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Someone explain Aybar leadoff/Trout 2nd to me


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Centerfield has to make more ranging plays and cover more ground, supposedly increasing injury risk.  Not sure how much data there is to back it up but it does seem like CF's get injured a lot more often than the other two OF positions.  

 

On this note the Angels should really modify their left field to be less of a death trap. Large unpadded sections of concrete of the walls along the 3rd base line are asking for trouble on diving platy and heavy gauge chain link fence look like they're a good way to trap a hand and break a wrist. 

The Angels should build shallow wood box spring frame over all the cement walls, then place the padding on top of that. Further, the heavy gauge chain link fencing on the bullpens should be replaced with something like thick Lexan instead. Lexan isn't cheap but neither are having star players go on the DL.

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How soon we forget.  

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14006691&c_id=mlb

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=15248029&c_id=mlb

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17876227&c_id=mlb

 

and the play that Trout doesn't make:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17220611&c_id=mlb

 

Bourjos makes a lot of spectacular plays look pedestrian because he reads the ball so early and takes good routes to the ball.  Notice in a lot of his highlight catches that his route is straight as an arrow.  Trout makes more adjustments and changes of direction when he's tracking the ball, but gets away with it with his ridiculous speed.  And of course the difference in their arms is extremely noticeable.  

 

Trout is probably the 2nd best defensive CF in baseball, he just happens to be on the same team as the 1st.  

 

Those were some great catches.

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He didn't plan on Trout being the leadoff guy all season. It was noted that they had already discussed moving Trout back in the lineup. Lets be honest, we allknow Trout belongs in a position to help drive in runs on this team. JeDi is of the new school numbers approach to baseball and as a previous poster pointed out, the #2 spot in the lineup is for the best hitter on the team; whether you agree with that or not.

you wonder if it's a secret little battle between Scioscia and Dipoto too.  I can't imagine Dipoto is a fan of Aybar at leadoff - he purposely didn't go out and get a leadoff hitter this offseason because he planned on Trout being that guy, now MS is screwing with it.

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The logic for Trout hitting second is line up optimization research. After extensive research, detailed in "The Book," it has been scientifically, mathematically proven that a team's best hitter should bat second to optimize runs scored. This flies in the face of 100 years of conventional baseball practice. Since it does, nobody believes the research. Batting Trout second is his optimum spot. Leadoff was being manned capably by Peter. A leadoff hitter needs one important thing, high OBP, not something Aybar is good at. Power is also wasted at the leadoff spot, since research shows they come to the plate the second fewest times with runners on base (interestingly the third spot is the most.) Peter was at .370 and handling leadoff superbly. We just need a player to step in and fill in till he returns. I think Callaspo and his .347 OBP would be best, but we shall see. I realize most people disagree with the research about lineup optimization and the 2nd spot in the order, so I expect push back, but it is true.

 

I agree 100% with you.

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The number two spot is for the best hitter assuming you have a hitter who can get on base in front of him. If you don't then the number two spot probably isn't the best spot for your top hitter; whether you agree with that or not.

Yep. stubborn insistence on having Trout in the two spot despite not having a viable leadoff candidate (per "the book", someone with high OBP and some speed) gives a bit more credence to the theory that Scioscia is trolling Dipoto here.

 

But who knows, maybe Aybar will change his approach and lead the team in OBP in a few weeks like Bourjos did. I definitely didn't see that coming.

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I agree entirely. Isn't that every MLB teams goal with a leadoff hitter? Bourjos was producing in that spot just fine and since he's hurt your next best option is Aybar. Callaspo will just clog the bases up in front of Trout.

The number two spot is for the best hitter assuming you have a hitter who can get on base in front of him. If you don't then the number two spot probably isn't the best spot for your top hitter; whether you agree with that or not.

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This thread was created today, so Aybar will go 3 for 4 tonight with a walk, and Trout will have 4 RBIs - all of them Aybar.

 

Maybe if I make up a witty nickname (like Peter OhForFourjos) E-six Aybar will play super well and make me look like an ass.

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If the requirement of productivity from your best hitter in the two spot is a lead off hitter who can get on and you don't have a lead off hitter who can get on it's entirely possible the number two spot isn't the best spot for your best hitter if you are seeking productivity. Sticking your best option (other than your best hitter) in the lead off spot just so your best hitter can bat second won't necessarily create your most productive lineup. It's entirely possible that in that scenario your best lineup has your top bat in the lead off spot, provided that he is capable of getting on base. If you have another hitter that can achieve results closer to the production that you would need from the two spot than any other hitter can emulate the required lead off stats then placing Trout at lead off may be an increase of production enough to more than compensate from the production lost by removing him from the number two spot after factoring in the other lead off options.

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If the requirement of productivity from your best hitter in the two spot is a lead off hitter who can get on and you don't have a lead off hitter who can get on it's entirely possible the number two spot isn't the best spot for your best hitter if you are seeking productivity. Sticking your best option in the lead off spot just so your best hitter can bat second won't necessarily create your most productive lineup. It's entirely possible that in that scenario your best lineup has your top bat in the lead off spot, provided that he is capable of getting on base. If you have another hitter that can achieve results closer to the production that you would need from the two spot than any other hitter can emulate the required lead off stats then placing Trout at lead off may be an increase of production enough to more than compensate from the production lost by removing him from the number two spot after factoring in the other lead off options.

 

I think if Hamilton ever breaks out of his slump, he would make a lot of sense batting second behind Trout and in front of Pujols. Problem with Hamilton now as someone pointed out if Trout were running the opposing team would likely call for a two strike pitch out and Hamilton would strike out on it lol.

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No viable leadoff option? Yes, Callaspo isn't fast but a .347 OBP with average power numbers is good enough to leadoff.

 

Aybar .324 Callaspo .331 in 2012  Don't you think we're splitting hairs on this? Aybar has more to offer with the bat and on the bases.

 

Personally I would like to see Trout batting third ... ala Byrce Harper

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