Charlie and The Lineup Factory
After the front office added two new everyday players, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel takes a stab at the lineup.
Charlie and The Lineup Factory
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
The last time Charlie Manuel addressed the Phillies beat scribes, we were all in Nashville having lunch and the front office hadn't done a thing to improve the roster.
But just before Manuel and Co. boarded a plane bound for Philly on Thursday, Manuel knew there was a very good chance he had two new pieces for his starting lineup. The Phils traded for center fielder Ben Revere and were awaiting word for Michael Young to accept the third base job.
On Monday, with most of his starting nine accounted for, Manuel tried to take a stab at his 2013 batting order.
"You know, when I think about it, Michael Young, I can hit him quite a few places," Manuel began. "And in the year, two years, Ben has mostly hit second. But, you know what. I can sit here and go over lineups all I want to, but when it really gets down to it, who we have on the corners and in the outfield, that's what is going to dictate where our lineup falls. You can say whatever you want to, but if you're going to have production, as far as RBI and runs scored..."
Like you, Manuel is waiting for the next move. And if history is any indication, there will be another move.
The Phils aren't going to run the foursome of Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, Laynce Nix and John Mayberry Jr. into the final two spots in their outfield. After trying to fill one corner outfield spot with question marks in each of the last two seasons, there is no chance they go into 2013 with two question marks in the corners.
In 2011, the Phils hoped to replace departed free agent Jayson Werth with Domonic Brown. But Brown got hurt early in spring training, Ben Francisco struggled and the team eventually traded for Hunter Pence.
In 2012, the Phils hoped to replace departed free agent Raul Ibanez with John Mayberry Jr., who finished the previous season on a tear. But Mayberry never took hold of the job when the season began and was out-played by Juan Pierre, a limited veteran who played above the minor league contract he signed last winter.
The Phils could platoon one of those two spots in 2012 - say, Brown and Ruf in left. But they know they need a proven bat in the other spot, and after going cheap in center, they have money to spend, too.
Among the outfield bats still on the free agent market: Josh Hamilton, Nich Swisher and Cody Ross.
Since Charlie won't entertain a lineup until all of the pieces are in place, here's one man's guess. (I'm sticking Carlos Ruiz in there since he will be back as the team's regular catcher following a 25-game suspension).
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Carlos Ruiz, C
6. Free Agent, RF
7. Darin Ruf/Domonic Brown, LF
8. Ben Revere, CF
9. Pitcher
You're gonna bat the speed guy that you just traded for, who steals 40 bases, 8th in the lineup? LOL! I'm just glad Ryan Lawrence isn't the Phillies skipper.
Revere & Rollins MUST hit 1 & 2 or 2 & 1.
The 2nd biggest problem with your lineup is Utley batting 3rd.
Let's finally face reality and move Utley down in the lineup this year.
He's no longer a 3 hitter for ANY lineup.— makrom- Warbiscuit is the ultimate boutique internet troll... He slams the Phils for overspending, he slams the Phils for skimping, he slams the team for trading away prospects, he slams the team for holding onto prospects too long. He hates every player until "Clueless Rube" trades them, then they were the future of an all-star studded super-team... Everything Gillick touched was gold, but everything RAJ does (with Gillick as his very clear and present adviser) is dog doo. Really, is there a better agitator out there that is clearly just messing with the heads of everyone on these boards? Because honestly I shudder to think if he's serious.— Dante1138
- I don't care who bats where. Its December!! I do care that Josh Hamilton is still out there and we could use him. I don't care how much money he makes because he's a super star. Take a chance if it doesn't work all our old stars can go the next year. It doesnt make sence to go after Ross or Swisher. Doesnt that remind you of Nix and Wigginton. Everybody is worried about taking a chance with Hammiltons past. We just had 2 or 3 guys come up possitive. We're taking chances every day. Lets be honest we don't know who is breaking the law. I want him while we still have our stars.— duncan2288
- Two things come to mind. First, look out Washington and Atlanta! and second, the commentators are going to have to quickly read the line up and set the defense alignments because Rollins Young = a lot of quick innings. That's alot of cumulative outs made at the top of the line up.— jtj06
- Why do you all dopes keep putting pos Howard in the 4th spot? Dude stinks. Stinks.— Campatent
- Campatent, if healthy, and there's no reason to expect he won't be, Howard will likely be the Phillies' best hitter in 2013.— schmenkman
- There is every reason to expect Howard to battle injuries much of the year. He is 33 years old, overweight, unathletic and coming off of two increasingly injury plagued seasons. He was hobbled before the torn achilles in 2011 and ended the season on the DL with a completely different injury. Like Luzinski, Kruk, and Cecil Fielder before him, it is likely he is physically beyond his shelf life. That's why his insane contract extension was almost universally panned outside of Philadelphia. — jtj06
- Why would ANYONE bat Ben Revere 8th???? Makes absolutely no sense. It's stupid even.
Revere obviously needs the lead off- unless your Charlie " Rollins tells me what to do" Manuel.— Keep The Change - @Keep the Change:
Rollins leading off last year: .325 OBP (.316 overall)
Revere leading off last year: .312 OBP (.333 overall)
I don't see an obvious best choice there.— schmenkman - Revere, Utley, JRoll, Howard, Duff, Young, Ruiz, LF, P— jeff gross
- Miguel Cabrera - the first Triple Crown winner since Yaz and last year's MVP - led MLB in hitting into double plays. Look it up.— michael2_19030
- And there is the problem. I love Charlie, but his marriage to J-Roll is frustrating. Let's keep a .260 hitter at the top spot when you can put a potential .300 hitter there.
Should be:
1) Revere
2) Utley (OBP is great)
3) Young
4) Howard
5) Ruiz
6) Ruf
7) J-Roll
8) Brown
No platooning. Stop complaining about lack of power until you give Ruf a legit shot from day one with no platooning. This guy will not develop playing every other day.— bugsyhawk - Agree with S. Crow. Batting Revere 8th makes no sense. The stupidity of this makes this article invalid. The fact that you have a free agent battling 6th is nonsensical. This article was a waste of time. Was it a slow baseball day and this is filler? C'mon man, earn your salt!— lefty27
- @lefty27, unless he improves substantially, Revere will probably be the worst hitter in the lineup, overall, in 2013. Do you really want to give him the most at bats?
And as for OBP in particular, here are last year's stats (Revere's best ever):
Rollins leading off last year: .325 OBP (.316 overall)
Revere leading off last year: .312 OBP (.333 overall)— schmenkman - IF they just sign Hamilton the lineup would be easy to fill out! This would be my lineup... speed at top followed by power 3-8
JRoll, Revere, Hamilton, Utley, Howard, Young, Ruiz, RF platoon, Pitcher— ChangeISNeeded
