hitting in September.

 

You just don't get it. The only thing that matters for a batter is his pre- All Star numbers from the current season. Last season doesn't matter. Post- All Star performance doesn't matter. Weeks and KKameron suck and that's that!

[MillerParkSouth]

Lineup my buddy heard on the radio:

 

Cameron

Durham

Braun

Fielder

Hardy

Hart

Counsel

Kendal

CC

[hkdakd]

wow, Cameron a leadoff man?? I wish Counsel wasn't in there.

 

anything to get a win... I guess??

[sargennm]

Lineup my buddy heard on the radio:

 

Cameron

Durham

Braun

Fielder

Hardy

Hart

Counsel

Kendal

CC

Confirmed on the JS blog

http://blogs.jsonline.com...tarts-w-lineup-shake.aspx

[rluzinski]

And Weeks and Durham equally stink at converting balls in play into outs. Why does it matter if one is not made on the back end of a double play and the other is not made because the fielder is so slow that he couldn't get to a roller in the hole? One type of nonout is just given more significance because it's more memorable.

 

Tangotiger's fan scouting report says they almost equally stunk last year. Durham was worse but with their age diference, that gap may have even widened a bit. When it comes to judging defense, I'll take the opinion of a few dozen fans over one person's opinion anyday, even my own.

[dlk9s]

Ok. That lineup is interesting, to say the least.

[Oldcity]

New manager, same Counsell.

[bcf5575]

it is hard to believe, but this team misses russell branyan in the lineup. with counsell, kendall, and the pitcher this lineup in really weak at the bottom...

[logan82]

I don't mind the lineup other than Durham being in there instead of Weeks. Oh, and Counsell instead of Hall. I don't like Hall that much either.

[dlk9s]

A little inspiration:

 

http://www.baseball-refer...es/MIL/MIL198704190.shtml

[Oldcity]

Neither Hall nor Counsell should really play at third much, except for late in games as defensive replacements.

 

Additional inspiration.

http://www.baseball-refer...es/MIL/MIL199809230.shtml

[dlk9s]

New manager, same Counsell.

If the argument is to put in Gamel, I just don't see how Sveum could do it. Tied for the wild card with 12 games left against the best team in the league and an All-Star pitcher is not the time to put in a AA player with 2 career big league AB's and issues in the field.

 

Yeah, I know he can't do any worse than anyone else has been doing at the plate, but I honestly think it's a bad idea to start him in a game like this.

 

EDIT: I guess I could understand your complaint if you want Mike Lamb in there.

[rluzinski]

I guess our new manager saw Cam's low OBP and high HR rate and KNEW he was perfect for he leadoff spot. I don't think it matters much either way but it just goes to show you, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

[naivin]

Any thoughts on why exactly he is choosing to lead off Cameron?

[mark brouhard is number on]

as bad of a hitter counsell is, he's still getting on base a heckuva lot more than the great Bill Hall is lately. I guess i don't have as much of a problem with counsell as most, granted I don't ever want to see him as an everyday player. I hope he gives Kendall a day off soon too

[crewcrazy]

I think Sveum just wanted to emulate the Cubs by putting Cameron in the leadoff spot, a la Soriano.

 

Also, for what it's worth, the Cubs can win the division with a sweep. Their magic number is 6. Please win tonight so we can avoid having to watch the Cubs celebrate after beating the Brewers.

[naivin]

Actually, who cares who leads off? If Braun, and to a lesser extent Hart don't start hitting again, the rest doesn't much matter.

[Patrick425]

Why is everyone so down on Kendall? I like him a heck of a lot better than Estrada, Miller, or Moeller. To me, for a catcher that can throw out baserunners with some success and is good at handling a pitching staff (I think Kendall has done a decent job with the starters), any offense they provide is mostly just icing on the cake. There are not a whole lot of good offensive catchers out there.

[pretendastronaut]

Maybe Cameron is leading off because he's a Cub killer?

[wisconsinfan47]

I guess our new manager saw Cam's low OBP and high HR rate and KNEW he was perfect for he leadoff spot. I don't think it matters much either way but it just goes to show you, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Not the craziest idea in the world. 3rd highest team walk total (in one less month of play). Among starters, Cam also has an OBP lower than only Fielder (not a leadoff hitter), Hardy (not a leadoff hitter), and Weeks. Looking at OBP alone, take him over Hart (unlike Yost on Saturday).