Kole Calhoun

[WallyWorld]

That would be my choice as well. I've added in some projected stats - "moderately optimistic." Of course not everyone will perform to that level, but if everyone is healthy I think they very well could - and one or two even out-play it.

 

of course at least 1 or 2 of those guys probably won't be here opening day.  And if they are here, I don't know who the hell is in our rotation.

[gotbeer]

The way Trout is filling out, and showing more power.  He will be a 3/4 hitter.  Heck, he had the 4th highest slugging in the league last year.  Hitting him first or second would be a waste.  He's quickly becoming this generations Bonds, except for the Roids and the douche factor.

[ettin]

calhoun leads off

 

freese 2nd. 

 

Against LHP yes. RHP not so much (regarding Freese).

[bloodbrother]

I don't want Trout hitting right before Pujols. Maddening last year to see Trout glued to 1B and then Albert GIDP

[Hubs]

If Calhoun was healthy in spring training, we'd never have heard of JB Shuck. 

 

He wasn't. Shuck got the AB's when Bourjos went down. They'd have gone to Calhoun if he was the fourth OF, which he would've been had he been healthy.

[Lhalo]

I don't want Trout hitting right before Pujols. Maddening last year to see Trout glued to 1B and then Albert GIDP

 

+1000

 

I wish Pujols would have had the surgery early on so we wouldn't have had to witness that nonsense.

[tdawg87]

I am fine with Trout batting leadoff and Calhoun hitting 2nd. Nothing wrong with a high SLG hitter batting 1st. That way he gets the most at bats.

[Chuck]

If Calhoun was healthy in spring training, we'd never have heard of JB Shuck. 

 

He wasn't. Shuck got the AB's when Bourjos went down. They'd have gone to Calhoun if he was the fourth OF, which he would've been had he been healthy.

Yup.

[Brent Maguire]

Absolutely want Trout and Calhoun at the top of the lineup. If Pujols and Hamilton both have moderate rebound seasons, there's going to be some serious run production. 

[Chuck]

I am fine with Trout batting leadoff and Calhoun hitting 2nd. Nothing wrong with a high SLG hitter batting 1st. That way he gets the most at bats.

 

I'm also fine with Trout in the leadoff spot, Calhoun hitting second. I just like Trout (our best hitter), hitting in a good spot (3rd) for driving in runs and/or continuing an inning with a knock with two outs.

 

Honestly, I don't really care how the lineup shakes out as I think no matter where they are we're going to be much better offensively if everyone stays healthy this season. I'm pretty stoked on the lineup.

[Chuck]

I agree, so does the worst arm go to LF?

Yeah, Worst arm and worst defender.

 

Though Tim Salmon told us last spring at our event that LF was the toughest position to play.

[ettin]

I am fine with Trout batting leadoff and Calhoun hitting 2nd. Nothing wrong with a high SLG hitter batting 1st. That way he gets the most at bats.

 

As long as he's #1, #2, or #3 I'm okay with it.

[GalericX]

I will believe Sosh not playing Shuck a lot when I see Sosh not playing Shuck a lot.  Dipoto gave him a toy and we all know Sosh loves his toys.

 

This, for to long Sosh has been guilty of it.

[nikkachez]

Only reason Trout hit third last season was because Pujols got hurt. I agree that Trout will eventually move down to the third spot when his speed regresses a little, but he should be lead-off right now. Shuck and especially Aybar shouldn't even be close to the top of the lineup. Lineup should be:

 

1. Trout CF

2. Calhoun RF

3. Pujols 1B

4. Hamilton LF

5. Trumbo DH

6. Freese 3B

7. Kendrick 2B

8. Iannetta/Conger C

9. Aybar SS

 

As of now but If Kendrick is traded, you bump the catchers and Aybar up a spot and have Green/eventually Lindsey hit 9th. I don't think the Angels will trade Trumbo though, even though they probably should, but they'd need a bat to replace him IMO

Edited November 25, 2013 by nikkachez

[Troll Daddy]

So are they going to put the worst arm in LF?

 

Trout will be playing center field.

[WallyWorld]

i'm going to be the a-hole for a minute: remember last offseason when we were all jerking each other off making sick lineup threads and talking about how our lineup would more than compensate for the holes in our pitching? Yeah, that was fun.

[nikkachez]

i'm going to be the a-hole for a minute: remember last offseason when we were all jerking each other off making sick lineup threads and talking about how our lineup would more than compensate for the holes in our pitching? Yeah, that was fun.

I don't think anyone is saying that our lineup will compensate with the pitching staff we have no, in fact, I'm pretty sure everyone's on the same page that we need pitching still

[HaloFan85]

Calhoun  RF

Trout  CF

Pujols  1B

Hamilton  LF

Trumbo  DH

Freese  3B

Kendrick  2B

Conger  C

Aybar  SS

 

That's a lineup I could live with.

This is the lineup I was thinking of except with Freese and Trumbo flip flopped, especially with the way Dipoto was harping on Freese's ability to knock in the 'important' runs.

 

I also get the feeling Conger will be backup no matter how much better he does than Iannetta, so I had Iannetta batting 8th instead.

[WallyWorld]

I don't think anyone is saying that our lineup will compensate with the pitching staff we have no, in fact, I'm pretty sure everyone's on the same page that we need pitching still

 

i know i know, i just think it's funny that we're all so excited about the lineup possibilities, while our pitching staff is really in shambles.  deja vu. 

[nikkachez]

i know i know, i just think it's funny that we're all so excited about the lineup possibilities, while our pitching staff is really in shambles.  deja vu. 

It's the only thing we can be somewhat excited about until we see some GD pitching moves! Haha

[Brent Maguire]

i'm going to be the a-hole for a minute: remember last offseason when we were all jerking each other off making sick lineup threads and talking about how our lineup would more than compensate for the holes in our pitching? Yeah, that was fun.

I have no doubt we will have a better rotation next year. Guessing we'll see someone signed here soon. Hopefully Garza or Tanaka. 

[Chuck]

i'm going to be the a-hole for a minute: remember last offseason when we were all jerking each other off making sick lineup threads and talking about how our lineup would more than compensate for the holes in our pitching? Yeah, that was fun.

 

Nobody was jerking off, but it sure looked like a great lineup. Not just by us fans, but the entire sports writing community.

 

That said, I believed Hanson and Blanton would at least be somewhere close to a 4:00-4:50 ERA and provide us with some quality innings, while Vargas was a little better than what he was.

 

What we didn't expect was Weaver to get hurt, Hanson and Blanton to suck incredibly bad and for Vargas to miss significant time with the blood clot, right after he was in a groove, knocking out tons of QS's.

 

Now, you can stop being an a-hole. Management knows that pitching is the primary void to fill this offseason and there's plenty of time to upgrade the staff before ST.

[tdawg87]

Nobody was jerking off

I was.

[jshep]

It would be easier to list when you aren't jerking off though

[tdawg87]

The 2nd Tuesday of every month.