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And I thought Boss Junior was a stud, Justin starting out strong thus far.
When I watch the DBacks, I just don't understand why they have Chris Young batting leadoff. Yeah, he's fast but everything else about him points to him batting third. He's more of a run producer than an OBP guy. Byrnes, Hudson and then Young makes the most sense to me.
Perhaps I'm missing something . . .
And I thought Boss Junior was a stud, Justin starting out strong thus far.
Your not.
Its what killed them vs Colorado.
Byrnes is a more powerfull David Eckstein.
He works the count, can hit for power sometimes, but hes got a decent OBP.
Hit him first, then Hudson, then Young, Jackson, and on...
the D-Backs!!!!!
While I agree with Byrnes batting 1st, as T Park suggested, Young has drawn a ton of walks thus far. I'm amazed at how he's been able to lay off pitches this year. A walk is as good as a hit, and with his speed, even if he doesn't attempt a steal, you know the pitcher is thinking about it. His on-base percentage has hovered twixt .350ish and .425ish all season thus far. His average iw weak, but if he can continue to be a .375 OPS threat, then I say just leave him there. He's not yet the hitter to be a 3/4/5 hitter. If all he's going to do is draw walks and tally extra-base hits, he may as well be doing that as a leadoff hitter.
I think next year you'll see the shift to Byrnes/Drew/Young/Jackson/Reynolds/Upton...
I was pretty much agreeing with TIMVP, i didn't suggest it.
Byrnes though reminds me though of a more talented less elfish David Eckstein.
Upton is going to be the best hitter in that lineup next season. Which is a very very scary thought. That could be a dominant lineup if Reynolds turns out to be the real deal.
Fair enough. It just looks weird to me. Young has pretty good power and last year his OBP was sub .300. And then you have Hudson batting third who has a historically nice OBP but has never driven in that many runs. Byrnes, Hudson, Young makes more sense to me, on paper at least.
However, Young is a dynamic hitter who has shown a good ability to work pitchers. That might be good enough reason to bat him first just so he can get as many at bats as possible.
you just don't get it. young is fast! fast, i tell you!
Reynolds will probably always run hot and cold, but if his glove can improve where he's a top-level defensive third baseman, something that appears possible with time and development, then, like they did with Steve Finley, they'll just let Reynolds do his thing, dropping him down in the order when cold, and moving him up when hot. He may eventually turn into a consistent, .300 average, .350+ OPB, 30+ HR, 100+ RBI 3/4 hitter, but I don't see it for another two or three seasons. His final season stats may end up looking similar to that line, but the consistency is what's missing and I think he swings and misses far too often to just get it soon.
What do people think about Upton being the leadoff? Sure, he has power, but he's a better contact hitter than Young is at this point, seems to have a good grasp of the strike zone and has the requesite speed that Melvin likes from his leadoff hitter (which is why Hudson isn't the leadoff batter).
I think in two years Upton, Drew, Young, Jackson, Reynolds, Byrnes could be their one-through-six. It's scary to think that Drew still hasn't come around. Even if he never develops into the .320 hitter with 20 HR potential most thought he could be, if he even bumps his average up to .280 or so, continues to draw walks and work the counts and shows good doubles/triples power, then he could be a huge part of the lineup, considering he's their lone true lefty bat prospect on the roster - unless you count Tracy, who doesn't appear to be a real part of the Diamondbacks going forward.
Through today, the Diamondbacks lead the majors in runs scored and in ERA. Not too shabby, eh?!
KEEP IT UP!
The DBacks have scored 62 runs total, the highest of any team in the league. And have held their opponents to 29 runs total, the lowest of any team in the league. Through 10 games, they have the best offense and best pitching of any team in the majors. Amazing.
Meanwhile, Justin Upton is batting .368.
It's early, and tough time will happen, but to be playing this well during this crucial 22-game NL West stretch is HUGE. Having that 1-2 punch again can really take this team far. So long as Lyon can conquer his demons and when one batter goes into a slump, another gets hot to take his place, this team has the makings to be pretty consistent throughout the year. They have a great foundation with pitching depth and back-end bullpen arms, so if the offense can just always have three players hitting, they'll contend for every series. A healthy Johnson and recovered Davis would be gravy.
Unless they are facing Johnny Cueto.
What's amazing to me is how hard some of their HR's have been hit. Both Renolds and Upton have hit some monsters.
Upton was trying to unload on the swing that spun himself into the ground, but he was out of control. And, then the next pitch was as perfect a swing as you'll see.
True, but even in that game where they were completely dominated they stil only lost by a run. They are 8-2 and the two losses were on the road and by a run each.Unless they are facing Johnny Cueto.
The raw power on this team is amazing. If Reynold, Young and Upton can each become 30-homer players, which is very possible, then the lack of homerun power from 1st-through-short won't even be noticed. , Jackson and Drew should develop into doubles machines.
I don't like having a 1b with no power. Jackson is a nice young hitter, but that needs to be a position of power. Unless he's hitting .330 with gold glove defense.
He has gap power, has very good command of the strikezone (something almost none of the other babybacks have) and is a .300 hitter. I'm fine with the lack of distance power because he makes contact most every at bat, and put balls in play, which lead to runs being produced. I like him right where he is. Would 30 homeruns be nice? Sure. But I'll take 16-to-20 with 35-to-40 doubles, .300 average and a .400 on-base considering what Reynolds, Byrnes, Young and Upton are each likely to put up as far as doubles and homers go. Each will likely hit 25 homeruns and 30 or more doubles.
I do wish they'd have kept Clark, but they probably would have used him too often this year, like last, limiting Jackson's at-bats, thus his development.
I think within the context of how the Diamondbacks' lineup is constructed, Jackson's numbers will be fine. I'd like him to stay healthy, and then focus on being an RBI guy. For a player with Jackson's command of the strikezone and his ability to but the bat on the ball, any total less than 90 RBI should be considered a failure.
Diamondbacks continue to just mash... 10 more runs today, only three from homeruns, which is a ratio I like. They have four sacrifice outs producing RBI, and a couple of XBH that probably would have yeilded more had Melvin not started holding runners up.
I'll take a game like Jackson has had today every game he plays: 1 hit, 2 at-bats, 2 walks, three runs, RBI, no strikeouts... his non-hit was the RBI groundout, illustrating what I mentioned above: his ability to produce for the team, even when not getting power numbers. He just is a smart at-bat and comes through. I'd like a little more aggression, but I think it'll come eventually.
going to padress diamondback game the 26 of this month hope diamondbacks are still hot then
Upton hits another one today. Man, I think he might hit 35 homers this season.
You have to believe that at some point they'll slow, however, Upton has been the most consistent of the lot. Maybe he is ready, at age 20, to become the star everyone thought he'd be?
I'll be thrilled with .300+ average, 25+ homerunes, 80+ runs, 90+ RBI and a .380 OBP.
During the Reds series I though Upton's swing was a little too long. But towards the end of the series I think he settled down and his swing is picture perfect right now. That 3 run bomb yesterday was beautiful. He hits the ball so freaking hard.
Well, they are taking their lumps today. Maybe being on the losing end of a route will make them work to never be on one again? Or... maybe it's like last season? Win the first two, get killed in the third. I know it was a throw away game with the teams spot start Gonzalez pitching, but he's going to need to spot start a little better and for a little longer than the three runs in three innings he gave up today. He's going to stick in the rotation until he plays himself out or until Davis gets back.
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