Spring training opener, regular season weather

MC hammer in the 5hole... nice... i think thats where he should be. sheff doesn't strikeout much, high a high OBP and it should be productive with maggs and MChammer following up... sounds like an RBI machine 1-9 lol i guess it ultimately doesn't matter where MChammer and sheff hit, but hitting sheff 3 makes sense to me

hmm. tigers/mets.. world series preview? lol

go tigers!

That lineup looks about right to me (obviously substituting Sheffield for Timo). You could argue that the four righties in a row leaves them susceptible to a strong right hander but I'll take my chances with that group. You could also argue that flip-flopping Pudge and Jones makes sense so that you don't have two lefties in a row but I don't think it makes much difference either way. This should be fun.

Jason- make sure those guys strectch well and stay healthy. We're counting on you to make sure our all-star lineup is intact when the team migrates North in a month!

One final comment-- lets all pray that Bonderman mows down the side in the first inning. A strong spring should help him address the mental issues that he struggled with last year. Jason-- any word on Bonderman's efforts with the changeup or has that project been scrapped?

Brent, I hope they have NOT scrapped the changeup for Bonderman. Without it he will never be a dominant pitcher. He needs it badly. Or if not that then some other form off speed altered movement pitch.

The lineup is obviously great but I still don't like the idea of an unbalanced LHB/RHB lineup. It's not that it can't be accomplished it's that JL does not want to embarrass his HOF catcher by batting him 9th, where he should be batting.

There will be times in late inning situations that this unbalanced lineup will come back to haunt JL.

Now now, let's keep perspective here. This is a lineup in February and not a harbinger of things to come. At least, not yet.

Re Jones, he actually hit better last season against LH pitchers than against right. That goes against his career stats in that regard, but it may also be a trend that he will continue. Hard to say without actually seeing him in there against a lefty.

I agree that Bonderman needs a third pitch but I'm not convinced that the change-up is the only option. With his fastball-slider combination, I'd think that a splitter could be devastating. I know its a lot of stress on the arm and grip but if he's bound and determined to be a power pitcher, you'd think the splitter would be preferable. Too bad Jack the Cat's announcing for the Twins-- Bonderman could learn a thing or two from him about how to throw that pitch...

I like the lineup for the most part. A healthy Sheffield/Ordonez/Cabrera is going to intimidate any pitcher, so having the three of them in a row is fine with me.

I think you could fix the imbalance by flipping Renteria/Jones and leaving Pudge in the 8th spot.

So, against RHP:

1. Granderson, CF

2. Polanco, 2B

3. Sheffield, DH

4. Ordonez, RF

5. Cabrera, 3B

6. Guillen, 1B

7. Jones, LF

8. Rodriguez, C

9. Renteria, SS

And I would switch Granderson and Renteria and put Thames in against LHP:

1. Renteria, SS

2. Polanco, 2B

3. Sheffield, DH

4. Ordonez, RF

5. Cabrera, 3B

6. Guillen, 1B

7. Thames, LF

8. Rodriguez, C

9. Granderson, CF

matt

Rich, I hadn't seen your comment before I composed my post. I have been assuming that Jones/Thames were going to be platooned in left, maybe not...

matt

No, I'm assuming the same thing, Matt. I'm also thinking that if an opposing manager wants to bring in a lefty to pitch to Jones and Granderson, he's going to end up with a lefty pitching to Thames instead. That's a scary thought for any pitcher.

I've also considered dropping Grandy in the order against lefties. Freddy Guzman could make the team and be an alternate leadoff hitter too.

Hey, it's a great lineup. You can hardly go wrong no matter what.

Everybody tuned in to Gameday Audio?

--Rich

Yes--Bondo had the 1st inning bugaboos again.

As to that lineup--what you see is what you will get. Spring or not. That has JL's stamp of authority all over it (even to the point of putting Perez as DH in what will be the DH #3 spot).

Anybody going to see the Tigs in NY at the end of April?