Quote from 84padres on February 27, 2023, 4:54 am

I know it's just spring training but Sunday's game against Arizona sure was fun to watch . Hit after hit, run after run.

Quote from Randy Manese on February 27, 2023, 9:35 am

If it continues into the season, scoring runs early will allow the pitchers to get extended sooner at their own pace.  It will also allow the end of the rotation starters to go longer, thus saving the bullpen arms from warming up/appearances.  I think scoring 5-7 runs a game may be more than norm than the rarity once Tatis comes back; won't happen every day but it is going to be a scary line-up for any opposing pitchers to face, especially when they bring in their weaker bullpen arms.

Quote from BoosterSD on February 27, 2023, 9:36 am

Quote from fenn68 on February 26, 2023, 6:29 pm

Looks as though Soto will be 2nd and Machado 3rd in the line-up. Can’t go wrong either way with Bogaerts and Tatis but a good case can be made for Bogaerts leading off … strong OBP ahead of Soto. Tatis batting 4th … maybe the best power (HR) hitter of the 4 … coming to bat with men on base, probably a lot given the 3 that would be ahead of him.

Good debate … can’t lose.

I will once again say, I think it is a HUGE mistake to bat Soto 2nd. We as a group, and you in particular Fenn are not going to like the performance of Soto in the two spot. His BA, and SLG are way better when he is down a spot or two in the line up. In any other line up in baseball he would be 3. And I get the deference to Machado being SD's guy, and if he is most comfortable at 3, Machado has earned it.

I do think I am coming around to the idea of Bogaerts leading off, a career BA of .292 and OBP of .356, starts the game off right. I am also with the RP rule facing a 3 batter min, a big fan of the line up going R-L-R to force match ups later in the game. I do think that Grisham could be benefit from hitting in the 2 spot, but his history is sporadic, so I will suggest that Crone go 2, and then followed by Machado, Soto, and Tatis.

With a line up starting with Bogaerts, Crone, Machado, Soto, and Tatis I would imagine that at least 60% of the time, Soto comes up to bat in the first inning, and Tatis would see an at bat at least 45-50% in the first inning as well. And unless Bo or Machado go deep, Soto and Tatis batting in the 1st inning means guys on base. Plus, it is R/L balanced, giving one of those 5 guys the advantage late in the game.

I know I will get a thumbs down from a couple on here who insist Soto be the two guy, but I will restate that the numbers prove he is an all around better/balanced hitter at 3 or 4.

1. Bogaerts, 2. Crone, 3. Machado, 4. Soto, 5. Tatis, 6. Carpenter/Cruz, 7. Kim, 8. Grisham, 9. Nola/Campusano.

Quote from MrPadre19 on February 27, 2023, 9:59 am

On a team less stacked as this one I would agree with you a bit more.

I'm guessing in most cases when Soto was batting lower he didn't have a duo like Machado/Tatis behind him.

With his OBP top 3 in MLB,hitting left handed,AND two run producers behind him,along with his patience....I think the 2 hole is best suited.

Of course I've let be known I think the spot in the lineup is exaggerated in how it affects a "good" hitter.

Not a big issue either way I don't suspect.As BoMel said,any of the four could just about hit anywhere in the lineup and be successful.

Personally my preference would be:

Xander

Soto

Tatis

Machado

But if Manny says he "wants" to hit 3rd....at this point you let him.

Quote from Randy Manese on February 27, 2023, 10:02 am

Strongly agree on Soto at #4 but would switch Bogaerts and Tatis even though Tatis K's a lot more than X.  Also, like Grisham at the end of the line-up to get some speed on the bases for the top of the line-up to utilize.  I'd hit the catcher's spot either 7th or 8th, depending on matchups but if Campusano really develops, he needs to be 7th and Kim 8th for the same reason as Grisham batting 9th.  Nice lineup to have if our DH's have something left in the tank.  We'll see both in action today.

Quote from BoosterSD on February 27, 2023, 10:34 am

Quote from MrPadre19 on February 27, 2023, 9:59 am

I'm guessing in most cases when Soto was batting lower he didn't have a duo like Machado/Tatis behind him.

With his OBP top 3 in MLB, hitting left handed, AND two run producers behind him, along with his patience....I think the 2 hole is best suited.

But if Manny says he "wants" to hit 3rd....at this point you let him.

I would argue that Soto, when he is "Soto", is the best run producer on the team, hence batting 3rd. However, with Machado here, and the team Captain at this time, he gets the 3rd spot if he wants.

Just seems to me a waste of Soto's bat in the 2 spot, since he is such a great combo of patience and slug when he is batting 3 or 4. You dont pay someone $23M to get on base for others, you pay him to drive in others. And no one else will provide better protection for Machado than Soto. Not even Tatis!

So I guess I will scream at the top of my lungs this season if we waste Soto's bat in the 2 spot.

Quote from BoosterSD on February 27, 2023, 10:38 am

Quote from Randy Manese on February 27, 2023, 10:02 am

Strongly agree on Soto at #4 but would switch Bogaerts and Tatis even though Tatis K's a lot more than X.  Also, like Grisham at the end of the line-up to get some speed on the bases for the top of the line-up to utilize.  I'd hit the catcher's spot either 7th or 8th, depending on matchups but if Campusano really develops, he needs to be 7th and Kim 8th for the same reason as Grisham batting 9th.  Nice lineup to have if our DH's have something left in the tank.  We'll see both in action today.

I can understand the idea of Tatis leading off, especially with his speed. However, as Fenn mentioned, with all the power on the team now, the stolen base might be mute, as you would not want to run yourself out of innings and runs.

It is a great issue to have, disagreeing on which spot an All Star has in the batting order, based on how you think they will perform this season on preference, and past performance. Especially when choosing between Bogaerts, Machado, Soto, and Tatis.

 

Quote from Jeremy Hill on February 27, 2023, 10:39 am

Here we go again.

Soto hit .248/.404/.437 in the 2 hole last year.

He hit .226/.391/.496 in the 3 hole.

489 of his 771 career PAs in the 2 hole came last year. All that tells me is he had a down year last year and even in a down year he's really good. Any other year you're looking at too small of a sample size to draw any real conclusions.

For the record I don't really care where he hits 1-4 when Tatis comes back. I like the 2 hole mainly for R/L balance. I just don't buy the argument that he's a worse hitter in the 2 hole. There are way more plausible explanations for his down numbers than it simply being because he is hitting 2nd.

Quote from Randy Manese on February 27, 2023, 11:21 am

For Tatis at #1, it is not really SB's per se, but the speed/ability to run the bases which he has demonstrated many times in the past.  Likewise, Grisham and Kim can move pretty well once underway, so with the bottom of the line-up possibly being Kim, then Grisham followed by Tatis, you put a lot of pressure on the pitchers/infield defense even if you don't attempt to steal a base.

I feel like Soto, sandwiched between Machado and Bogaerts, is really going to shine in the clean-up spot and he isn't just a walk machine like so many of his detractors have called him.  Bogaerts has proven to be a very good RBI guy (over 100 twice!) so there is protection for Soto and also after Bogaerts with the veteran DH's coming in behind him.  This is going to be a very tough line-up to navigate.

Although we would deviate from the L/R preference, I'm not opposed to batting X in the #2 hole.  This would take advantage of his discipline at the plate and essentially make him the 2nd leadoff guy.  Beside, Croney historically has hit better in the 5 hole than batting 2nd.

It's great to be able to argue where you bat superstars instead of wondering whether our everyday line-up is going to get any hits off the opposing pitcher today.  So glad those days appear gone.  I too hope for a WS victory before my time is up - been following the Padres when they were still in the Pacific Coast League!