...not coffee, but left-field choice for the Tigers in Game 4 against Jeff Suppan. So suggests Nate Silver. According to the plan, a struggling Curtis Granderson would sit and Craig Monroe would move to centerfield. For the second time this season, you get to step into Jim Leyland's shoes. Which way would you go?
I'm sitting Granderson, but this is mostly because I really like
watching Thames hit. The problem with yanking Granderson is that in his
absence, the lineup has six righties against Suppan.
Question #2: If Granderson sits, who bats leadoff? Putting Thames in his spot makes no sense. Granderson is the Tigers' only prototypical leadoff man. There aren't any on-base freaks in the Tigers' lineup who aren't already the power hitters in the heart of the order.
Tigers OBP: Guillen .400, Magglio .350, Casey .336*, Granderson .335, Thames .333, Pudge .332, Polanco .329, Inge .313, Monroe .301, (Infante .325)
Tigers Pit/PA: Inge 4.1, Granderson 4.1, Thames 4.0, Guillen 3.8, Monroe 3.7, Magglio 3.5, Casey ~3.5*, Pudge 3.4, Polanco 3.3 (Infante 3.5)
Casey's stats are inflated by him spending half the year in Pittsburgh. He really struggled in the second half upon arriving in Detroit.
I don't see any right answers here. Maybe you bat Monroe first despite his OBP and slide Pudge into the 2-hole, with Thames hitting 6th followed by Casey and Inge. Maybe you hit Casey leadoff just this once with Monroe 2nd and Thames-Pudge-Inge in the 6-7-8 spots. That actually sounds pretty decent, though Leyland probably isn't a fan of batting an unswift first baseman leadoff.
Question #2: If Granderson sits, who bats leadoff? Putting Thames in his spot makes no sense. Granderson is the Tigers' only prototypical leadoff man. There aren't any on-base freaks in the Tigers' lineup who aren't already the power hitters in the heart of the order.
Tigers OBP: Guillen .400, Magglio .350, Casey .336*, Granderson .335, Thames .333, Pudge .332, Polanco .329, Inge .313, Monroe .301, (Infante .325)
Tigers Pit/PA: Inge 4.1, Granderson 4.1, Thames 4.0, Guillen 3.8, Monroe 3.7, Magglio 3.5, Casey ~3.5*, Pudge 3.4, Polanco 3.3 (Infante 3.5)
Casey's stats are inflated by him spending half the year in Pittsburgh. He really struggled in the second half upon arriving in Detroit.
I don't see any right answers here. Maybe you bat Monroe first despite his OBP and slide Pudge into the 2-hole, with Thames hitting 6th followed by Casey and Inge. Maybe you hit Casey leadoff just this once with Monroe 2nd and Thames-Pudge-Inge in the 6-7-8 spots. That actually sounds pretty decent, though Leyland probably isn't a fan of batting an unswift first baseman leadoff.
You could hit Guillen first. A little unconventional, I suppose.
I do agree with Leyland's decision to leave Granderson in there.
I do agree with Leyland's decision to leave Granderson in there.