Lineup

[Mex17]

I'm sure that there a lot of ways that they can do it, and TC probably has not made up his mind and will use Spring Training to sort it all out, but here is one permutation that makes a little bit of sense to me. . .

Granderson
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
d'Arnaud
Conforto
Walker
Cabrera

It sacrifices a little bit of righty-lefty balance at the top end but it takes Wright out of a power spot and into more of a contact/on-base position. It also puts Yo into a prime production spot and keeps his athleticism in front of a slower Duda while also protecting him with Duda's power. The middle infielders at the bottom are no automatc outs either. One drawback is d'Arnaud's modest power in the 5 hole.

Discuss. . .

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pretty sure Terry will hit Walker second no matter what.

If I made the lineup I'd break all the rules and go:
Grandyman
dArnaud
Conforto
Cespedes
Doodoo
Wright
Cabrera
Walker
Pitcher

I might even slot Wright 7 or 8 until he proves he's actually David Wright.

[MFS62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pretty sure Terry will hit Walker second no matter what. I might even slot Wright 7 or 8 until he proves he's actually David Wright.

Combining both of those thoughts, and assuming Wright cannot return to anything close to his previous form, my lineup would look like:

RF Granderson L
2B Walker S
LF Conforto L
CF Cespedes R
1B Duda L
C d'Arnaud R
3B Flores R
SS Cabrera S
P

Later

[Mex17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pretty sure Terry will hit Walker second no matter what. If I made the lineup I'd break all the rules and go: Grandyman dArnaud Conforto Cespedes Doodoo Wright Cabrera Walker Pitcher I might even slot Wright 7 or 8 until he proves he's actually David Wright.

I just don't think that they will embarrass or disrespect Wright like that.

[Edgy MD]

There's probably a meaningful chance that Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera get dropped into their predecessors' slots and Terry picks up where he left off.

[*:1ts6o9t7]Granderson[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Wright[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Walker[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Cespedes[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Duda[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]d'Arnaud[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Conforto/Lagares[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]Cabrera[/*:m:1ts6o9t7]
[*:1ts6o9t7]deGrom/Harvey/Syndergaard/Matz/Colón[/*:m:1ts6o9t7][/list:o:1ts6o9t7]

[TransMonk]

1. Granderson
2. Wright
3. Walker
4. Cespedes
5. Duda
6. d'Arnaud
7. Conforto/Lagares
8. Cabrera
9. deGrom/Harvey/Syndergaard/Matz/Colón

Edgy MD wrote:

This is what I envision out of the gate. All should be subject to change based on Performance.

[bmfc1]

Because Terry likes going lefty-righty:
Granderson
Wright
Conforto
Cespedes
Duda
d'Arnaud
Walker
Cabrera
Stud Pitcher.

Edgy's accomplishes the same thing and that might be the one that is used when the season starts.

[Edgy MD]

TransMonk wrote: Granderson Wright Walker Cespedes Duda d'Arnaud Conforto/Lagares Cabrera deGrom/Harvey/Syndergaard/Matz/Colón This is what I envision out of the gate. All should be subject to change based on Performance.

Certainly. Terry's stubborn, but not inflexibly so.

[Mex17]

bmfc1 wrote: Because Terry likes going lefty-righty: Granderson Wright Conforto Cespedes Duda d'Arnaud Walker Cabrera Stud Pitcher. Edgy's accomplishes the same thing and that might be the one that is used when the season starts.

I don't think that they will put a 22 year-old who started last season in the Florida State League in the three-hole when they have other options.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

You're right the inclination is they shouldn't. They'll try not to. But these were just our suggestions.

[Mex17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: You're right the inclination is they shouldn't. They'll try not to. But these were just our suggestions.

I know, just contributing to the discussion.

[Ceetar]

my suggestions are still to stop hitting Granderson first. It's still a fair bet that Wright will out OBP him, but be way behind in slugging, so hell, Wright for leadoff.

Wright didn't really have enough time last year to really get a feel for what type of player he's going to be post stinosis, but he's still likely not a base-clogger, is a smart baserunner, is a good OBP guy. You don't have to have him stealing or anything, but he should be able to go first to third when it warrants, be on base a lot in front of Granderson's home runs, and just generally be good.

Then maybe

2b-Walker
1B-Duda
CF-Cespedes
C-d'Arnaud
LF-Conforto
DH-Flores
SS-Cabrera

[Mex17]

Ceetar wrote: Wright didn't really have enough time last year to really get a feel for what type of player he's going to be post stinosis, but he's still likely not a base-clogger, is a smart baserunner, is a good OBP guy. You don't have to have him stealing or anything, but he should be able to go first to third when it warrants, be on base a lot in front of Granderson's home runs, and just generally be good.

You sort of said it. . .will he or will he not be a liability on the basepaths with the funky back?

[Ceetar]

Mex17 wrote: Ceetar wrote: Wright didn't really have enough time last year to really get a feel for what type of player he's going to be post stinosis, but he's still likely not a base-clogger, is a smart baserunner, is a good OBP guy. You don't have to have him stealing or anything, but he should be able to go first to third when it warrants, be on base a lot in front of Granderson's home runs, and just generally be good. You sort of said it. . .will he or will he not be a liability on the basepaths with the funky back?

I don't think so personally, and obviously if it looks like he will don't bat him leadoff, you do have 6 weeks or so to get a sense of how he's moving. It's not like the Mets are going to play a basestealing running game type of game though, it's not like Granderson is gonna be particularly swift or really any of them are, so might as well go with the OBP and maximize value that way. Wright's not gonna run them _out_ of runs likely, and the extra non-out making ability might get the team a few more AB over the course of a month over someone swifter but not as talented.

[Centerfield]

Edgy MD wrote: Granderson Wright Walker Cespedes Duda d'Arnaud Conforto/Lagares Cabrera deGrom/Harvey/Syndergaard/Matz/Colón Edgy MD wrote: This is what I envision out of the gate. All should be subject to change based on Performance. Certainly. Terry's stubborn, but not inflexibly so.

I would put my money on this as well. And as Conforto hopefully shows he is real, he will be moved up accordingly.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I also agree with Edgy's lineup prediction, except perhaps we'll see Walker batting second and Wright third.

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I also agree with Edgy's lineup prediction, except perhaps we'll see Walker batting second and Wright third.

And bat two lefties in a row? Sacrilege!

[Centerfield]

My lineup against Lefties:

1. Lagares CF
2. Wright 3B
3. Cespedes RF
4. Duda 1B
5. d'Arnaud C
6. Conforto LF
7. Cabrera SS
8. Flores 2B
9. Colon DH

Couple of key notes:

*Lagares over Granderson here. Splits say this should work out. Hopefully Yoenis can handle RF. Certainly has the arm for it.

*I'd be inclined to let Conforto play every day, at least initially. I think he will do fine. But if he struggles, he can platoon with De Aza, in which case De Aza and play RF and Ces and slot back to LF.

*I wonder whether Terry will employ a strict platoon with Walker. Walker sucks against lefties. Wilmer crushed them last year. On paper, this is the right choice, but Walker will object becoming a platoon player going into his walk year.

[Edgy MD]

I think Flores will get his share of lefties at second, and if he's raking and Walker is flailing, performance will drive PT.

[Vic Sage]

[u:1wq5xz8u]Against RHP:[/u:1wq5xz8u]
RF Granderson
2b Walker
1b Duda
CF Cespedes
LF Conforto
3b Wright
C D'Arnaud
P
SS Cabrera

[u:1wq5xz8u]Against LHP[/u:1wq5xz8u]:
CF Lagares
SS Cabrera
3b Wright
LF Cespedes
1b Duda
C d'Arnaud
2b Flores
P
RF Granderson



Platooning Conforto/Lagares & Walker/Flores (vLHP)
Bench:deAza, Tejada, Plawecki

[Frayed Knot]

Terry reveals his "most likely" line-up (subject to change of course) to the NYPost.

1. Curtis Granderson, RF
2. David Wright, 3B
3. Yoenis Cespedes, CF
4. Lucas Duda, 1B
5. Neil Walker, 2B
6. Michael Conforto, LF
7. Travis d’Arnaud, C
8. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
9. Pitcher

[Benjamin Grimm]

Three lefties in a row. Against right-handed pitchers, anyway.

[Lefty Specialist]

I'm kind of okay with that lineup.

I didn't want to see Conforto batting 3rd out of the chute. Maybe he gets there eventually, but that's too much pressure to put on the kid Opening Day. And remember, 4 days out of 5, we've got a hitter batting #9 in the order.

[MFS62]

Putting David #2 will make him concentrate on making contact, to get on base or move (a) runner(s) along. He will be able to ease into the hard swings (needed for power hitting lower in the lineup) and give his back time to get stronger. It will probably be the best place for him when the season starts.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Wright's back isn't "healing," or "getting better." His back is what it is, and it's a pain-management issue at this point, and forevermore. He averred as much multiple times last season when he was diagnosed, as he recovered, and when he returned.

That Duda-Walker-Conforto thing in the middle there worries one. It's like a tapas plate for hungry, hard-throwing lefty specialists.

[Guest sharpie]

Terry was using Lagares as his leadoff hitter through most of spring training last year. This is what Terry is thinking right now but of course things will change. This is a reasonable place to start from.