Dodgers Half Full
If I told you at the beginning of the season that the Dodgers would be in the playoffs despite getting nothing out of Jason Schmidt, mild production from Nomar, Kent, Furcal, and Pierre, and average seasons from Gonzalez and Ethier, and a rotating cast of characters at third base, you'd take it, right? Well, if the season ended today, the Dodgers would be in the playoffs.
So I choose to look at the glass half full. There's plenty of empty, largely at the top of the order where neither Furcal nor Pierre is getting the job done. Pierre has just 15 walks, or one per week! That doesn't cut it for a guy hitting .275. Furcal is a notorious second half player, so maybe he gets a pass, but he's not getting on either. The Dodgers score runs despite the poor production from the top of the lineup, not because of it.
The kids, however, are alright. Kemp, Loney, and Russell Martin are setting the lineup on fire, and should be grouped together to produce more runs. The Dodgers don't have a deep threat--why is that?--so they need to piece hits together to score. It just makes sense to group your three best hitters together in the 3-4-5 spots. Ethier could join that group with more regular play, but since the Dodgers are stuck with Pierre for another FOUR YEARS! that's not going to happen any time soon. I'd prefer to see Kemp in center and Ethier in right, with Pierre subbing and pinch-running, but nobody pays $50 million for a pinch runner. So Pierre it is, but with Ethier spelling him and Gonzalez (who has been exactly as advertised, no more no less) regularly.
How's this for a lineup:
1. Furcal SS
2. Nomar 3B (yes, in the two spot, where he'll see more first-pitch strikes to keep Furcal from stealing).
3. Martin C
4. Kemp RF
5. Loney 1B
6. Kent 2B
7. Gonzalez LF
8. Pierre CF
9. P
I don't love having Pierre in front of the pitcher, since he doesn't get on base. But when he does get on, he helps the team manufacture runs with his speed. Say he leads off an inning with a single, steals second, then gets bunted over to third by the pitcher. Then you've got Furcal and Nomar to drive him in.
So I choose to look at the glass half full. There's plenty of empty, largely at the top of the order where neither Furcal nor Pierre is getting the job done. Pierre has just 15 walks, or one per week! That doesn't cut it for a guy hitting .275. Furcal is a notorious second half player, so maybe he gets a pass, but he's not getting on either. The Dodgers score runs despite the poor production from the top of the lineup, not because of it.
The kids, however, are alright. Kemp, Loney, and Russell Martin are setting the lineup on fire, and should be grouped together to produce more runs. The Dodgers don't have a deep threat--why is that?--so they need to piece hits together to score. It just makes sense to group your three best hitters together in the 3-4-5 spots. Ethier could join that group with more regular play, but since the Dodgers are stuck with Pierre for another FOUR YEARS! that's not going to happen any time soon. I'd prefer to see Kemp in center and Ethier in right, with Pierre subbing and pinch-running, but nobody pays $50 million for a pinch runner. So Pierre it is, but with Ethier spelling him and Gonzalez (who has been exactly as advertised, no more no less) regularly.
How's this for a lineup:
1. Furcal SS
2. Nomar 3B (yes, in the two spot, where he'll see more first-pitch strikes to keep Furcal from stealing).
3. Martin C
4. Kemp RF
5. Loney 1B
6. Kent 2B
7. Gonzalez LF
8. Pierre CF
9. P
I don't love having Pierre in front of the pitcher, since he doesn't get on base. But when he does get on, he helps the team manufacture runs with his speed. Say he leads off an inning with a single, steals second, then gets bunted over to third by the pitcher. Then you've got Furcal and Nomar to drive him in.
posted by John Rosenthal @ 9:15 AM
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