What should the lineup be on March 31?
by rob9802 on Mar 19, 2008 5:16 AM CDT
42 comments
I know people are getting tired of thinking about it, but I'm curious as to what everybody thinks the lineup should be on Opening Day, particularly the top.
Personally, I'm not sure. I know it won't happen, but here's how I would do it. Feel free to criticize.
2B E. Patterson
1B D. Lee
LF A. Soriano
3B A. Ramirez
C G. Soto
RF K. Fukudome
CF F. Pie
SS R. Cedeno
P C. Zambano
Note: I know the Patterson-Cedeno middle of the IF won't happen, but I just don't like the DeRosa-Theriot DP combo. I really don't.
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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My wish ...
2B - Roberts
SS - Theriot
3B - Ramirez
LF - Soriano
RF - Fukodome
1B - Lee
C - Soto
CF - Pie
P - Zambrano
won't happen, but I can live w/ the Roberts leading off part coming to fruition.
See my sig
for my thoughts
:)
BRob, DLee, Fuke, ARam, Sori, Soto, Pie, Theriot - Done.
by Canadian Cubs Fan on Mar 19, 2008 8:09 AM CDT reply actions
mine
Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
Ramirez
Soto
Derosa
Pie
Theriot
"I don't think anybody's paying attention to the Cubs." - Prince Fielder
Here's Mine
1. Roberts - 2nd
2. Theriot – SS
3. Lee - 1st
4. Ramirez - 3rd
5. Fukudome – RF
6. Soriano – LF
7. Soto – Cat
8. Pie – CF
Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!
my dad told me last night...
that it was announced by Dave Kaplan (could be wrong)
Theriot
Soriano
Lee
Ramirez
Fukudome
DeRosa
Soto
Pie
That was yesterday's lineup.
It very well could be the lineup on Opening Day.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Theriot in the Lead-off Spot?
I hope not... he doesn't take many pitches and has a low OBP right? Not sure i"m with Lou on this one...
by digitalbenjamin on Mar 19, 2008 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions
Eric Patterson?
Seriously? Leading off and playing 2B? Why?
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Did We Trade DeRo...
... or something?!?
Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!
Well he did make a wierd lineup
Kinda like someone hitting Soriano 6th, thats a good idea-------------sarcasm indeed
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer
If you're not going to use him leadoff...
...fifth or sixth is where he belongs. I don't know how you can really say otherwise.
Based on who is on the team now....roster not set like last year
Last year if you recall we had Izturis at SS, Soriano in CF, Murton in LF and Jones in RF....Barrett catching.....questions regarding Marquis starting and whether Miller was the 5th starter or Marshall or whomever. Marmol, Pie, Theriot, Fontenot, Soto, Hart were not here and Theriot was not the starting SS.
Things changed, evolved and different players contributed, got moved et cetera.
My guess as the starting lineup on July 1st.
PNTBN-2B
Fukudome-RF
Soriano-LF
Ramirez-3B
Lee-1B
Soto-C
Pie-CF
Theriot-SS
SP
Zambrano
Lilly
Lieber
Hill
Smardz...
Cl: Wood
Fireman Marmol
Setup Howry
Setup Wuertz
Setup/L-Eyre
MR-Hart
Swing: Marshall
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
the bench
OF--Crisp
OF/IF-Patterson
PH-Ward
IF-PTBNL---veteran
C-Blanco
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
Dempster Is Traded?
No way is Smardzija the #5...
Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!
Whoa, whoa, whoa...
...you're seriously predicting that The Shark will be the No. 5 starter on July 1st? He hasn't even pitched in Triple A yet! I'll presume you're assuming Gallagher will have been traded, but wouldn't Marshall get moved into the rotation ahead of him? I know that would put two lefties at the end of the rotation, but I'm not sure how important the whole lefty-righty thing is when it comes to the No. 5.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions
As a general response to this fanpost...
...I have hard time understanding why you'd drop Mark DeRosa -- who hit .293/.371/.420 last season -- from the lineup in favor of EPat. Lemme guess: It's a speed thing. And putting Cedeno over Theriot is just unrealistic. I'd love to see all Ronnie's tools come to fruition, too, and I haven't completely given up on him (though I'm damn close), but Theriot has won the job until/unless he completely dies at the plate.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 10:38 AM CDT reply actions
Can we really say he won the job?
I mean, I understand the job is his, but it's not like the Cubs went out of their way to stage any sort of competition for the position.
re: Can we really say he won the job?
Well, I think we can say he won the job last season, and no one has taken it away from him since. We can probably also say that he's won Lou's heart (figuratively speaking, of course).
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions
I can see Theriot leading off
he hit over .300 in limited duty there after Soriano got hurt, and unlike Cedeno obviously knows how to steal a base. i'm not real sold on his bat, but I wouldn't blame Lou for giving it a go.
I don't know what the lineup...
...will be March 31st, but I will bet this is the lineup you see most often in 08:
Roberts
Fukudome
Lee
Ramirez
Soriano
Soto
Theriot
Pie
If they don't get Roberts:
Theriot
Fukudome
Lee
Ramirez
Soriano
DeRosa
Soto
Pie
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
re: I don't know what the lineup...
One question I have about putting Roberts and Dome in the one- and two-holes, which I'm generally in favor of, is: Assuming the Cubs are facing a right-handed pitcher, would having two lefties (assuming Roberts would always opt to bat lefty against a RHP) at the top of the lineup pose any problems?
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Why would having two lefties...
...at the top facing a right-handed pitcher be a problem?
Against a lefty, Roberts will hit right handed and you still have the advantage of a lefty in the two slot (blocks catchers view, and he can pull the ball in the hole between 1st and 2nd).
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
re: Why would having two lefties...
Well, that's precisely my question. I don't see a problem with it either, but with all the emphasis on breaking up the order re: lefties and righties, I'm wondering whether I'm missing something.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Totally Agree
I think Fuk needs to be in the two hole because he doesn't have as much pressure there as he would hitting behind Ramirez. He has enough adjustments to make in the culture shock, just look how dice-k slept on the floor during road trips because of the matresses. Fuk needs to be comfortable. And even though D-lee is struggling (which is absolutely meaningless) he will still get Fuk better pitches. This lineup also allows soriano to protect the cubs best power guy and gets him away from the leadoff where it seemed to me he struggled when guys were advanced by the pitcher just for him to drive in.
And if you have a problem with so many righties in a row (5) switch pie with soto. This way when there are two outs and the eight spot is up we don't have to watch pie get a hit then get wasted by the pitcher, or just having them pitch around pie and getting the pictcher. With soto there its a little more power and maybe he can hit some bombs to clear the bases for the pitcher to make the third out.
Mine
Roberts 2B
Fukudome RF
Lee 1B
Soriano LF
Ramirez 3B
Soto C
Theriot SS
Pie CF
If Pie shows that he can handle MLB pitching, then I would put him in the 7 spot and put Theriot .
Come on...
...the best current lineup is:
Soriano
Fukudome
Lee
ARam
Soto
DeRosa
Theriot
Pie
The best if we get he who shall not be named?
Soriano
Voldemort
Lee
ARam
Fukudome
Soto
Theriot
Pie
The latter balances lefties throughout the lineup, making it tough on the other side in late innings to stick with one reliever.
re: Come on...
Well, I agree wholeheartedly with your first lineup, except I'd probably flip-flop DeRo and Soto for the time being. As far as the second one, if He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is acquired, he'll bat lead off, no question -- so any lineup with him in it has to start there.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Are you sure
Voldemort gives Lee proper protection... I mean, he swings at the first pitch almost every time, and while he's got power, he's notorious for starting fights with the opposing bench...
2008: The year we put it all together.
by drewishdrewid on Mar 19, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions
re: mine:
OK, I'll bite. Why would you bat DeRo cleanup?
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.
by dat cubfan daver on Mar 19, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions
mostly
to split up Lee and Aram, but keep Fukudome in the 2-hole and because Soto can't hit 4th.
2008: The year we put it all together.
by drewishdrewid on Mar 19, 2008 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions
rob9802, I like your thinking out of the box - I'll give you a similarly out of the box lineup using just players on roster now, and then one that I think could actually happen:
Fantasy Lineup
Murt LF
Soto C
Dome RF
DLee 1B
Aram 3B
Sori 2B
DeRo SS
Zambo P
FPie CF
Ok, now for some realism:
BRob SS
Sori LF
Dome RF
DLee 1B
Aram 3B
Soto C
DeRo 2B
FPie CF
Zambo P
Realism?
Ignoring the fact that Voldemort is not yet on the team....I'll adjust your lineup (I like the thought of the Dark Lord being SS, by the way...)
Tom Marvolo Riddle SS
DLee 2B
Soriano LF
ARam 3B
Fukudome RF
Soto C
Pie CF
DeRosa 2B
Pitcher
A nice righty/lefty balance, avoids Pie hitting in front of the pitcher, and DLee's big HR power days may be behind him, but he's a solid #2 option who will be on base enough to ensure that pitchers get distracted and give Sori stuff to hit.
my two cents
Assuming current roster :
1 - Theriot
2 - Fukudome
3 - Lee
4 - Soriano
5 - Ramirez
6 - DeRosa
7 - Pie
8 - Soto
9 - [pitcher]
And if we get Roberts
1 - Roberts
2 - Lee
3 - Fukudome
4 - Soriano
5 - Ramirez
6 - DeRosa
7 - Pie
8 - Soto
9 - [pitcher]
yes, I'm assuming Roberts plays SS. If that doesn't work out, then move Soto up to 6 and put Theriot at 8.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
My Lineup
2B Roberts
RF Fukudome
3B Romi
LF Soriano (who won't run much anyway)
1B D Lee
SS Theriot
CF Pie
C Soto
Mine
With Roberts :
1-Roberts (no brainer there)
2-Fukudome (contact hitter with some power and some speed)
3-Lee (best all-around hitter we have. he can slam a 3-run homer or just slap a weak single, either way it keeps things moving)
4-Ramirez (the man's an RBI machine. power, average and a very low strike out rate.... where else would you hit him?)
5-Soriano (he strikes out too much to be a true lead-off man and all reports say he's still nursing an injury. i think he'd go for it too because it means more RBI)
6-Soto (mostly for protection for Soriano, provided he can live up to the hype)
7-Pie (the perfect spot for him. not a whole lot of pressure but still likely to get him some meaningful at bats)
8-Theriot (this is sort of by default. i think his hitting abilities are a little under-rated.. but this just means he can get on for Zambrano, right?)
Without Roberts :
1-Theriot
2-Fukudome
3-Lee
4-Ramirez
5-Soriano
6-DeRosa (he proved last year that he's capable at second, and that his bat his something to be respected)
7-Soto
8-Pie (mind you i can easily see him quickly moving up the order if he starts out hot and either Theriot or Fukudome struggle)
Fuku Splits
Do we expect Fuku to have a big platoon split (ala Pie)? I'm wondering this because there was talk of trying him in CF when we face tough lefties. If he doesn't have a big split it's kind of a moot point if we bat him back to back with another lefty (i.e. Riot, Pie, etc)
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