Lineup Choices

[Hubs]

We'll likely see a lot of these lineups, but which are your favorites?

[Stradling]

Kinsler

Trout

Kole

Upton

Albert

Cozart

Simmons

Ohtani

Maldonado

 

[Stradling]

Kinsler

Ohtani

Trout

Upton

Albert

Kole

Cozart

Simmons

Maldonado

[Second Base]

None of those actually....

1. 2B Ian Kinsler 2. 3B Zach Cozart 3. CF Mike Trout 4. LF Justin Upton 5. DH Shohei Ohtani 6. 1B Albert Pujols 7. SS Andrelton Simmons 8. RF Kole Calhoun 9. C Martin Maldonado. 

- I think Kinsler's track record of success makes him the obvious choice bat leadoff. 

- Cozart's skill set and ability to get on makes him a superior candidate to Calhoun. 

- Contract aside, if I had a 38 year old hitter coming off the season Albert had, he wouldn't be in the lineup.  But he is, and I won't bat him in the top or middle of the lineup simply because he isn't good enough anymore. 

- Ohtani is left handed and hits for power, and can also run, all traits that make him a candidate to hit in front of Albert. 

- I don't trust Calhoun offensively, however, if he does start hitting lefties and shows last season was a down year, than I would slot him in front of Albert.

[Stradling]

If we can’t find two HIGH OBP guys to hit 1-2 then bat Trout 2nd so he can wreak havoc in the batters box and on the basepaths with less outs. By high OBP I mean .330 or higher. 

[Second Base]

Just now, Stradling said:

If we can’t find two HIGH OBP guys to hit 1-2 then bat Trout 2nd so he can wreak havoc in the batters box and on the basepaths with less outs. By high OBP I mean .330 or higher. 

Cozart had a .385 OBP last season. 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Scotty@AW said:

Cozart had a .385 OBP last season. 

Good.  Then he’d be one of those guys assuming he adjusts to the AL. I’m guessing walk rates don’t usually change much when a player changes leagues?

[Hubs]

4 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

None of those actually....

1. 2B Ian Kinsler 2. 3B Zach Cozart 3. CF Mike Trout 4. LF Justin Upton 5. DH Shohei Ohtani 6. 1B Albert Pujols 7. SS Andrelton Simmons 8. RF Kole Calhoun 9. C Martin Maldonado. 

- I think Kinsler's track record of success makes him the obvious choice bat leadoff. 

- Cozart's skill set and ability to get on makes him a superior candidate to Calhoun. 

- Contract aside, if I had a 38 year old hitter coming off the season Albert had, he wouldn't be in the lineup.  But he is, and I won't bat him in the top or middle of the lineup simply because he isn't good enough anymore. 

- Ohtani is left handed and hits for power, and can also run, all traits that make him a candidate to hit in front of Albert. 

- I don't trust Calhoun offensively, however, if he does start hitting lefties and shows last season was a down year, than I would slot him in front of Albert.

I think Cozart could swap with Calhoun in any of my lineups. I understand your reasoning, but as a lefty, I could see Calhoun batting higher because Albert bats 5th at the lowest, and you need a lefty somewhere in the top half.

Ohtani might bat in front of Pujols, but then I see it:

Kinsler, Trout, Upton, Ohtani, Pujols, Cozart, Calhoun, Maldonado, Simmons.

 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

Can the new and improved Albert run to first in under a minute?

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

Can the new and improved Albert run to first in under a minute?

Not sure, maybe we find an Albert thread to discuss that in.  

[Angel Oracle]

Vs LHP:  Kinsler, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Cozart, Simmons, Calhoun, Ohtani, Maldonado

Vs RHP:  Kinsler, Calhoun, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Simmons, Valbuena, Cozart, Maldonado  

[Troll Daddy]

Any lineup with Trout batting third followed by Upton. 

[Ohtaniland]

Pujols off is a choice? That was easy. 

[HaloNArizona]

I predict we will see 40+ different line ups and 100+ different threads about how crappy MS is and why is he always change the line up.

[Blarg]

None of the poll lineups work for me. I would be more in favor of Cozart over Calhoun in the #2 slot with Kinsler leading off. 

[jordan]

I like any lineup where Trout is hitting 2nd.  For starters he will get more at-bats through the season.  Secondly, when you have the 8 or 9 hitters leading off an inning, as an opposing pitcher, you have to account for Trout as either hitting 3rd or coming on-deck.  So Trout has to hit in the 2 spot IMO.

[jordan]

Kinsler, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Calhoun, Cozart, Simmons, Ohtani, Maldo

 

I just don't see Ohtani hitting high in the lineup right away.  Sosh will be easing him in. 

[Rico]

Cozart, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Calhoun, Simmons, Ohtani, Maldanado, Kinsler

If you have Trout batting second, you have to have Maldanado bat 8th.   So when the lineup comes back around you have two OBP guys ahead of Trout.

[Hubs]

31 minutes ago, Blarg said:

None of the poll lineups work for me. I would be more in favor of Cozart over Calhoun in the #2 slot with Kinsler leading off. 

The only issue with Cozart up at the top is that then you have at least 4 guys who are right handed consecutively, maybe as many as 7.

That isn't exactly a balanced lineup. You'd have Kinsler, Cozart, Trout, Upton -- at least, with the 8 and 9 guys likely to be Maldonado and Simmons. Even if Simmons hit 7th, then Maldonado likely hits 9th.

And Pujols will hit no lower than 5th. I know it isn't best, but he can still crank out 30 HR and 100 RBI, so he'll be in the middle.

So if he hits 5th, then you'd have the two lefties hitting 6th and 7th.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I like Cozart leading off. If he can come anywhere near his .385 OBP from last year we will score a lot of runs.