Hold on.
Wait a minute.
Is that a typo?
What's going on here?
Is Willie Randolph batting David Wright fifth in the lineup? FIFTH??!! Are you kidding me?
1. Jose Reyes
2. Paul Lo Duca (?!)
3. Carlos Beltran
4. Carlos Delgado
THEN Wright? What in the name of Grady Little has happened to Willie Randolph's cerebrum? Hmm, maybe we should check these guys' 2005 OBPs.
1. Reyes: .300
2. Lo Duca: .334
3. Beltran: .330
4. Delgado: .399
5. Wright: .388
Anyone see a problem here? Cliff Floyd, who they're batting 6th, OBPed .358. Heck, Xavier Nady (currently in the 7-hole) posted a .321 (better than your leadoff guy). And he's Xavier Nady.
I understand the knee-jerk installation of Reyes atop the order because he's fast or whatever. You're hoping he does a little better OBP-wise this year than last. And Beltran, Delgado ... fine. But why is Paul Lo Duca hitting second? The Mets are simply giving away runs by doing this. Hemorrhaging runs. Good luck catching the Braves that way, dudes.
And it's not as if you need to coddle David Wright anymore. The man has played in 229 major league games. Last year he OPS-ed .912 while playing in all but two regular season games. He's four months older than Miguel Cabrera, and you don't see the Marlins sticking him in the fifth spot.
I need to go stick my head in an ice bath now.
By the way, so far Paul Lo Duca is 2-4 with an RBI.
Xavier Nady? 3-3, R, RBI.
Labels: batting order, willie randolph
