The Tigers have announced their line-up for game one:
Jackson CF
Ordonez RF
Young LF
Cabrera 1B
Martinez DH
Avila C
Raburn 2B
Peralta SS
Inge 3B
Not surprisingly, they have loaded their line-up with right-handed batters versus the southpaw CC Sabathia. The biggest surprise is Ryan Raburn batting seventh in front of Jhonny Peralta, but he is the hotter hitter at the moment. Ramon Santiago and Wilson Betemit will likely replace Raburn and Brandon Inge when there is a right-handed starter.
Showing posts with label line-ups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label line-ups. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Ryan Raburn is the Tigers Second Baseman
With the puzzling trade of Scott Sizemore for David Purcey now complete, another candidate has has enterered the revolving door at second base. First it was Will Rhymes. Then it was Sizemore. Now, Tom Gage is reporting that Ryan Raburn is the new Tigers second baseman.
Raburn at second is not a new idea. He played 15 games there last year and 5 so far this year. I know it's strange to think of the awkward Raburn playing in the infield, but I think he's adequate at second. He won't field the position as well as Ramon Santiago or Danny Worth, but I think he plays second a little better than he plays the outfield. Still, I would imagine that he'll be pulled late in games for a defensive replacement
What Raburn can do that the others can't is hit. I know he's been awful this year - .204/.248/.345 with 51 strikeouts in 142 at bats. However, even the most rabid Raburn hater knows that he is better than that and will likely heat up soon. He has a .265/.322/.451 career line which would would be good numbers for a middle infielder. He's not the ideal second baseman but given the available choices, I think he's the best option they have at the moment.
Raburn at second is not a new idea. He played 15 games there last year and 5 so far this year. I know it's strange to think of the awkward Raburn playing in the infield, but I think he's adequate at second. He won't field the position as well as Ramon Santiago or Danny Worth, but I think he plays second a little better than he plays the outfield. Still, I would imagine that he'll be pulled late in games for a defensive replacement
What Raburn can do that the others can't is hit. I know he's been awful this year - .204/.248/.345 with 51 strikeouts in 142 at bats. However, even the most rabid Raburn hater knows that he is better than that and will likely heat up soon. He has a .265/.322/.451 career line which would would be good numbers for a middle infielder. He's not the ideal second baseman but given the available choices, I think he's the best option they have at the moment.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Same Old Line-up for Tigers
The Tigers are a opening a three-game series versus the first place Cleveland Indians tonight. I won't call three games this early in the season a crucial series, but the Tigers are already 4 1/2 games behind the Indians. Cleveland is not a great team by any means but the Tigers don't want to dig too much of a hole, no matter how early it may be.
Max Scherzer (31 IP, 3.19 ERA, 30/13 K/BB) starts for the Bengals and Jeanmar Gomez (7 1/3 IP, 7.36 ERA, 4/3 K/BB goes for the Indians. It certainly looks like a favorable match-up for the Tigers, especially since Scherzer is on a roll having given up only five runs in his last four starts.
The bad news is that Jim Leyland continues to roll out the same ineffective line-up:
Jackson cf
Rhymes 2b
Ordonez dh
Cabrera 1b
Boesch rf
Raburn lf
Peralta ss
Avila c
Inge 3b
Once again, the skipper has three batters - Austin Jackson, Will Rhymes and Magglio Ordonez - batting under .200 in front of Miguel Cabrera, one of the best hitters in the game. Of the three, only Rhymes at .308 has an OBP above .250. Cabrera hasn't been getting many RBIs with this arrangement. How long do they have to fail before Leyland tries something different?
Max Scherzer (31 IP, 3.19 ERA, 30/13 K/BB) starts for the Bengals and Jeanmar Gomez (7 1/3 IP, 7.36 ERA, 4/3 K/BB goes for the Indians. It certainly looks like a favorable match-up for the Tigers, especially since Scherzer is on a roll having given up only five runs in his last four starts.
The bad news is that Jim Leyland continues to roll out the same ineffective line-up:
Jackson cf
Rhymes 2b
Ordonez dh
Cabrera 1b
Boesch rf
Raburn lf
Peralta ss
Avila c
Inge 3b
Once again, the skipper has three batters - Austin Jackson, Will Rhymes and Magglio Ordonez - batting under .200 in front of Miguel Cabrera, one of the best hitters in the game. Of the three, only Rhymes at .308 has an OBP above .250. Cabrera hasn't been getting many RBIs with this arrangement. How long do they have to fail before Leyland tries something different?
Monday, April 18, 2011
Raburn Playing Second Base Tonight
Every day, there seems to be a little surprise in Jim Leyland's starting line-up. Tonight there is a pretty big surprise - Ryan Raburn is playing second base. The Tigers are desperate for some offense and, while he is struggling at the plate (.229/.283/.396), Raburn has been more productive than Will Rhymes (.222/.286/.222). So, the move makes sense on that basis.
But Ryan Raburn at second base? After watching him stumble around the outfield, do we really want to see him at second base? Before you panic, remember that he was moved from third base to second in the minors because the Tigers thought he was more suited to the position. He was eventually moved to the outfield, but he is adequate at second and has played 55 games at the position in the majors. That includes 18 games last year and they were fairly uneventful - just one error. He's not a permanent solution to the second base problem, but he should be OK for the short-term. Also, Rhymes is only an average fielder, so it's not like they are losing a strong defender in the process.
If nothing else, Leyland is showing some creativity in this move. Here is the rest of the line-up:
Jackson cf
Raburn 2b
Ordonez rf
Cabrera 1b
Martinez dh
Boesch rf
Peralta ss
Avila c
Inge 3b.
But Ryan Raburn at second base? After watching him stumble around the outfield, do we really want to see him at second base? Before you panic, remember that he was moved from third base to second in the minors because the Tigers thought he was more suited to the position. He was eventually moved to the outfield, but he is adequate at second and has played 55 games at the position in the majors. That includes 18 games last year and they were fairly uneventful - just one error. He's not a permanent solution to the second base problem, but he should be OK for the short-term. Also, Rhymes is only an average fielder, so it's not like they are losing a strong defender in the process.
If nothing else, Leyland is showing some creativity in this move. Here is the rest of the line-up:
Jackson cf
Raburn 2b
Ordonez rf
Cabrera 1b
Martinez dh
Boesch rf
Peralta ss
Avila c
Inge 3b.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Switching Jackson and Rhymes Not the Answer
Despite some explosive hitting by first baseman Miguel Cabrera and encouraging starts from youngsters Alex Avila and Brennan Boesch, the Tigers are struggling to score runs this April. After scoring 4.6 runs per game in 2010, the Tigers have scored only 4.1 runs per game so far this year. They are 8th in the American League in runs per game, 8th in batting average (.240), 9th in on base percentage and 7th in slugging (.392).
There are a number of players not carrying their weight in the early going. Victor Martinez, who was signed to a four-year deal to beef up the middle of the line-up, is off to a slow start. Magglio Ordonez has been in and out of the line-up with a sore ankle and hasn't hit when he has played. However, these guys have track records which suggest they'll do better soon. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn have not been very productive, but we expect them to be hot and cold.
A bigger concern is the top of the line-up where sophomores Austin Jackson and Will Rhymes are not setting the table for the big hitters in the middle. Jackson is batting .175 with 19 strikeouts in 57 at bats and has an OBP of just .281. Rhymes is hitting .222 with a .286 OBP and has no extra base hits. It is very early, but the problem with these two is that we can't be too confident that they'll snap out of it.
Jackson batted .293 and reached base at a .345 pace in his rookie campaign. However, much of that was fueled by a .396 Batting Average on Balls in Play and a 24% line drive, numbers which most analysts agreed were unsustainable. Almost all statistical projections saw his batting average taking a big hit this year. He won't bat .175 all year, but he may not bat much higher than .250. If that's the case, then it won't be enough for a man who hits for little power and has a modest walk rate. Sure, he's young and athletic and has the potential to improve, but they need him to produce this year too.
Rhymes has never been a top prospect but impressed Jim Leyland with a .304 batting average in the 54 games in 2010. He was rewarded with the starting second base job this spring, in part, because he out played Scott Sizemore in limited playing time last year. Many analysts feel that Rhymes captured lightning in a bottle last year though and the fear is that he won't repeat his performance over a full season. Rhymes makes good contact, but it's very weak contact. Thus, he has to bat .300 on a consistent basis in order to be a valuable major league regular. You never want to count out a man who has played above expectations his whole life, but the odds are against him again.
Today, Leyland switched their positions in the line-up putting Rhymes at lead off and Jackson at number two. It appears to be a desperate attempt to spark the offense at the top of the order, but it's not likely to help. Jackson looks like a mess at the plate right now and it's going to take more than a move to the two hole to fix his swing and timing. Similarly, I don't see the advantage of Rhymes leading off. I think they both need more than a psychological push.
What happens if Jackson doesn't hit this year? AJax is going to be given a fairly long leash because he is a spectacular center fielder defensively. I can see him being dropped to the ninth spot in the line-up, but I doubt he'll be removed from the line-up any time soon. They don't have a replacement that can field quite like him and the other center field options - Casper Wells and Clete Thomas - have their own problems making contact. There is always Donnie Kelly, but Kelly as an every day player is something most of us don't want to think about.
Rhymes is in a tougher spot because his second base defense is only average and won't carry a weak bat. I think if he doesn't hit by early May, he'll be replaced by Sizemore. Sizemore struggled both offensively and defensively in his rookie campaign in 2010, but he was likely slowed by a bad ankle. There is also a feeling among some that he pressed during his time in the majors. If that's the case, he'll need to get over that but he seems to be pushing for another opportunity. He's batting .387 with a .472 OBP for Toledo and we'll probably see him soon if Rhymes doesn't turn it around quickly.
There are a number of players not carrying their weight in the early going. Victor Martinez, who was signed to a four-year deal to beef up the middle of the line-up, is off to a slow start. Magglio Ordonez has been in and out of the line-up with a sore ankle and hasn't hit when he has played. However, these guys have track records which suggest they'll do better soon. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn have not been very productive, but we expect them to be hot and cold.
A bigger concern is the top of the line-up where sophomores Austin Jackson and Will Rhymes are not setting the table for the big hitters in the middle. Jackson is batting .175 with 19 strikeouts in 57 at bats and has an OBP of just .281. Rhymes is hitting .222 with a .286 OBP and has no extra base hits. It is very early, but the problem with these two is that we can't be too confident that they'll snap out of it.
Jackson batted .293 and reached base at a .345 pace in his rookie campaign. However, much of that was fueled by a .396 Batting Average on Balls in Play and a 24% line drive, numbers which most analysts agreed were unsustainable. Almost all statistical projections saw his batting average taking a big hit this year. He won't bat .175 all year, but he may not bat much higher than .250. If that's the case, then it won't be enough for a man who hits for little power and has a modest walk rate. Sure, he's young and athletic and has the potential to improve, but they need him to produce this year too.
Rhymes has never been a top prospect but impressed Jim Leyland with a .304 batting average in the 54 games in 2010. He was rewarded with the starting second base job this spring, in part, because he out played Scott Sizemore in limited playing time last year. Many analysts feel that Rhymes captured lightning in a bottle last year though and the fear is that he won't repeat his performance over a full season. Rhymes makes good contact, but it's very weak contact. Thus, he has to bat .300 on a consistent basis in order to be a valuable major league regular. You never want to count out a man who has played above expectations his whole life, but the odds are against him again.
Today, Leyland switched their positions in the line-up putting Rhymes at lead off and Jackson at number two. It appears to be a desperate attempt to spark the offense at the top of the order, but it's not likely to help. Jackson looks like a mess at the plate right now and it's going to take more than a move to the two hole to fix his swing and timing. Similarly, I don't see the advantage of Rhymes leading off. I think they both need more than a psychological push.
What happens if Jackson doesn't hit this year? AJax is going to be given a fairly long leash because he is a spectacular center fielder defensively. I can see him being dropped to the ninth spot in the line-up, but I doubt he'll be removed from the line-up any time soon. They don't have a replacement that can field quite like him and the other center field options - Casper Wells and Clete Thomas - have their own problems making contact. There is always Donnie Kelly, but Kelly as an every day player is something most of us don't want to think about.
Rhymes is in a tougher spot because his second base defense is only average and won't carry a weak bat. I think if he doesn't hit by early May, he'll be replaced by Sizemore. Sizemore struggled both offensively and defensively in his rookie campaign in 2010, but he was likely slowed by a bad ankle. There is also a feeling among some that he pressed during his time in the majors. If that's the case, he'll need to get over that but he seems to be pushing for another opportunity. He's batting .387 with a .472 OBP for Toledo and we'll probably see him soon if Rhymes doesn't turn it around quickly.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Ordonez and Jackson Back in Line-up
Magglio Ordonez is back in the line-up tonight after missing four games with pain and fluid in his ankle. He'll be batting third versus Oakland Athletics left-hander Dallas Braden. I'n not sure whether or not Magglio's return is good news. On one hand, they have been scuffling offensively and could use another big bat. On the other hand, he is batting .208 with one extra base hit in 24 at bats and just hasn't looked right. It could be just an early slump, but if his health is affecting his hitting, I'd rather they put him on the disabled list until he is totally healthy
Also returning to the line-up after a day off is center fielder Austin Jackson. He is currently batting an anemic .184 with strikeouts in 33% of his at bats. Most analysts projected a regression from Jackson .293 batting average last season, but nobody expected him to bat below the Mendoza Line.
Last year, Jackson had a spectacular .396 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) thanks to a 24% line drive rate (LD%) on batted balls and 12% infield hit rate on ground balls. Most felt he would not be able to sustain his BABIP and LD%, but now he is putting up numbers (.250 BABIP and 7% LD% ) which are unsustainable on the low side. The moral of the story other than "it's too early" is that he'll need to cut down is strikeouts in order to maintain a consistetly high batting average. So far, there are no signs of that happening.
The question is what do the Tigers do if AJax his is batting .250 with no power and a ridiculous K rate in another couple of weeks? Would they possibly send him down to the minors to work on his swing? That seems unlikely since they need his glove. However, I would have to think that they would move him down to the bottom of the order at some point.
The rest of tonight's lineup looks like this:
Jackson CF
Raburn LF
Ordonez DH
Cabrera 1B
Martinez C
Peralta SS
Boesch RF
Inge 3B
Santiago 2B
Also returning to the line-up after a day off is center fielder Austin Jackson. He is currently batting an anemic .184 with strikeouts in 33% of his at bats. Most analysts projected a regression from Jackson .293 batting average last season, but nobody expected him to bat below the Mendoza Line.
Last year, Jackson had a spectacular .396 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) thanks to a 24% line drive rate (LD%) on batted balls and 12% infield hit rate on ground balls. Most felt he would not be able to sustain his BABIP and LD%, but now he is putting up numbers (.250 BABIP and 7% LD% ) which are unsustainable on the low side. The moral of the story other than "it's too early" is that he'll need to cut down is strikeouts in order to maintain a consistetly high batting average. So far, there are no signs of that happening.
The question is what do the Tigers do if AJax his is batting .250 with no power and a ridiculous K rate in another couple of weeks? Would they possibly send him down to the minors to work on his swing? That seems unlikely since they need his glove. However, I would have to think that they would move him down to the bottom of the order at some point.
The rest of tonight's lineup looks like this:
Jackson CF
Raburn LF
Ordonez DH
Cabrera 1B
Martinez C
Peralta SS
Boesch RF
Inge 3B
Santiago 2B
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Game Six Line-up
Tonight's line-up makes it look like we are back in spring training. Magglio Ordonez, Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta are out. Ryan Raburn, Don Kelly and Ramon Santiago are in. And why is Kelly batting before Raburn? (Now watch Kelly go four for four)
Jackson CF
Rhymes 2B
Boesch RF
Cabrera 1B
Martinez DH
Kelly 3B
Raburn LF
Avila C
Santiago 2B
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Rhymes will be Starting Second Baseman
Jason Beck, Tom Gage and Mario Impemba have all tweeted that Will Rhymes has won the second base job to start the season. Jim Leyland is not guaranteeing that he will start opening day versus the left-handed CC Sabathia though. So, it could be somewhat of a platoon situation. Anyway, the starting line-up looks like this:
Austin Jackson CF
Will Rhymes 2B
Magglio Ordonez RF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Ryan Raburn LF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Brandon Inge 3B
Alex Avila C
When they face a left-hander, Casper Wells would probably replace Avila in the line-up and perhaps Danny Worth or Ramon Santiago would replace Rhymes. In that case, Raburn would probably bat second, Wells sixth and the second baseman ninth.
Austin Jackson CF
Will Rhymes 2B
Magglio Ordonez RF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Ryan Raburn LF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Brandon Inge 3B
Alex Avila C
When they face a left-hander, Casper Wells would probably replace Avila in the line-up and perhaps Danny Worth or Ramon Santiago would replace Rhymes. In that case, Raburn would probably bat second, Wells sixth and the second baseman ninth.
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