How Much Does *Spot in the Order* Matter to a Hitter?

How Much Does Spot in the Order Matter to a Hitter?

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on May 18, 2012

This is tricky since sample size is usually going to be an issue when analyzing the importance of a hitter’s *spot* in the order. Pagan was hitting .243 in the leadoff spot this year. After he moved down to 5th, he’s 15 for 31 (.484ba, .556 OBP and a whopping 1.136 OPS!). Of course, for his career, he’s got a .293 ba in the leadoff spot, .269 batting fifth. But, I’m always more about what a player is doing *now* as opposed to what he’s done for his career and you can make a reasonable argument that Pagan was pressing in the leadoff spot and fighting his way through at bats (ie, wanting to hack but knowing he should take pitches).

More important than how Pagan is hitting now, The White Shark is showing that he’s filling the major gap we had at the top of the line up. He’s rolling with a .394 OBP. Again, small sample, but still a fantastic development. For his career (475 at bats) he’s got a .362 OBP in the leadoff spot and that alone is a good reason to give this dude an extended shot in the spot……

Crawford has struggled this year but has shown he’s more than a *good at bat* at times. He’s currently tied for the team lead in doubles and no one’s tacking on *free doubles* to his stat line. But he made it clearly known yesterday that he prefers hitting in the 2 spot, it’s where he hit in college and the minors, and he offers up a completely reasonable suggestion for why he likes it better: he sees more fastballs in the 2-hole. One game means nothing but it sounds like Bochy is going to take a look at B-Craw in the 2 spot for a while………

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The Giants are trying to Melvin Mora to fill in at third base. Yikes.

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TedSpe said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:13 pm

FUCK!!!!!!!!!!
It takes forever
Zito walked twice
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:16 pm

Oops…just rememberd that I had the game on pause for a bit whle we hit the hot tub time machine. My comment on Belt’s sac fly was certainly off by who knows how many minutes…I’m top of the 5th…hell, the game may be over…
TedSpe said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:16 pm

Triples are alway exciting. More so then HRs
Fuck ;em
Del Mar Dennis said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Brad Penny coming outta the pen doesn’t look so bad now…meltdown.
mrmrbill said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Eh-lefson 😦
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:31 pm

Zito is feeling, pretty much, like most Giants fans feel about him. Not happy
- mrmrbill said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:33 pm
  
  Never liked him. His mother was a hamster, and his father smelt of elderberries.
Bozo said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:31 pm

Well shit – so much for me getting to bed before 1.
- eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:38 pm
  
  The sun is finally coming up. I am having spanish strawberries and german decaf
  [hippy-dippy] I threw some good vibes at the sun, you should get them (in your sleep) around sunrise [/hippy-dippy]
  - Bozo said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:42 pm
    
    ed – you are probably the only guy I know who sets his alarm so he can get up to watch a game.
    Cheers man.
Macdog said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:31 pm

This guy was hitting .082 before tonight.
twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:32 pm

I don’t know if it’s possible to be worse than Edlefsen was.
paulinasia said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:33 pm

Who’s this guy Donaldson? My goodness….
blade3colorado said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:37 pm

I took a nap and woke up . . . WTF???????????????
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:37 pm

Fuck…top of the 6th could NOT end soon enough…

Let’s get some back Giants!
manny said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:38 pm

Just keep getting those walks, I don’t know whats got into the boys.
Del Mar Dennis said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:39 pm

If I could only put one in the barber chair, I’d choose Pagan over Timmy. That duck tail of his pisses me off to no end.
I’d snip that shit off so quick you’d think I was working in Daniel Boone hat factory.
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:39 pm

torture, available in all innings
James said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:42 pm

Crazy Horse doesn’t realize he’s no longer batting lead off.
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:42 pm

I’m telling you…I’ve got a headache and heartburn…
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:44 pm

Caught a break there…time to capitalize on that shit…
zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:53 pm

We’re missing our Mota!
- twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:55 pm
  
  Sorry, didn’t see your post.
twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:54 pm

Where Mota had been a rock, the new guys are sinking like stones. Long relief has been a disaster.
- zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:00 pm
  
  Tonight’s a classic example of why long relief shouldn’t be taken for granted.
unca_chuck said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:58 pm

Yikes. Otero, pack your bags.
- twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:01 pm
  
  11 innings in Fresno, 17 hits. Don’t think so.
unca_chuck said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:59 pm

Jeremy spoke in class today . . .
Bozo said, on May 18, 2012 at 9:59 pm

Now that’s shutting them down.
St said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:02 pm

Loux the next one to audition?
- chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:07 pm
  
  Brad Penny…
  - chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:09 pm
    
    Uh, maybe not…when he last pitched…5.30 ERA…1.56 WHIP…OUCH…
Macdog said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:07 pm

Berkman HR in the 9th, Cards tie the Bums at 5-5.
- sandy32koufax said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:26 pm
  
  game ova…walkoff walk..aj ellis
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:11 pm

Romo has that frisbee working tonight…
Macdog said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:15 pm

That’s some damn fine pitching by Affeldt and Romo.
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:16 pm

romo does what romo does
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:18 pm

Romo is MONEY!
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:18 pm

I need to run to the store to get some Rolaids…I’m sure Santiago is coming in for the 9th…
- zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:21 pm
  
  Not to worry; it’s a SAVE situation. (grin)
  - chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:23 pm
    
    The results have been good…getting there is usually tortuous…
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:20 pm

Buckle it up…here we go…
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:25 pm

You kidding me…the Bums win on a walk-off walk…WTF…
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:25 pm

In the UK they still have home milk delivery. It’s called the milk float; a small flatbed with an electric engine so as not to wake anyone up, hence the ‘float’.
And, like Jon, I remember the Berkeley Farms home delivery in the Hayward area.
Macdog said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:25 pm

At least Donaldson can’t tie it now.
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:27 pm

WTF Burriss!
snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:28 pm

I have seen quite enough of Burriss. DFA his ass as soon as Theriot gets back…
- eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:31 pm
  
  rather harsh?
  - snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:36 pm
    
    Major league ball is harsh. He’s not a major leaguer…
Bozo said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:33 pm

YES
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:33 pm

Boo YAH!
chipower9 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:34 pm

From 8-1 to that…the Boys in Orange and Black know how to make it interesting. But they all look the same in the win column.
twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:35 pm

After the error, the bouncer from Weeks was no gimmee. Pretty good play.
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:37 pm

Two things stand out for me: the team getting a hitting rhythm going and the info about Affeldt’s brace.
Three counting the win!
Go Gigantes
zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:37 pm

There was a Font sighting in the Philly game. He came in as a defensive replacement, and then mishandled a hard-hit grounder.
snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:38 pm

Ugly, but let’s take it. Edlefsen — this guy better get some ground outs next outing, else he gone…
- zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:42 pm
  
  It was a mostly well-played game. Lots of good things happened on offense.
  - twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:56 pm
    
    True, it was mostly well played. Edlefsen had a bad night and there was the error. Big big diff in the olffense is Blanco, Belt, Melky, Posey, and now Pagan all with very good OBP. Offense is looking up.
  - snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 11:11 pm
    
    The squad for some reason has figured out the last few games that if you take a few pitches, especially with RISP, good things happen. Friggin 9 or
- snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 11:15 pm
  
  …10 walks they took tonite. Keep up this new found selectivity at the plate, and you get to take advantage of the speed you have on the bags. Hopefully, Bochy keeps the Blanco, Crawford 1-2 order at the top for a few games and see where that goes — it looks like maybe a nice combo, especially for Crawford. Plus, Melky’s presence in the LU cannot be overstated, he’s very important to the offense. Belt showed some stick-to-it-iveness tonite, as well. I think the chance he’s getting to play game after game is clearly helping his confidence at the plate….
Bozo said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:38 pm

Bedtime for Bozos. Night all.
eddacker said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:42 pm

[in other news] the Olympic flame arrived from Greece last night and begins its 70 day tour of the UK today.
snarkk said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:44 pm

Since Bochy dropped Pagan down the order, he’s gone crazy getting on base. Must feel better with leadoff pressure off. Hope that continues, maybe he’ll pick up the outfield D a bit. Made a nice running catch tonite….
twinfan1 said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:48 pm

Well, we’ll see about who stays among the middle infielders. Culberson has disappointed early, Theriot was beyond bad. Burriss may go, but that’s hardly a given. Somebody likes Brock Bond, I forget who. He’s slow with no pop , but he’s hitting .395 fergawdsake, with a .473 OBP.
zumie said, on May 18, 2012 at 10:59 pm

All five teams in the NL East have winning records at the moment. You don’t see that sort of thing too often.