Batting lineup

kojakki · 10-01-2013, 07:57 AM

Still relatively new to the game. I usually do okay in defense but my offense is cr*p EVERY year. I'm doing good on my current season with A's, my D sits top of the league, I'm 38-13 and topping AL. Still my offense is ranked 13th - 15th in most stats. What gives?

I have J. Reddick, J. Profar, A. Rizzo, Kinsler, Derek Norris, Callaspo, Josh Donaldson, Jed Lowrie etc ... Hitting coach with Legendary - Good skills. I am now thinking that my batting order has something to do with it... Any tips?

OBSL Commish · 10-01-2013, 01:30 PM

How is your batting order set up? List their stats too, please.

kojakki · 10-01-2013, 04:13 PM

Batting order, stats attached. I have improved a little now, more runs and OBP is decent. Still batting average and slugging is the issue. I am just wondering if there is something I could improve. What I did was that i reduced bunting and tweaked individual strategy for faster guys. Also I try to use more lefties against RHP and vice versa...

As I have not followed baseball much I'm still unsure which type of player I should use for each spot.

1. A. Gose
2. K. Wong
3. A. Rizzo
4. J. Reddick
5. J. Donaldson
6. J. Profar
7. D. Norris
8. I. Kinsler (DH)
9. C. Crisp

canaveral · 10-01-2013, 04:27 PM

Stats look ok. Still a rather small sample size, even after 89 games or so. I am not that impressed with who you've got, though I don't have the same "feel" for the value of AL batters as I do for NL batters.

I have also had teams that should have done well offensively, but just did not produce. That's baseball: 'should' does not always mean 'will'.

Play the season out. Look at the other teams and see what they've got that you don't. You ARE still winning with that nice pitching.

The Game · 10-01-2013, 09:01 PM

You could always let teh AI set the lineups and try that for a spell, otherwise try this site. it helps when you are unsure.
Lineup Analysis

Only thing i would recommend is getting Callaspo more PT.

OBSL Commish · 10-01-2013, 11:28 PM

I would try switching Gose and Profar in the order, but drop Gose to 8th and move Norris and Kinsler up, just to see how Profar reacts to the change. In the few sims I've run outside of my online league, Profar has always thrived at the top of the order. Or maybe Wong 1st and Profar second. Wong has always ended up being a middle of the order guy whenever I've had him. He won two straight MVPs in one league I created. The 3,4, and 5 slots look fine to me, but I would get Norris' bat more scoring opportunities by moving him and Kinsler up.

kojakki · 10-02-2013, 01:43 AM

Thanks for the tips guys. I have tried AI setup occasionally but usually ended up tweaking the order myself.

I'll give it a shot and move those players around to see the effects

Fyrestorm3 · 10-02-2013, 04:09 AM

Just as an fyi, the commonly accepted lineup model in today's game is something like:

1 - Speedster. High OBP is also a plus.
2 - Contact hitter, intended to move the #1 guy along.
3 - One of your two best power hitters, usually the best batter on the team.
4 - Your other best power hitter, usually with more power but less contact than the #3 guy.
5 - Usually your third best power hitter, but this spot can be mixed and matched.
6 - The best hitter out of your remaining four starters.
7 - Second best out of the four.
8 - Third best out of the four. If the pitcher is batting, this spot is usually occupied by a good baserunner, since the pitcher (batting 9th) will likely be bunting.
9 - Your worst hitter. Some teams switch it up and put a decent OBP guy (basically, a backup #1 hitter) in the nine-hole, with the worst hitter batting 8th.

Note that there are and always will be many, many discussions on what constitutes the "best" lineup, so you should feel free to experiment, but this is the generally accepted model in the modern-day MLB.

kojakki · 10-02-2013, 11:38 AM

Ah, it starts to make sense now. AI seems to use mostly same logic when setting lineups.

estyles · 10-02-2013, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

Just as an fyi, the commonly accepted lineup model in today's game is something like:

1 - Speedster. High OBP is also a plus.
2 - Contact hitter, intended to move the #1 guy along.
3 - One of your two best power hitters, usually the best batter on the team.
4 - Your other best power hitter, usually with more power but less contact than the #3 guy.
5 - Usually your third best power hitter, but this spot can be mixed and matched.
6 - The best hitter out of your remaining four starters.
7 - Second best out of the four.
8 - Third best out of the four. If the pitcher is batting, this spot is usually occupied by a good baserunner, since the pitcher (batting 9th) will likely be bunting.
9 - Your worst hitter. Some teams switch it up and put a decent OBP guy (basically, a backup #1 hitter) in the nine-hole, with the worst hitter batting 8th.

Note that there are and always will be many, many discussions on what constitutes the "best" lineup, so you should feel free to experiment, but this is the generally accepted model in the modern-day MLB.

Also to note: I tend to consider it okay to bat guys one slot away from ideal, especially at the bottom of the order, if you can alternate lefties and righties (with a S being an acceptable substitute for either). So if my 5678 hitters in order of best to worst were RLLR, I might swap the 5 and 6 or the 7 and 8. Or if they were RRLL, I'd swap the 6 and 7 hitters.

Also, if I have two really good hitters with high OPS, I'd rather bat them #2 and #3 than #3 and #4, because of the opportunity for a big 1st inning and slightly better chance of getting more AB's.

Fyrestorm3 · 10-02-2013, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estyles

Also to note: I tend to consider it okay to bat guys one slot away from ideal, especially at the bottom of the order, if you can alternate lefties and righties (with a S being an acceptable substitute for either). So if my 5678 hitters in order of best to worst were RLLR, I might swap the 5 and 6 or the 7 and 8. Or if they were RRLL, I'd swap the 6 and 7 hitters.

Also, if I have two really good hitters with high OPS, I'd rather bat them #2 and #3 than #3 and #4, because of the opportunity for a big 1st inning and slightly better chance of getting more AB's.

Both are valid options that some MLB coaches employ. If I remember correctly, Terry Francona is a big proponent of splitting up lefties and righties in the lineup.

10-01-2013, 09:01 PM	#5
The Game Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Inside The Game Posts: 30,937	You could always let teh AI set the lineups and try that for a spell, otherwise try this site. it helps when you are unsure. Lineup Analysis Only thing i would recommend is getting Callaspo more PT. __________________ Go today don't wait for tomorrow It isn't promised, all the time you get borrowed Don't live your life for other people Don't bottle your emotions till they crack and fill a couple just sorrows Take your mind and refocus go get a paper write your goals out Throw your middle fingers to all your haters "Stay Strong"

10-01-2013, 07:57 AM	#1
kojakki Bat Boy Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 8	Batting lineup Still relatively new to the game. I usually do okay in defense but my offense is crp EVERY year. I'm doing good on my current season with A's, my D sits top of the league, I'm 38-13 and topping AL. Still my offense is ranked 13th - 15th in most stats. What gives? I have J. Reddick, J. Profar, A. Rizzo, Kinsler, Derek Norris, Callaspo, Josh Donaldson, Jed Lowrie etc ... Hitting coach with Legendary - Good skills. I am now thinking that my batting order has something to do with it... Any tips? Last edited by kojakki; 10-01-2013 at 07:58 AM.*

10-01-2013, 01:30 PM	#2
OBSL Commish All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 945	How is your batting order set up? List their stats too, please.

10-01-2013, 04:13 PM	#3
kojakki Bat Boy Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 8	Batting order, stats attached. I have improved a little now, more runs and OBP is decent. Still batting average and slugging is the issue. I am just wondering if there is something I could improve. What I did was that i reduced bunting and tweaked individual strategy for faster guys. Also I try to use more lefties against RHP and vice versa... As I have not followed baseball much I'm still unsure which type of player I should use for each spot. 1. A. Gose 2. K. Wong 3. A. Rizzo 4. J. Reddick 5. J. Donaldson 6. J. Profar 7. D. Norris 8. I. Kinsler (DH) 9. C. Crisp Attached Images Last edited by kojakki; 10-01-2013 at 04:25 PM.

10-01-2013, 04:27 PM	#4
canaveral Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Space Coast FL Posts: 194	Stats look ok. Still a rather small sample size, even after 89 games or so. I am not that impressed with who you've got, though I don't have the same "feel" for the value of AL batters as I do for NL batters. I have also had teams that should have done well offensively, but just did not produce. That's baseball: 'should' does not always mean 'will'. Play the season out. Look at the other teams and see what they've got that you don't. You ARE still winning with that nice pitching.

10-01-2013, 11:28 PM	#6
OBSL Commish All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 945	I would try switching Gose and Profar in the order, but drop Gose to 8th and move Norris and Kinsler up, just to see how Profar reacts to the change. In the few sims I've run outside of my online league, Profar has always thrived at the top of the order. Or maybe Wong 1st and Profar second. Wong has always ended up being a middle of the order guy whenever I've had him. He won two straight MVPs in one league I created. The 3,4, and 5 slots look fine to me, but I would get Norris' bat more scoring opportunities by moving him and Kinsler up.

10-02-2013, 01:43 AM	#7
kojakki Bat Boy Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 8	Thanks for the tips guys. I have tried AI setup occasionally but usually ended up tweaking the order myself. I'll give it a shot and move those players around to see the effects

10-02-2013, 04:09 AM	#8
Fyrestorm3 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Massachusetts Posts: 2,928	Just as an fyi, the commonly accepted lineup model in today's game is something like: 1 - Speedster. High OBP is also a plus. 2 - Contact hitter, intended to move the #1 guy along. 3 - One of your two best power hitters, usually the best batter on the team. 4 - Your other best power hitter, usually with more power but less contact than the #3 guy. 5 - Usually your third best power hitter, but this spot can be mixed and matched. 6 - The best hitter out of your remaining four starters. 7 - Second best out of the four. 8 - Third best out of the four. If the pitcher is batting, this spot is usually occupied by a good baserunner, since the pitcher (batting 9th) will likely be bunting. 9 - Your worst hitter. Some teams switch it up and put a decent OBP guy (basically, a backup #1 hitter) in the nine-hole, with the worst hitter batting 8th. Note that there are and always will be many, many discussions on what constitutes the "best" lineup, so you should feel free to experiment, but this is the generally accepted model in the modern-day MLB.

10-02-2013, 11:38 AM	#9
kojakki Bat Boy Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 8	Ah, it starts to make sense now. AI seems to use mostly same logic when setting lineups.