Apr

Our weakest lineup of the year

Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi DH
Cano 2B
Mientkiewicz 1B
Thompson LF
Nieves C

Okay, I understand that the team’s hands are tied with Posada’s injury and Damon’s unavailability today (soreness in his hamstring and back — we’ll see how long he’s out for). But when you have Doug Mientkiewicz batting 7th, wouldn’t it make sense to screw the platoon and start the better-hitting Phelps?

And batting Melky leadoff is just insane. He’s been terrible, save for maybe two games so far. He has no pop to his swing — it’s like he’s just sticking the bat head out there and hoping he can pop it over an infielder’s head. Not exactly the soundest approach to hitting. He’s also seen just 3.24 pitches per plate appearances this year, so he’s the antithesis of a leadoff hitter.

Just so I don’t complain without offering an alternative, this is how I’d fill out the lineup card today:

Abreu RF
Jeter SS
Giambi DH
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Phelps 1B
Cabrera CF
Thompson LF
Nieves C

Anyone disagree?

It sucks that just as I cooled down about Torre’s moves last night, he goes and pulls something like this.

Categories : Game Stories

11 Comments»

John says:

April 21, 2007 at 3:39 pm

The Minky thing is dumb. Melky batting leadoff is a ‘baseball’ move. Juan Pierre bats leadoff for the same reason.

Mike A. says:

April 21, 2007 at 3:43 pm

Abreu
Jeter
Cano
A-Rod
Giambi
Minky
Cabrera
Thompson
Nieves

A-Rod would get nothing to hit with Cano behind him, but if Cano had A-Rod batting behind him…

Yankee Fan in Chicago says:

April 21, 2007 at 3:47 pm

I do think it’s time to consider moving Cano higher in the order, especially when Damon’s out. Check out his pitches seen per atbat this season. It’s getting up there. And there’s actually some daylight now between his ba and his obp.

Btw, I’m sure Mike A will get to this later, but Brett Smith had a no-no through 7 for Trenton, but was taken out. He’d walked 4 guys so I guess his pitch count was up there.

John says:

April 21, 2007 at 4:15 pm

If you replace Minky with Phelps I like Mike’s lineup.

Mike A. says:

April 21, 2007 at 4:31 pm

YFiC” I was all ready to post something if they finished off the no-no, but alas…

Jeteupthemiddle says:

April 21, 2007 at 4:54 pm

My lineup would have been

Jeter
Abreu
Arod
Giambi
Cano
Phelps
Cabrera
Thompson
Nieves

Joseph P. says:

April 21, 2007 at 4:59 pm

Thanks guys. All of these lineups are better than what we put out there today.

Mike R. says:

April 21, 2007 at 5:26 pm

The reason Phelps isn’t in at first is because he is the backup catcher for today. I think it’s more of a precautionary measure than anything else.

Joseph P. says:

April 21, 2007 at 5:30 pm

Yeah, but you can still move him to catcher and sub Minky at first if that’s what it comes down to.

ShawnT says:

April 21, 2007 at 7:14 pm

Minky stinks he stranded four runners 2day, and its not like hes hitting against lefties ether. Torre just doesnt get it. It doesnt matter sometimes lefty righty, some hitters just cannot hit. besides we have enough good lefty hitters. Damon, Cano, Abreau,Giambi.

jb says:

April 21, 2007 at 8:24 pm

I hope Yankees Released Mike Myers. I have more faith in Sean Henn than Myers who strikeout Big Papi