If you missed this little bit from Joe Torre, don't fret! I'm more than willing to share it with you all.
With certain people, it's easy. You know where the leadoff guy goes. I used to have trouble and Don Zimmer gave me a great hint-start from the bottom. He was right. All of a sudden I realized when you put the names down that way, it makes the rest of it easier. With our current lineup, you know where (Matt) Kemp, (Andre) Ethier, Manny (Ramirez) and (Rafael) Furcal will be. Those guys will be in the top four or five spots. It becomes pretty simple, and occasionally it's a matter of how to attack a certain pitcher with right-handed hitters or left-handed hitters. But when you have players who play every day regardless, it's not that tough a call.
I can't help but agree with Rob Neyer. Torre seems to have forgotten that Kemp was hitting in the bottom third of the order for much of the earlier part of the season. And Furcal, who has an on-base percentage of just .320 with just six stolen bases all season, shouldn't be anywhere near the lead off spot, while Russell Martin has a much a higher on-base percentage and more than twice as many stolen bases as Furcal is stuck at the bottom of the lineup.
I know Martin hasn't had a very good year offensively by his standards, and as much as he's struggled at times with the bat, he's far better suited in the two hole with his high OBP with Orlando Hudson hitting in the leadoff spot. Furcal shouldn't be hitting anywhere in the lineup but eighth (or ninth on those rare days when Torre does decide to bat the pitcher eighth as he's done with Randy Wolf on several occasions).
I've been having issues with Torre's use of the lineup all season. For some strange reason, he still insists on hitting James Loney in the middle of the lineup with his .745 OPS, among the worst in baseball for everyday first basemen.
For once I'd like to see Torre get the lineup right. I suppose there's still a chance with 24 games left in the season.
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