Jacoby Ellsbury may have an average hovering around .300, but his plate discipline isn’t cutting it. Things change today as Dustin Pedroia assumes the leadoff mantle. I’m sure we’ll hear more from Tito.
PEDROIA 2B
DREW RF
YOUKILIS 1B
BAY LF
LOWELL 3B
ORTIZ DH
VARITEK C
ELLSBURY CF
GREEN SS
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I’ll be at Fenway tonight for the Phish show, which is going to be a totally bizarre experience. 35 thousand aging hippies instead of Sox fans, and a 6:30 start taboot, it will be weird.
In Tito I trust, but I don’t get this move at all. Sure, Ellsbury could take a few more walks, but I don’t see how giving him fewer ABs is going to help.
Our table-setters have been doing their jobs; that’s why we usually strand a pair in the firt inning. The troubles lie elsewhere.
Pedroia is the best hitter on the team. Therefore he should get the most ABs.
Actually, I agree with both Tessie’s Dad and Marcos. The top of the order hasn’t been the problem, and as long as Ells’ BA is so high, his lack of walks isn’t a terrible drawback. At the same time, it’s true that Pedroia is a better leadoff hitter.
The move I question is batting Ellsbury #8 and Green #9. If you’re going to drop Ellsbury, I’d rather put him #9 and effectively make him the second leadoff hitter.
And as long as we’re playing hypothetical lineups, think about Ellsbury as an unusual, but possibly effective, choice in the #6 slot: his high contact rate might produce a fair number of RBI and cut into the Sox’ LOB problem. And who knows: as a base-stealing threat in front of Papi (dropped to #7), Papi might see more pitches he can hit.
I agree with JVWALT on the fact that Tacoby should be batting 9th.
Interesting premise.
I like Jacoby 8 over Green at 9, though, because they’ll be more apt to let Ellsbury steal with a (near) automatic out behind him. If he was followed by DPed, etc. it would basically be the same situation… which would make it clear it’s a demotion which Tito is trying to debunk.
I agree with you, though I don’t think Green is automatic. But Lugo is.
take out ortiz until he proves himself
I thought it was illegal to have three righties in a row in a lineup. Is Tito looking at any serious jail time?
And how can be prove himself if he’s out of the lineup?
I don’t know what it proves to Ortiz. But it proves that they’ll get more Ws without him for time being.