The date is April 25th 2014. Today the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in the Bronx to face off against the Bronx Bombers; a nickname that should be taken quite literally today after having scored 45 runs in the last 7 games. These 45 runs were scored against two teams with good offense; the Red Sox and Rays, the latter having one of the best pitching staffs in the big leagues.
Tonight the Yankees face the ostensible Angels ace in C.J. Wilson. To be fair, C.J. Wilson's stats since linking up with the Angels back in 2012 are far from crummy but they just don't quite seem like Ace numbers. Despite this, he IS the ace and he IS hurling the ball tonight against the Bronx Empire. So far my pitcher analyses, rather predictions, haven't been too great. His WAR since joining the Angels is 5.4, not including this year. He averaged a 7.84 K/9, 3.82 BB/9, 0.75 HR/9, .291 BABIP since 2012. This year his K/9 is up at 9.82, his BB/9 rate is still high at 3.16 but so far is the best he has had it in his career, obviously it is very early so that will be something to watch. His 1.40 HR/9 and .323 BABIP are quite a bit higher than his average, something else to watch. His ERA is at 4.21 while his FIP indicates it should be around 3.94.
So with that said, tonight's lineup fabricated by none other than the mastermind in Joe Girardi
cumulates as such:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, RF
4. Alfonso Soriano, DH
5. Mark Teixeira, 1B
6. Brian McCann, C
7. Brett Gardner, LF
8. Brian Roberts, 2B
9. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
Jacoby Ellsbury is 4-14 vs. Wilson with a .286 AVG, 1 XBH in a 2B and 1 RBI. Jeter, 8-21 with 1 HR, 2 RBI and 3 BBs and 6 K's. Beltran just 1 AB and 1 hit vs Wilson which went for an RBI single. Alfonso Soriano rakes against Wilson smacking him around for 5 hits in 9 ABs amounting to a .556 AVG with 1 HR, 3 RBI and 1 BB. The walk is notable as it is Soriano. Tex is 2-17 with a .118 AVG with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB and 2 K's. McCann is 0-1 vs Wilson with a popout. Brett Gardner is 2-13, a .154, against the lefty with a triple and 4 K's. Brian Roberts hits .263 against C.J. with 1 of each of the next 3: double, homer and a walk. He has also drove in 2 RBI. Solarte obviously has no ABs vs the 33 year old lefty as he is a rookie.
It seems like Joe is set with this lineup for the next few days and i say see why as it has provided some decent results. Yesterday's stats back this up. Ellsbury was 3-6, Jeter 2-5, Beltran 1-6, Soriano 2-5, Teixeira 1-3, McCann 1-5, Gardner is on a bit of a cold streak; he went 0-3, Roberts is picking it up; 2-5, Solarte is getting it going again after going 2-5 as well.
My reappraised lineup for shapes up like this:
1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
4. Alfonso Soriano, DH
5. Carlos Beltran, RF
6. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
7. Brian McCann, C
8. Mark Teixeira, 1B
9. Brett Gardner, LF
The guys the Yankees got this year have an optimal effect on slotting in in almost any spot in the lineup and doing well.
Brian Roberts with decent numbers against Wilson and decent numbers over the last few games he has earned the leadoff spot. Derek Jeter's numbers speak for them self and they are perfect for the number 2 spot. Ellsbury is 4-14 vs Wilson and has continued his great hitting to start the season off, as the best hitter on the roster right now he should stay at 3rd. Soriano is perfect where Joe put him going oppo-taco lately plus whilst having sparkling numbers against the ace. Beltran is 1-1 and i have him down at 5th instead of 3rd or 2nd is thanks to a very limited sample size against C.J. and hasn't been too too great from the right side of the plate. Solarte is flashing his discipline which i love and has picked it back up so i slotted him at 6th. McCann is McCann, he went 1-5 last night and is 0-1 vs Wilson. I feel bad for Teixeira but his numbers have been horrid to say the least vs Wilson. His 1 HR is nice but it doesn't overpower the .241 season AVG and .118 Wilson AVG. Gardner's numbers vs CJ are pretty bad and his AVG on the year at .243 is average.
Brett Gardner NEEDS to be in either the number 1 or number 9 spot for the sake of his game, Michael Kay along with other analysts have said Kevin Long has been trying to change up the 5'11 LF's game but having him pull more balls and to try and hit for power but that is not Gardy's game. Gardner is a gritty AB, BB, Slap hitter type guy. He is almost like a mini Ellsbury except less AVG ability, less power, less RBI but more walks/discipline, speed, around the same SB ability and a better fielder. Brett Gardner is one of my favorite guys to watch and it's no fun when he is struggling in a bad offense lineup spot like 7th.
Ichiro is not much better against CJ going 9-49 with 2 2B, 1 RBI, 4 BBs and 12 K's. Johnson is 1-6 with 3 K's and 1BB. Ichiro playing for Gardner for the night in LF wouldn't be too much better and Johnson for Tex wouldn't be too good for defense OR offensively either.
As always, it’s a long season so remember that one game doesn’t make the season! Enjoy
the game everyone!
Showing posts with label Lineup Analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lineup Analysis. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Lineup Analysis: Yankees @ Red Sox 4/24
Not a good day offensively for the Bombers yesterday mustering just 1 run against a surprisingly dominant John Lackey and not so surprisingly dominant Koji Uehara. Tonight they face the hard throwing lefthander in Felix Doubront. Felix's ERA is 5.48 and adjusted should be around 4.24. While his K/9 is down so is his BB/9 and HR/9. He has posted an early record of 1-2 in 4 games started.
Tonight's Yankees lineup stacks up as follows:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, RF
4. Alfonso Soriano, DH
5. Mark Teixeira, 1B
6. Brian McCann, C
7. Brett Gardner, LF
8. Brian Roberts, 2B
9. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
As i am a little strapped for time ill give you my revised lineup:
1. Brett Gardner, LF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
4. Carlos Beltran,DH
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Ichiro Suzuki, RF
8. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
9. Brian Roberts, 2B
I've made my case for why i like to slot people in certain areas. Yangervis Solarte is pretty cold right now so hitting him 8th is good, i still think his good ABs and high contract rate shows that he deserves to be in the lineup just about every day. Carlos Beltran should be cleaning up, again to pad his team leading total in big flys and clutch hits with runners in scoring position. Tex had looked good before yesterday but now im not entirely sure what to expect from him, so i put him 6th. Ichiro should hit behind him, and just be in the lineup in general. Before sitting down yesterday and today Ichiro had been hitting the ball to almost all fields and flashing his famous speed. Brian Roberts is starting to pick up the pace and if he keeps it up i might actually slot him leadoff. Brett Gardner should be leading off today and Ellsbury third. Not much to say about McCann, an average stretch for him. The catcher isn't really slumping or tearing the cover off the ball.
As always, it’s a long season so remember that one game doesn’t make the season! Enjoy
the game everyone!
Tonight's Yankees lineup stacks up as follows:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, RF
4. Alfonso Soriano, DH
5. Mark Teixeira, 1B
6. Brian McCann, C
7. Brett Gardner, LF
8. Brian Roberts, 2B
9. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
As i am a little strapped for time ill give you my revised lineup:
1. Brett Gardner, LF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
4. Carlos Beltran,DH
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Ichiro Suzuki, RF
8. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
9. Brian Roberts, 2B
I've made my case for why i like to slot people in certain areas. Yangervis Solarte is pretty cold right now so hitting him 8th is good, i still think his good ABs and high contract rate shows that he deserves to be in the lineup just about every day. Carlos Beltran should be cleaning up, again to pad his team leading total in big flys and clutch hits with runners in scoring position. Tex had looked good before yesterday but now im not entirely sure what to expect from him, so i put him 6th. Ichiro should hit behind him, and just be in the lineup in general. Before sitting down yesterday and today Ichiro had been hitting the ball to almost all fields and flashing his famous speed. Brian Roberts is starting to pick up the pace and if he keeps it up i might actually slot him leadoff. Brett Gardner should be leading off today and Ellsbury third. Not much to say about McCann, an average stretch for him. The catcher isn't really slumping or tearing the cover off the ball.
As always, it’s a long season so remember that one game doesn’t make the season! Enjoy
the game everyone!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Lineup Analysis: Yankees @ Red Sox 4/23
Game 2 of the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry from Fenway starts tonight. Last night i showed my first tailored lineup of the year along with some predictions for hitters and let's just say it wasn't my finest set of predictions, but the Yankees won and that's all that matters! Nice night last night for most of the lineup except for the guy i had leading off in Yangervis Solarte who struggled.
Game 2 will have a regressing John Lackey on the mound to shoot off against the Yankees booming offense; there has hardly been a stretch this year where the hitters looked terrible and the Pinstripers look to keep this thunderous start going tonight.
John Lackey this year has not been better than his average numbers state from 2011 to 2014, Lackey has a 5.25 ERA and his FIP indicates that it should be around 4.70 which is still an above (or below) average and not very good ERA. Whilst John's K/9 rate is higher than in the past his BB/9 rate is also higher along with HR/9 and BABIP. Lackey is .500, albeit his season is only 4 games in, at 2-2 in 24.0 IP averaging around 6 IP per outing. The Highlanders will look to get to Lackey early and get to a bullpen that has been overworked since Patriots' Day, 2 games ago, with their 'pen having thrown 11 IP since then.
The Yankees lineup stacks up like this tonight:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, DH
4. Brian McCann, C
5. Alfonso Soriano, LF
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Brett Gardner, RF
8. Brian Roberts, 2B
9. Kelly Johnson, 3B
Joe Girardi slotted the same three batters to lead off the game as last night. Soriano is batting fourth instead of fifth and Big Mark Teixeira will be batting sixth instead of fifth. McCann moves from sixth in the lineup up to the cleanup spot against Lackey. Yangervis Solarte and Ichiro Suzuki who started yesterday at the seventh and eighth spots respectively. Brian Roberts moves from the ninth spot yesterday to eighth tonight and Solarte is replaced by Kelly Johnson.
I agree with the benching of Solarte, the kid as been struggling lately and after last night against Lackey, in which he did not put up much of a fight at the plate, i think it's best for his confidence, mindset, strikeout total and batting average that he sits tonight even if it is against a declining pitcher.
I still would prefer to see Ellsbury hit third in the order and i think his 2-5 performance with 2 XBH (1 triple and 1 double) with 2 RBI rest my case. Carlos Beltran will hit third with his .296 AVG. Carlos leads the Yankees with 5 HR AND 13 RBI. Brett Gardner after the night off at the plate is back in the lineup hitting in a spot im not too fond of, seventh, Gardy should aways be at the very bottom or the very top of the lineup thanks to his speed and grinding ability. Ichiro whom has remained hot with sit with Soriano playing in LF again. Alfonso, while hitting .270 on the year, went only 1-5 last night. Ichiro, while he doesn't qualify thanks to a limited number of ABs this year, leads the Yankees with a .371 average after another 2 hit performance last night in 5 plate appearances; also drawing 1 walk.
The 39 year old shortstop remains hot and is hitting .298 so far this year. Brian Roberts is hitting .118 points lower with a staggering, sadly not in a good way, .180 average. Mark Teixeira has looked pretty good off the DL with an April slump, so far, nonexistant. Kelly Johnson is playing third for Solarte, slotting his 0.4 WAR and .226 AVG into the lineup. Brian McCann will round out the infield cleaning up. McCann as the everyday catcher also has a 0.4 WAR and a .262 AVG.
My revised lineup for maximum success tonight looks like this:
1. Brett Gardner, RF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
4. Carlos Beltran, DH
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Alfonso Soriano, LF
8. Kelly Johnson, 3B
9. Brian Roberts, 2B
Not too much to say today as a lot was covered yesterday or above. Brett Gardner should be leading off and Jeter is
always best at the number 2 spot, after all he wears number 2! Ellsbury, the best hitter on the team right now, should be
hitting 3rd. Carlos Beltran has been the most productive RBI and HR man for the Bombers this year so cleaning up is
optimal. Tex and McCann are interchangeable but it's hard for me to slot Tex too high fearing the slump, although April is
winding down and closing out soon; this is why i kept Tex where Joe put him. McCann has been flashing some opposite
field pop lately, a promising sign indeed, so i like him along with his better plate discipline over Soriano batting fifth.
Soriano seventh, no disrespect to him but with everyone hitting at the same time it is quite tough to keep a solid lineup, i'd
have him seventh tonight and in the future until he gets a little more consistent with RISP. He has been showing some
pop lately though, so we'll watch Alfonso closely. Kelly Johnson will hit eighth as a lefty and the inept and ineffectual bat
of Brian Roberts would be slotted ninth.
As you guys will soon find out i never like to stack batters although it may help vs the starter it may not when the 'pen
comes in. Tonight's lineup has the effect of lefty-righty-lefty-switch-lefty-switch-righty-lefty-switch. It might not be too
effective some days but it should get the job done.
As always, it’s a long season so remember that one game doesn’t make the season! Enjoy the game everyone!
Game 2 will have a regressing John Lackey on the mound to shoot off against the Yankees booming offense; there has hardly been a stretch this year where the hitters looked terrible and the Pinstripers look to keep this thunderous start going tonight.
John Lackey this year has not been better than his average numbers state from 2011 to 2014, Lackey has a 5.25 ERA and his FIP indicates that it should be around 4.70 which is still an above (or below) average and not very good ERA. Whilst John's K/9 rate is higher than in the past his BB/9 rate is also higher along with HR/9 and BABIP. Lackey is .500, albeit his season is only 4 games in, at 2-2 in 24.0 IP averaging around 6 IP per outing. The Highlanders will look to get to Lackey early and get to a bullpen that has been overworked since Patriots' Day, 2 games ago, with their 'pen having thrown 11 IP since then.
The Yankees lineup stacks up like this tonight:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, DH
4. Brian McCann, C
5. Alfonso Soriano, LF
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Brett Gardner, RF
8. Brian Roberts, 2B
9. Kelly Johnson, 3B
Joe Girardi slotted the same three batters to lead off the game as last night. Soriano is batting fourth instead of fifth and Big Mark Teixeira will be batting sixth instead of fifth. McCann moves from sixth in the lineup up to the cleanup spot against Lackey. Yangervis Solarte and Ichiro Suzuki who started yesterday at the seventh and eighth spots respectively. Brian Roberts moves from the ninth spot yesterday to eighth tonight and Solarte is replaced by Kelly Johnson.
I agree with the benching of Solarte, the kid as been struggling lately and after last night against Lackey, in which he did not put up much of a fight at the plate, i think it's best for his confidence, mindset, strikeout total and batting average that he sits tonight even if it is against a declining pitcher.
I still would prefer to see Ellsbury hit third in the order and i think his 2-5 performance with 2 XBH (1 triple and 1 double) with 2 RBI rest my case. Carlos Beltran will hit third with his .296 AVG. Carlos leads the Yankees with 5 HR AND 13 RBI. Brett Gardner after the night off at the plate is back in the lineup hitting in a spot im not too fond of, seventh, Gardy should aways be at the very bottom or the very top of the lineup thanks to his speed and grinding ability. Ichiro whom has remained hot with sit with Soriano playing in LF again. Alfonso, while hitting .270 on the year, went only 1-5 last night. Ichiro, while he doesn't qualify thanks to a limited number of ABs this year, leads the Yankees with a .371 average after another 2 hit performance last night in 5 plate appearances; also drawing 1 walk.
The 39 year old shortstop remains hot and is hitting .298 so far this year. Brian Roberts is hitting .118 points lower with a staggering, sadly not in a good way, .180 average. Mark Teixeira has looked pretty good off the DL with an April slump, so far, nonexistant. Kelly Johnson is playing third for Solarte, slotting his 0.4 WAR and .226 AVG into the lineup. Brian McCann will round out the infield cleaning up. McCann as the everyday catcher also has a 0.4 WAR and a .262 AVG.
My revised lineup for maximum success tonight looks like this:
1. Brett Gardner, RF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
4. Carlos Beltran, DH
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Mark Teixeira, 1B
7. Alfonso Soriano, LF
8. Kelly Johnson, 3B
9. Brian Roberts, 2B
Not too much to say today as a lot was covered yesterday or above. Brett Gardner should be leading off and Jeter is
always best at the number 2 spot, after all he wears number 2! Ellsbury, the best hitter on the team right now, should be
hitting 3rd. Carlos Beltran has been the most productive RBI and HR man for the Bombers this year so cleaning up is
optimal. Tex and McCann are interchangeable but it's hard for me to slot Tex too high fearing the slump, although April is
winding down and closing out soon; this is why i kept Tex where Joe put him. McCann has been flashing some opposite
field pop lately, a promising sign indeed, so i like him along with his better plate discipline over Soriano batting fifth.
Soriano seventh, no disrespect to him but with everyone hitting at the same time it is quite tough to keep a solid lineup, i'd
have him seventh tonight and in the future until he gets a little more consistent with RISP. He has been showing some
pop lately though, so we'll watch Alfonso closely. Kelly Johnson will hit eighth as a lefty and the inept and ineffectual bat
of Brian Roberts would be slotted ninth.
As you guys will soon find out i never like to stack batters although it may help vs the starter it may not when the 'pen
comes in. Tonight's lineup has the effect of lefty-righty-lefty-switch-lefty-switch-righty-lefty-switch. It might not be too
effective some days but it should get the job done.
As always, it’s a long season so remember that one game doesn’t make the season! Enjoy the game everyone!
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