Post by The Prof on Jul 29, 2011 7:12:36 GMT
Bottom of the Batting Order
It goes without saying that the top of the order get the most at bats but those at the bottom only have one less (at most), so over the course of a game it doesn’t make all that much of a difference. Yes, there is a very broad brush generalisation that the lead off has to combine the ability to get on base with the ability to steal. Second can be either a patient hitter to enable the lead steal or another pacey player. 3, 4, 5 tends to be the power hitters to drive the early guys in. The rest of the lineup is usually aimed at mixing things up – a lefty, tall then short etc.
There is a misconception that the bottom of the order (8 and 9) is for the weakest hitters. You will have noticed that I always like to have a strong hitter in there. The reason is that the other team will probably have the misconception in mind. “Don’t walk the bottom guys” mentality changes the type of pitches being thrown. They will often make a decision that a bottom of the order player is either a “swinger” (will swing at anything) or a “statue” (just stands there hoping the umpire gives him a walk). So long as you don’t swing wildly at the first pitch the pitcher will adopt the “statue” approach for the next couple of pitches – what are those – a controlled pitch right down the middle and just what a decent batter wants to see. Clobber that and you will see the pitcher’s chin drop as he doesn’t want to be beaten by the bottom of the order.
What you don’t want is the bottom of the order being the slowest runners as they will slow down the progress of the speedy top of the order coming behind them.
In summary, the lineup applied for any particular game combines lots of factors such as patience, ability to adjust, speed on the basepaths, height etc not just who can hit it furthest and most often. Those in spots 8 and 9 in many ways are the most crucial at bats.
It goes without saying that the top of the order get the most at bats but those at the bottom only have one less (at most), so over the course of a game it doesn’t make all that much of a difference. Yes, there is a very broad brush generalisation that the lead off has to combine the ability to get on base with the ability to steal. Second can be either a patient hitter to enable the lead steal or another pacey player. 3, 4, 5 tends to be the power hitters to drive the early guys in. The rest of the lineup is usually aimed at mixing things up – a lefty, tall then short etc.
There is a misconception that the bottom of the order (8 and 9) is for the weakest hitters. You will have noticed that I always like to have a strong hitter in there. The reason is that the other team will probably have the misconception in mind. “Don’t walk the bottom guys” mentality changes the type of pitches being thrown. They will often make a decision that a bottom of the order player is either a “swinger” (will swing at anything) or a “statue” (just stands there hoping the umpire gives him a walk). So long as you don’t swing wildly at the first pitch the pitcher will adopt the “statue” approach for the next couple of pitches – what are those – a controlled pitch right down the middle and just what a decent batter wants to see. Clobber that and you will see the pitcher’s chin drop as he doesn’t want to be beaten by the bottom of the order.
What you don’t want is the bottom of the order being the slowest runners as they will slow down the progress of the speedy top of the order coming behind them.
In summary, the lineup applied for any particular game combines lots of factors such as patience, ability to adjust, speed on the basepaths, height etc not just who can hit it furthest and most often. Those in spots 8 and 9 in many ways are the most crucial at bats.