And so it begins (atrocious lineups)...

[QuinlansMinion]

Calhoun batting leadoff.....  Joyce hitting cleanup (What THE F?????)  

[wopphil]

You should edit the title of this topic to read "And so it begins (atrocious threads)"

[Spirit]

But ... we won.

[Stradling]

Ridiculous thread. It's the first game of spring training and it's not like we have some great offense. How can you possibly complain about Calhoun leading off when he's good at it and we don't have a better option.

[Docwaukee]

I know it's very subtle, but if you squint your eyes and look real close, you might see some irony.  

[laagamer]

Okay Minion...

[arch stanton]

Calhoun, Trout, Pujols are the best offensive players. Makes sense to give them the most ABs.

[stormngt]

And he led off all last year! It should be expected that he would off.

Ridiculous thread. It's the first game of spring training and it's not like we have some great offense. How can you possibly complain about Calhoun leading off when he's good at it and we don't have a better option.

[nate]

Calhoun, Trout, Pujols are the best offensive players. Makes sense to give them the most ABs.

 

Fixed.  But I agree.

 

Here is today's atrocious lineup!

 

On a serious note, I don't remember having so many regulars in the lineup this early in the year.  Seems like usually guys are nursing a training injury or Scioscia doesn't want them in the lineup this early.  Trout even got 2 ABs yesterday.

 

Edited March 6, 2015 by nato

[iiisenordingdong]

I would have liked to have seen Bandy or Perez get a shot at starting with Weaver on the mound. Butera at 31 with a career .183 BA doesn't seem like a long term solution. 

[T.G.]

I would have liked to have seen Bandy or Perez get a shot at starting with Weaver on the mound. Butera at 31 with a career .183 BA doesn't seem like a long term solution. 

 

He's Jeff Mathis 2.0

[fan_since79]

Calhoun, Trout, Pujols are the best offensive players. Makes sense to give them the most ABs.

 

The 2011 postseason version of David Freese is a pretty good offensive player. Wish we had him in our lineup.

 

Yesterday he took one of the worst swings I've ever seen by a major-league hitter.

 

Offensively, it's going to be a long year. Hope the pitchers step up their game a few notches.

[red321]

 

 

Offensively, it's going to be a long year. Hope the pitchers step up their game a few notches.

 

I didn't realize the offense was built around Kendrick...seeing as he's the only major component not back from last year's league leading offense. I knew Trout didn't deserve that MVP award.

[fan_since79]

I didn't realize the offense was built around Kendrick...seeing as he's the only major component not back from last year's league leading offense. I knew Trout didn't deserve that MVP award.

 

Pujols and Freese, not young men, are a year older. Matt Joyce with his 9 home runs and 52 RBI is hitting cleanup. I'll take the 2011 version of him too.

 

Sure, Aybar's good and Iannetta gets on base at a good clip, but really, beyond the top two in the lineup there's not much to be excited about offensively. Do you really expect a great season from Pujols? or Freese?

Edited March 6, 2015 by fan_since79

[Stradling]

The 2011 postseason version of David Freese is a pretty good offensive player. Wish we had him in our lineup.

Yesterday he took one of the worst swings I've ever seen by a major-league hitter.

Offensively, it's going to be a long year. Hope the pitchers step up their game a few notches.

So you ignore his second half of last year? How bout the nice inside out swing he took yesterday? Baseball is back Eeyore, try really hard to enjoy that.

[xboom28x]

Pujols and Freese, not young men, are a year older. Matt Joyce with his 9 home runs and 52 RBI is hitting cleanup. I'll take the 2011 version of him too.

 

Sure, Aybar's good and Iannetta gets on base at a good clip, but really, beyond the top two in the lineup there's not much to be excited about offensively. Do you really expect a great season from Pujols? or Freese?

 

Josh Hamilton and his 10 home runs and 44 RBI hit clean up last year for the leagues best offense so...

[fan_since79]

So you ignore his second half of last year?

 

Freese, 2014 post ASB: .267 BA, .743 OPS, 6 HR, 24 RBI. -0.97 WPA.

 

Meh.

Edited March 6, 2015 by fan_since79

[katrinab]

you guys do realize its the first game right?

no one is on their game yet, give it time

[Stradling]

Freese, 2014 post ASB: .267 BA, .743 OPS, 6 HR, 24 RBI. -0.97 WPA.

Meh.

Compare it to the league average and it won't look bad. The league average batting average was .253 and the league average OPS was .706. So he was better than league average by a decent amount. Gone are the days where everyone hits .275. I'm guessing 15 years ago you'd be happy to have a third baseman hit .285, well that's basically what he did.

[eaterfan]

Compare those numbers to the rest of the qualified 3B last season. If he put up those numbers over a full season and we ignore his terrible first half he's still not in the top half of 3B.

Hitting is only one aspect of the game. He can make up for it with base running and defense.

[fan_since79]

Compare it to the league average and it won't look bad. The league average batting average was .253 and the league average OPS was .706. So he was better than league average by a decent amount. Gone are the days where everyone hits .275. I'm guessing 15 years ago you'd be happy to have a third baseman hit .285, well that's basically what he did.

 

...and then there's his speed and his sterling defense to consider.

[yk9001]

I assume that complaining about the lineup on a March 5 spring training game is an inside joke, or ironical, or something.  Please tell me I am right.

[fan_since79]

Just getting in shape for the regular season threads.

 

The sarcasm gets a little rusty over the winter.

[Blarg]

It is spring training for whiners as well.

[Chimi]

Looking at the lineup for today, it's pretty clear Scioscia has already given up on trying to get the coveted Spring Training Championship.