We are about 1/2 way thru the regular season and as a non-coach, former 1 tool baseball player, I have some opinions. So here I go (be kind when bashing me). 1- Seems like Cade Kurland is tiring a bit. At this point he would have played the entire high school season. Give him a rest vs BC this week. Play Thomas at 2B. If we have big lead in any of the coming weekend games, pull him after he has batted for Thomas, unless he is back hammering the ball. I just think he is wearing down a bit. 2-Jac C is my fave player, but he may need to step aside from being #3 pitcher. He too maybe wearing trying to do both slugger role and starting pitcher. He is giving free passes like a poet reading in Tuscaloosa. Candidates for Sunday starts are Abner, Nesbitt, and Slater. 3-Move Robertson to lead off. Still has high OB%, drawing walks, is SB threat. Cade does not draw as many walks but gets HBP a lot. I just think a lead off potential base theft is a great way to start a game. 4-Move Halter up in line up to #5. He is hitting .338 since his 0-10 start of season. The R to L to R etc works with him following Josh R in the 4 hole. 5- Get more at bats for Hayman. He can flat out hit. DH if BT is catching. 6- Ty Evans. He is a typical 1 for 4 hitter in games....250. Problem is, he gets a RBI virtually every game. So that 1 hit is of value. Hard to not play him. With lead we may need to find a more "comfortable" RFer. Dont know who would field better. 7-Stick with Sproat and Waldrep...we dont have options.
Well done @shelbygt350, I agree with all your suggestions and only hesitate on #4 moving Halter to the 5 spot. I understand you are questioning Riopelle's spot with Halter replacing him, especially as another LHH. I feel both of these players are going to be good down the stretch with their experience and desire to finish strong. If Riopelle were to fall off a bit more then maybe drop him down. If anything it might more about the pitcher they face. Halter is better against LHP and Riopelle is better against RHP. If I had more updated numbers it might be good to see but that's more of a game to game situation.
@shelbygt350 nice post, you certainly know more than me. Just bumping this because I’d like to hear more thoughts from everyone else.
You have to get Heymans bat in the lineup and I would go with him behind the plate, BT at first and Jac DH during the weekend. Midweek BT catch, Heyman DH, and Jac at first.
Sully loves the way BT "handles" the pitchers and he is involved in calling the game especially with Sproat so I can't see Sully making that move. I have to agree that you're not putting Jac in a position to be successful when he plays two games at first before he pitches (especially when rain and doubleheaders are factored in).
Agree. I don't see any change in the way Coach O has used those 3 guys of late. Riopelle behind the plate the 1st 2 games, with Jac at first and Heyman the DH. In Game 3, Cags pitches, BT is at 1st and Heyman catches. Cags stays at DH when he's relieved on the mound and all 3 guys stay in the lineup for all 3 games. The real interest I have in any potential lineup change is whether or not Kurland stays at leadoff and Robertson in the 9 hole in Knoxville.
Well the way the weekend starters have been throwing maybe having Heyman behind the plate is just the shakeup they need lol
Man!!! That’s a spot on post. Really like your thoughts about Cags, Robertson, Halter and Evans. With Evans, hard to take him out. He’s clutch, plays excellent defense, and hustles the same whether up 10-1 or down 10-1.
Does moving Robertson to lead off change his approach? If it doesn't, then it's a no brainer. Speaking from experience, I hit in the 9 hole as a freshman, started the year great, got moved to lead off and went like 0-8 in the next 2 games. Went back to 9 hole and hit well. The difference was, I was aggressive at the plate as the 9 hole trying to turn the lineup over, vs being the lead off you're asked to see pitches and have a different approach. I don’t disagree with moving him there, just speaking from experience it can mess with your head sometimes.
Yea, not every player even likes to hit lead off. As a coach it was always a challenge to figure out who got that challenge. Of course nobody liked hitting ninth.
Robertson doesn't hit for a high average but he finds other ways to get on base at a reasonable rate. And he is fast so if he is on it stresses the defense. I kind of like him as a lead-off man. Traditionally you want a good contact hitter behind a good lead-off man. I am not sure if we have such a guy.
You talking to me or somebody else? I am serious. Too many swing and miss guys in our lineup. Lots of hits and lots of extra base hits but a lot of K's. I am looking for a guy that always puts the ball in play for the two hole. You can then move a runner over with a productive out or go hit and run and get a single where the fielder once was. Going old school Nellie Fox was fantastic in that role. He almost never struck out. His strike out rate was once every 42.7 at bats for his MLB career.
OK. Give me a Joe Morgan instead. I still want a guy that puts the ball in play with a chance to advance the runner. It is not the place for a light hitting batter but one where it isn't a lot of K's that kill innings.
You’re going back 40-60 years to find a player who you think fits the mold. That should tell you something.
Nellie Fox might have been a bad example but he was exactly what those White Sox teams needed way back when. They were a team based on speed, defense and pitching so small ball was what they played. He was perfect for the two hole on such a team. Nobody on those teams was a great hitter. A double was Luis Aparico getting a walk and stealing second.
