Ellsbury could be dropped in lineup

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 1:48 PM EDT in News Comment 31 comments

via d.yimg.com -- Jacoby Ellsbury has been in a huge slump as of late, which could bump him towards the bottom of the lineup.

With Jacoby Ellsbury slumping so badly recently and David Ortiz on the verge of a comeback, it looks like there could be a lineup shuffle. Most likely that means Ellsbury will be either dropped in the lineup or benched:

Ortiz's return may have broader implications on the lineup than Terry Francona writing Ortiz's name back in the No. 3 spot and dropping J.D. Drew back to seventh. It may give Francona an opportunity to address the alarming decline in production from rookie leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury.

[...]

In his last 26 games, Ellsbury has struck out 22 times in 119 plate appearances, and walked just four times. He still leads the league in stolen bases with 35, but with a .234 on-base percentage over the last 26 games, the chances to run have been few, and he has just one stolen base and has been caught stealing three times in that span. He has not hit a home run in his last 28 games, and has just one in 48 games. He also has knocked in just five runs in his last 35 games.

The best thing for Ellsbury right now is to be dropped in the lineup. Perhaps move JD Drew to the leadoff spot and keep everyone else slated as usually. Or, Dustin Pedroia could move to leadoff with either Drew or Kevin Youkilis batting second. Nevertheless, Ellsbury would probably benefit from batting between the No. 7 and No. 9 spots.

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re-vamp

Go with

Pedroia
Youk
Drew
Manny
Ortiz
Lowell
‘Tek
Cora/Lowrie
Ellsbury

Putting Ellsbury in the 9th spot lets him serve as an extra set-up guy when he gets on base. And it’s good to have him on base for people with high OBP like Pedroia and Youk.

I would keep Drew in the 3 spot for now seeing how well he’s done there. I know the usual way is to have Ortiz in the 3 spot. I don’t think it makes a huge difference.

In any case, they need to drop Ellsbury while he’s in this extended slump. He’s taking ABs away from Pedroia, Youk, Manny, Drew, etc. – the guys getting on base regularly.

by RickD on Jul 21, 2008 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lineup

My thoughts on a lineup

Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Manny, Drew, Lowell, Ellsbury, Cora/Lowrie, Tek

I have a very similar lineup to Rick D (which is a nice lineup by the way) with a couple of differences. I like have Ortiz in the 3 spot and Drew in the 5. I think having Ortiz in at 5 will not give him enough protection and will hopefully be given enough good pitches to get his groove back. Drew will still give Manny some much needed protection as of late. He has been hitting very well but you can tell the pitchers are pitching around him not too him.

I also switched the bottom 3. At this point Ellsbury’s threat on the basebath is his best offensive attribute. He could start hitting in a groove again and will drive in Lowell and Drew. Until that happens though his speed scares and gets pitchers out of rythmn. This will help Tek and Cora/Lowrie to hopefully see better pitches. When he is in the 9 spot however you have Pedroia and Youk after. This is going to make Tito hesitant to green light him for second. With Tek, Lowrie, and Cora batting after him he will have more steal chances.

by drabidea on Jul 21, 2008 3:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No more Coco and Ells in the line-up at the same time

Please, just don’t do that. Whatever it takes, even playing Youk at LF or RF, just don’t start ‘em in the same game.

If they both start tonight, I’ll have a heart attack. I really will.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 5:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

At their best, it’s nice; there’s a good speed combo there. But with both struggling so much … ehh.

And speaking of Coco, what are the odds he’s going to be traded before August?

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

To me ...

When Coco isn’t playing for Ellsbury, he should be late-inning defense/ pinch-runner only.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 21, 2008 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Coco should be traded like, TOMORROW

Or, as Drugs said, be used only as a DR for Manny in the late innings, or as a pinch-runner.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Will Ortiz play tonight?

If not, when??

I will be at the game tonight in Seattle, so would be good to see Ortiz play live. Also, his playing would lift the level of Sox play a good deal which should not be hard considering how they have been performing lately!!

by NG on Jul 21, 2008 6:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It looks like he’ll start playing July 25, when the Yankees are in Boston.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's the plan

And I have tickets to that game. :-)

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 21, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lucky S.O.B…

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looking forward to it

Beckett v. Chamberlain

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 21, 2008 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lucky S.O.B...

On the 5th day of September, it will be two years since I’ve last been in Fenway. I was there when Gabbard threw that awesome game. While we never had room for him and while he may never be that good, he looked terrific in that game.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like both line-ups

I agree with RickD that Ellsbury should hit 9th. In an AL line-up that means he is hitting ahead of Pedroia when the line-up turns over, but he loses an AB because he isn’t at the top of the order. I like Taco Boy and think he’ll be a very good player, but right now he is lost at the plate. The bottom of the order is the place for him.

I agree with drabidea that Papi should hit 3rd and Drew 5th. Dizzle is a very good hitter. However, he isn’t as good as he was in June (the only month he had a SLG over .500).

I’d like to see something like this:
Pedroia
Youk
Papi
Manny
Drew
Lowell
Lowrie/Tek
Tek/Cora
Ellsbury

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 21, 2008 6:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wrong...try this

Pedroia
Drew
Papi
Manny
Youk
Lowell
Lowrie
Tek/Cora
Ellsbury

I like Drew at #2. He seems to be a confidence player and putting him lower, hmm I don’t know, I just see him happier hitting #2, then 5 or lower.

The real question is how in f*ck do we win some road games?

by sydneysox on Jul 21, 2008 6:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Back-to-back lefties

Drew and Ortiz

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jul 21, 2008 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I get that..

but you know that Gehrig/Ruth thing worked for NY for 14 odd years and they were both lefties….

by sydneysox on Jul 21, 2008 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Normally I wouldn’t complain but there are some good lefty specialist this year.

Trever Miller (Rays)
Mariano Rivera (Yankees)
Scot Shields (Angels)
Matt Thornton (White Sox)

by drabidea on Jul 21, 2008 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is Mo a lefty specialist?

Or just a specialist in general?

Manny ain't the only bad man.

by tommy.otm on Jul 21, 2008 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha

Yeah specialist in general, but he does even better against lefties.

by drabidea on Jul 21, 2008 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tek/Cora?

He who hestitates is tagged out between first and second base.

by BoSox415 on Jul 21, 2008 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anybody else leading off?

I absolutely love Pedroia in the two-hole and I think that is the best place for him, right in front of a power hitter like Ortiz. Any thoughts?

Man do I hate Longhorn fans, well except for the ones that actually went there.

by mystman995 on Jul 21, 2008 7:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I could see Drew or Youk leadoff…

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Look

I like Pedroia at #2 also, but he hit leadoff last year and well, that worked out pretty well for us….

by sydneysox on Jul 21, 2008 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Pedroia leading off, with Youk hitting second, would put LOTS of men on base in front of Papi, Manny, Drew and Lowell (in that order, please).

Manny ain't the only bad man.

by tommy.otm on Jul 21, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve always liked Youk hitting second and absolutely hated it when they moved him down last year. He struggled and I think even Youk could benefit from going to the 2 hole.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jul 21, 2008 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, good order

And I don’t see how Tito would let Drew leadoff. I think that if Ells is not doing it, then it’s going to be Pedroia.

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or Coco

Not!

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay!

Extra Bases says that both Coco and Ells are on today’s line-up. I have one word for that: FUCK!

It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.

by MerryGoByeBye on Jul 21, 2008 9:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs