4/9/14 Lineup @ Mariners (brace yourselves)

[Jay]

Cy Elias

[Blarg]

Out of all the guys on this team, Scioscia picks Cowgill to lead off and get the most AB opportunities.

 

Would you prefer Aybar?

[Marsaka]

wondering if Iannetta's .095 might keep him off the lineup card, but then remembered its Scioscia, the master at getting teams off to quick starts (opposing teams)

 

seriously...what else does a guy have to do to get benched?  

[Blarg]

seriously...what else does a guy have to do to get benched?  

 

Slide head first into first base.

[Marsaka]

Slide head first into first base.

 

or hit a homerun.

[ettin]

Your argument is that Cowgill gives us a better chance to win than Calhoun?

MT I'm not saying that losing a hot hitting Josh Hamilton (and let's be honest he's hitting .444 with a .556 BABIP.... unsustainable but certainly great while it lasts) doesn't hurt the team. It does.

However Cowgill has never received consistent playing time or even had a consistent team to stay with over the last few years. He had a career .373 OBP in the Minors (and .473 SLG) and that could potentially serve him well leading off. Shuck had a .382 OBP in the Minors and specifically had a higher OBP vs. RHP.

I guess what I am saying is that applying Cowgill and Shuck in the lead off spot should still lead to consistent men on base for Trout, Pujols, et. al. Exchanging Hamilton for Calhoun isn't quite as horrible as it might sound to some of you as Calhoun still has a desirable offensive profile and can slug the ball pretty well.

As Hamilton has done many times he has shown an ability to go on prolonged hot hitting streaks (and then subsequent cold spells) and he was in the middle/tail end of one to start off the season and that will hurt a bit. However if the new lead off men can do their job and get on base about 35% of the time that should still lead to run-scoring opportunities as the middle of the order hits behind them.

[QuinlansMinion]

We now have David Freese, who had a .721 OPS last year in 462 at bats, as our cleanup hitter.

 

 

With Howie swing at anything Kendrick batting 5th.  This is how bad its gotten.

[markb]

 Add to it being a lefty on the mound and you hvave your answer. 

 

How many times does the fact that Calhoun hits lefties better than righties need to be posted before people stop making this argument?

[Stradling]

gah!

who cares if they are horrible?

Mt, what do you really expect? We aren't a deep team and we just lost one of our studs. I'm not trying to start anything it just there's not a ton of options.

[jshep]

Mt, what do you really expect? We aren't a deep team and we just lost one of our studs. I'm not trying to start anything it just there's not a ton of options.

I think the answer to that is at least don't put the horrible players we're forced to play in Hamilton's absence at the top of the lineup

[Brent Maguire]

I think the answer to that is at least don't put the horrible players we're forced to play in Hamilton's absence at the top of the lineup

Yup. Obviously, they need Cowgill to play tonight but he doesn't have to bat leadoff. Sure, Kole has struggled but everybody was on board with him leading off. Why would they change that 8 games into the season?

[Stradling]

Just having a right hander leading off against a young lefty. I'd prefer Calhoun but it truly isn't a big deal.

[Quinlanforthewin]

I like it for what we can do.  We can't afford to have Calhoun lead off anymore.  We need some power bats in the middle of the order and have none with Hamilton gone.  If Calhoun and Trout still bat 1-2 that means the meat of our order is like Pujols Freese Ibanez 

[Hollyw00d]

The dynamic duo of shuck and cowgill at the top of the lineup should be good for about 0.2 WAR while Hamilton is out

[Halohappy]

 Personaly I'm looking forward to see what Cowgill can do with some regular playing time.

[ten ocho recon scout]

or hit a homerun.

or a bobblehead

[bloodbrother]

I'd like to hope that Calhoun was only moved down today because they are facing a lefty. Even so, Calhoun has shown to hit lefties fine, so it still doesn't make much sense. He's off to a bad start, but let him hit his way out.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

@Alden_Gonzalez: I was wrong, Calhoun will probably continue to hit leadoff. Trout third not a consideration right now. 3-4-5 of Pujols/Freese/Ibanez likely.

In a previous tweet, he predicted that Schuck or Cowgill would hit leadoff.

[Quinlanforthewin]

@Alden_Gonzalez: I was wrong, Calhoun will probably continue to hit leadoff. Trout third not a consideration right now. 3-4-5 of Pujols/Freese/Ibanez likely.

In a previous tweet, he predicted that Schuck or Cowgill would hit leadoff.

 

This is why I do not like our manager.  That 3-4-5 is not going to drive in shit or protect shit.  Yuck.  

[Quinlanforthewin]

I'd like to hope that Calhoun was only moved down today because they are facing a lefty. Even so, Calhoun has shown to hit lefties fine, so it still doesn't make much sense. He's off to a bad start, but let him hit his way out.

 

No.  He needs to drive in runs now not get on base.  Who exactly is going to drive Calhoun in? 

[Sherlock31]

@Alden_Gonzalez: I was wrong, Calhoun will probably continue to hit leadoff. Trout third not a consideration right now. 3-4-5 of Pujols/Freese/Ibanez likely.

In a previous tweet, he predicted that Schuck or Cowgill would hit leadoff.

 

You gotta be kidding me..................

[Hollyw00d]

@Alden_Gonzalez: I was wrong, Calhoun will probably continue to hit leadoff. Trout third not a consideration right now. 3-4-5 of Pujols/Freese/Ibanez likely.

In a previous tweet, he predicted that Schuck or Cowgill would hit leadoff.

 

 

F'n sports journalism

[Hollyw00d]

A 3-4-5 of Pujols/Freese/Ibanez would probably be the worst MOTO in baseball. The Mariners' MOTO is better than that since they have at least one good hitter in the sequence.

 

This season...

 

 

ya but that MOTO rocked about 5 seasons ago, and scioscia hasn't forgotten

[eligrba]

Where does Engleberg hit?

[fan_since79]

gah!

 

who cares if they are horrible?

 

EXACTLY!

 

Lefty/Righty lineup

7th inning guy comes in during the 7th inning.

Set-up man comes in during the 8th inning.

Closer pitches the 9th.

Contact play every single time

Bunt, bunt, bunt!

Albert bats third, Albert bats third, Albert third, Albert in the 3-spot...

 

OCD, anyone?