Who Hits 2nd?

by sandbergformanager on Dec 22, 2005 9:37 PM CST

The Cubs do not have a true number 2 hitter!

With the moves the Cubs have made this offseason they have left one gaping hole, the 2 spot in the batting order. They do have a few options but nothing spectacular. Assuming that Pierre hits 1st and Lee and Ramirez 3rd and 4th, that leaves Barret, Jones, Murton, Walker, and either Perez or Cedeno. I would count out Walker and Jones because they bat left handed and Dusty won't bat left handed hitters back to back. I fear if Barret hits 2nd he would hit into a ton of double plays leaving no body on for D-Lee. So if I were Dusty I would have it narrowed down to Murton and the winner at the shortstop position. Personally I feel Perez is the best of the these three players and filling what a 2 hitter should do, bunt, run a little, hit to the right side, and be a patient hitter, but hey what do you gugs think?

Poll

Who should hit 2nd for the Cubs?

Jones

1 votes

Walker

40 votes

Murton

21 votes

Cedeno

11 votes

Perez

1 votes

Barret

1 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Nice place to be...

Whoever it is, he will see some good pitches with Pierre on base and DLee coming up next. I think that the situation would help Murton alot. He seems to understand the game and would find the right-centerfield gap. If Walker is still around, he would thrive in this spot.

by greggie44 on Dec 22, 2005 10:07 PM CST reply actions

my prediction...

the Cubs will bat Jacque Jones in the 2 slot. He's fast, and Dusty likes the fast guys at the top of the lineup. I know he also likes the whole r-l-r-l-r thing, but i think he'd bat Jones 2nd anyways.

The Cubs will thrive in twenty-oh-five... or sometime thereafter!

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 22, 2005 10:30 PM CST reply actions

NO to Jones at #2

He strikes out WAY too much to bat #2. I would guess it will be Walker if the roster stays as it is now. Possibly Cedeno if things change- but I really think that is too much pressure for him. Murton I like the idea of, because he is a patient hitter, but I don't know about his speed which is why Cedeno might be better there.

by Mooch on Dec 22, 2005 11:03 PM CST reply actions

The standards

It is ideal to have a lefty in the no.2 spot because he can pull the ball to move Pierre to third when Pierre has done his job (single and steal).

Your guy has to have excellent discipline because he will have to work the count for Pierre to get a read on the pitcher.

Since he will be receving plenty of additional ABs, you want it to be one of your better hitters.

Ideally, he should have speed, too.

Walker falls short on speed, but is ideal for everything else.

by ryno23 on Dec 22, 2005 11:11 PM CST up reply actions

unfortunately...

our votes don't count. I would vote NO to Jones as the #2, but the only vote that matters is Dusty's and i think that's who he'll put there.

The Cubs will thrive in twenty-oh-five... or sometime thereafter!

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 22, 2005 11:38 PM CST up reply actions

didn't stop him

from hitting patterson at the top.

by gaius marius on Dec 23, 2005 9:36 AM CST up reply actions

I want...

...Murton to hit 2nd. He has shown patience at the plate(very important for the 2 hole) and he make consistent contact. What will probably happen is Baker will bat Walker(if he's still with the club) or Jones in the 2 spot. Baker seems to have a problem batting young guys at the top of the order(unless their Corey Patterson).

cubsfan4life

by cubfan4life on Dec 22, 2005 11:10 PM CST reply actions

Walker v. Murton

Murton has shown patience, but he may be overexposed at the 2. I would rather Walker get all the additional ABs from hitting higher in the order.

Given our likely below average production from our corner OFs, we cannot afford to trade Walker.

by ryno23 on Dec 22, 2005 11:14 PM CST up reply actions

Walker will thrive.

I agree with you Ryno. Walker will thrive between Pierre and Lee. He will be a doubles machine with the pitches he sees. He better be the guy at second unless the Tejada miracle happens.

by greggie44 on Dec 22, 2005 11:44 PM CST reply actions

Options

Walker's the best choice, followed by Murton and then Cedeno.

But absolutely, under no circumstances, should Neifi be in this spot on a regular basis. Too many infield flies and bad situation hitting. Even if he hit as well as he did last year, he still does stuff like that too much for that to be his regular slot.

"If it takes forever."

by JDay on Dec 23, 2005 1:28 AM CST reply actions

Not only that

but he has no patience at the plate. Perez goes up there swinging, and never works a deep count. The big reason why he has one of the worst career OBPs of anybody in the majors with over 1,000 ABs is because he never walks.

(And the other reason is that he's a mediocre hitter. A .274 BA, which is above average but
not by a whole lot, is pretty empty when it's accompanied by a .383 slugging average.)

Neifi Perez is a disaster if he's batting anywhere above seventh in the order. Didn't we already learn that last season after a month's worth of Baker's folly (Patterson-1, Perez-2)?

Bat Walker second. If Walker's gone, bat Murton second.

Luck is the residue of design. -- Branch Rickey

by Gregory on Dec 23, 2005 11:35 AM CST up reply actions

I would like to see

Murton batting second. He looked patient last year and has power. I could also live with Walker, although he hit into his share of double plays. Perez would be a downer batting second. He has NO patience at the plate.

by teacher tom on Dec 23, 2005 7:00 AM CST reply actions

Walker

I want him to stay. I want him to play every day. I want him to hit 2nd.

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I don't think we've really had a chance to see what a healthy Todd Walker, playing every day, can do.

Hey-Dawson backwards is Noswad!---Harry Caray

by cubbiejulie on Dec 23, 2005 11:41 AM CST reply actions

I agree...

I was thinking about that the other day. He hit a lot of homeruns last year, he could've hit many more if he was healthy. He is productive.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes. Time to sPaRkLe Jimmy!

by sparkles721 on Dec 23, 2005 12:21 PM CST up reply actions

But,,,

How much you wanna bet he gets platooned, if he is still one the roster next year. He got platooned last year even though he hit lefties better than .300. If Dusty just left him alone and plugged him in the 2 spot everyday people might stop whining (me included) about his defense (it isn't that bad - I just can't help think of Ryno when looking at Cubs secondbasemen)because of his numbers at the plate.

by tcjhawk on Dec 23, 2005 3:36 PM CST up reply actions

Walker...

wasn't platooned this year. He was just injured.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes. Time to sPaRkLe Jimmy!

by sparkles721 on Dec 23, 2005 4:09 PM CST up reply actions

He hit roughly .350...

...against lefties and there were numerous times I moaned that he was not playing because their was a lefty on the mound. Maybe he wasn't involved in a true platoon, but he DID NOT play as often as he should have for the bat he would have contributed to a weak lineup.

by tcjhawk on Dec 23, 2005 5:17 PM CST up reply actions

Play Walker

I agree that Dusty needs to let Walker play everyday. He is a good hitter and needs to be given the chance to play everyday. I think he's much better than Neifi. I really hope they keep Walker. He's my favorite and I don't want to see him go.

by cubbie71 on Dec 23, 2005 7:07 PM CST up reply actions