Lineup in Minnesota
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Lineup on May 25, 2010 
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I’ve been here less than an hour, but so far Target Field has exceeded my expectations. It’s just a gorgeous ballpark with enough oddities to keep it unique but not so many that it becomes quirky. The area all around the stadium is vibrant, with statues and random nods to Twins history. Very cool place.
I’ll try to write more about the place as I see more of it.
Here’s the Yankees lineup for their first game in the new ballpark.
Derek Jeter SS
Brett Gardner CF
Mark Teixeira DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Juan Miranda 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Kevin Russo LF
RHP A.J. Burnett
HURRY BACK CURTIS! Swisher used to be hitting eighth in this lineup.
LOL!
No need to tell Doreen about any of you submitting lineups!! Nobody had Sexy Texy at DH!!
Oh well, at least I helped you pass the time!! I had nothing to do today!!
Ugh! I had Russo in LF & changed it at last minute to Randy Winn. I guess this speaks volumes for what happens when Granderson gets back. Bye Winn!
is miranda better than teix defensively?
Awful lineup
Why is Tex in there? He can’t hit a beach ball right now.
Why is Russo in against a righty and not Winn?
Thames kills Baker, why isin’t he in there?
Why is Gardner batting 2nd? So he can kill more rallies?
Brutal lineup.
please take gardner out of the 2 hole. it isnt working. He has started grounding EVERYTHING to 3rd base.
# CR9 May 25th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
LOL!
No need to tell Doreen about any of you submitting lineups!! Nobody had Sexy Texy at DH!!
Oh well, at least I helped you pass the time!! I had nothing to do today!!
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I believe she keeps track of winning % also
evolution – is that a serious question? no one is better than teix defensively. maybe casey kotchman, but other than that… no one.
ac1 – should we pull arod out of the cleanup spot since that isnt working either? maybe teixeira should bat 8th too…
YES! GGBG hits second baby!
We should bench tex until his slump is over!
Wait, what?
mtu-
i was planting petunias so i didn’t notice that much
i’m kind of ticked off how the yankee season has turned since the red sox series in fenway myself so i can see why there may be more disputes because passions are high.
the kind of stuff though that you’re talking about is just going to happen from time to time because anyone can post anytime.
i think there’s an absence of good posters right now because they’re laying in the weeds waiting to see what happens tonight . a win tonight and i think you’ll see them back out.
a loss and the blog will not be teh best place for a good baseball discussion.
do you remember when i said a little while ago ( maybe a week to ten days) the team was making me nervous and that i just didn’t like the way they were playing even though they hadn’t falling into a slump yet?
i couldn’t explain why i felt that way in stats but this team just doesn’t have a synergy about it when posada isn’t playing regularly. it’s like the parts don’t go together. there’s an amplifying effect he has on the team.
i would really like to see gardner moved to the leadoff spot and put jeter back in the second spot. and simply drop teixeira down in the order until he starts hitting.
the yankees are playing three games worse than their expected won loss record. that could just be bad luck or maybe they aren’t maximizing opportunities in the sense of having stats in isolation instead of grouping them in ways that results in runs when they need them or in preventing a run when it means a win.
back to your original point, i think when the team is in free fall, it’s hard to get good discussions.
Jeret May 25th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Awful lineup
Why is Tex in there? He can’t hit a beach ball right now.
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Stupidity, thy name is Jeret.
Weak line up. Enough of Gardner at 2 and Tex should drop to 5 with Arod at 3 and Cano at 4. Girardi has no balls as that is the move.
it’s a move, but it’s completely wrong. you don’t shuffle the lineup because certain hitters are hot. this is not a video game.
Randy-
Thanks for the response. I do remember you mentioning your concern to me a few weeks back.
I’m not crazy about GGBG leading off because that means that
Jeter will be hitting 2nd leading to more DP’s. I would like to see Granderson in the 2 hole against righties, and Swish in the 2 hole against lefties.
For me GGBG is better further down in the lineup even 9th, and Tex should drop down soon unless he opens it up.
i dont think gardner is struggling BECAUSE he is in the 2 hole…i think its just the inevitable slump that has caused it…we know gardner wasnt gonna hit .330 all year, hes hit a rough patch and still at this early point in this season, a prolonged slump kills your numbers…a drop in the order might help him out but he was hitting fine not too long ago
I was a bit surprised to see Gardner back at 2 hole again, but he is facing a RHP. I like Swish hitting 2nd, but maybe Granderson there when he gets back and is ready. I really like Gardner batting 9th.
Miranda ha improved with the glove over th past few years but he isn’t the vacuum cleaner that Teixeira is.
I see the point in having Tex as the DH tonight. Girardi is trying ways to relax him from his batting woes.
Swisher has too much power to bat 2nd.
You want him in an RBI spot like 6th, behind guys who are always on base like Tex, A-Rod, Cano. Otherwise, all his hits are mostly going to be with no one in base.
OMG, Russo has no proven track record of success in Minnesota, this is a big gamble Girardi is taking!
How long have some of you followed baseball?
Gardner’s struggles have ZERO to do with where he is hitting in the lineup. It’s all about scouting reports catching up to a player.
Either he adjusts or he doesn’t. Where he is hitting in the lineup has no bearing on that.
And anyone who thinks Teixeira should be benched, well nevermind, they’re obviously too stupid to understand common sense.
Nats released Bruney.
I wouldn’t bother, but wonder if Cashman will get him back.
mtu -
jeter wouldn’t be grounding into many double plays if gardner is on the move. this whole idea of having him wait to steal makes no sense or him not running because tex or alex is up.
with him on base they get way more fast balls. what’s the big deal with taking a pitch so he can move up a base.
swisher in the two spot to me just doesn’t feel right. just like nick johnson in the two spot didn’t seem right. i understand the on base percentage argument , but i don’t see it working.
instead of just waiting, i think they should play some baseball and shake some things up. steal , hit and run, bunt. whatever it takes.
this passive idea of just taking a walk or a strikeout to get on base isn’t my favorite way to play baseball. i like seeing the ball put in play and runners moving.
that said i like walks, especially when someone like gardner gets them.
it appears there is a difference of opinion starting to polarize on the blog between playing high on base percentage baseball and station to station baseball waiting for things to happen, and putting gardner in the lead off spot and making things happen.
swisher in the two spot just isn’t going to do it in my mind.i’d much rather go gardner and then jeter in the top two spots with the idea they can run so let them run.
Bench Tex for whom?
It’s great the children scream, “Bench Tex” but, Albert Pujols isn’t walking through the door to replace him.
Wait, Pujols is also mired in a deep May slump. Can’t have him, he stinks.
Anybody whining about Randy Winn not being in the lineup really needs to stop posting on this blog.
Sometimes, thinking before posting can be a good thing.
Bob the Original:
Bravo!
One day off and i am EXCITED for yankees baseball.
man that week was really stressful
Mets, Rays Sox.
the twins seem like playing A ball compared to that stressbomb of a week.
they need a power hitter like Steve Michaels
Girardi should stay passive… this team won 103 games last year and the WS. This team has proven veteran winners and guys with track records. We went through this last year too during the Nats/Marlins/Braves series. We 3-9 during a 12 game stretch in mid-June last year. We lost 5 in a row at home before Alex came back in May. And Girardi just stayed the course and we inevitable broke out of it ans went on to win the division.
You don’t shake up the team. Stay the course and these proven players will get back on track.
Oh, and if you didn’t notice… Joba/MO blew 2 games last week. We blew 3 consecutive leads in the 8th inning. They do their jobs, and the week looks a lot better.
Randy,
I could be down with Gardner leading off and Jeter hitting second.
I would rather hit Granderson second when he comes back and move Gardner to 9th though.
I like Gardner hitting lower in the order because he has a chance to see how pitchers are working hitters and he also is like having another leadoff guy at the bottom of the lineup.
randy, I’ll play devil’s advocate and ask if you have any evidence of blog polarization other than nobody went out of their way to agree with you that Jeter and Arod should be stealing more bases?
Also, Melancon/Logan allowed runs in Tampa that proved to be the difference in the Tampa game. Same with Park adding an insurance run against the Mets on Saturday.
The bullpen has been the main culprit this week. More so than the offense.
Why would you want to bench Teixiera? Yes I understand hes stunk lately, but who do you put in place of him?
Really, Randy Winn needs to be in the lineup. has anyone actually watched his piss poor at bats in the last couple of weeks. Zero bat speed.
Winn also cost us a game with his play in the field.
He sucks. Can’t hit, can’t field, can’t do anything.
Randy-
I understand your argument to accentuate speed, and I agree with that part of things.
Are you convinced that GGBG can handle the resposibility of being a leadoff man ?
For him to be successful there he will need to keep his OBP up at a consistent level. Will he continue to do that ? I’m not sure.
Who else is thinking the day off and the change of scenery may do this team some good?
The Captain is hitting ground balls about 66% of the time. Worse, he is generally hitting them right at fielders. Even worse, he is swinging early in the count.
So if you are going to flip-flop DJ and GGBG, then GGBG better run on the first pitch or you are going to see GIDPs at a higher rate than you are likely to want to.
I forgot.
m had the winning lineup, as she said she was going with Girardi’s lineup!!!
whatever. the season is already over.
Why bother.
Guard May 25th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Swisher has too much power to bat 2nd.
You want him in an RBI spot like 6th, behind guys who are always on base like Tex, A-Rod, Cano. Otherwise, all his hits are mostly going to be with no one in base.
——
Thats not true. Swisher is only the 2 hitter in the first inning. If Gardner is 9 and Jeter is 1 then Swish will get opportunities to hit with runners on base.
Gardner is overmatched in the 2 hole. Whenever Jeter gets on late in games which he does quite often then you have Gardner coming up in big spots, No Thank You.
Tex should hit 5th to start the road trip with Cano 4th against a RHP. If the line up fails tonight then you will see Swisher against Liriano tomorrow in the 2 hole.
Joe should grow some balls and move Tex to 5th and put your best hitter up 3rd. Cano can support Arod especially tonight against a RHP but tomorrow Joe won’t do that against a LHP.
Jeter
Swish
Arod
Cano
Tex
Miranda/Thames
Cervelli
Winn/Russo
Gardner
When Granderson comes back move him to 6th and drop everyone down with Winn/Russo on the bench.
When Posada comes back bat him 6th and drop everyone down.
Cmon Joe make a change which is not drastic just one that makes sense. Need a SW at #2 and Gardner belongs at 9. Against a LHP he would have to face Jeter,Swisher, Arod to start the game, now thats pressure offense. Gardner at 2 is almost an automatic out.
Can somebody please tell Girardi to put Swish in the 2 hole? BG hits too many ground balls in the infield so if Jeets gets on its an out at 2nd.
Jeter == Mega Loser.
Quick question for those who know- if a player is a switch hitter, and they are having difficulty hitting from one side of the plate, would it help to only bat from the “down” side? Or maybe just from the “better” side?
Just wondering how that works. Thanks in advance!
Gardner has to bat 2nd. They need Swisher in the 6th hole until Granderson come back. The number 6 hitter is suppose be a power guy that can drive in runs. If you move Swisher to 2nd who will be your 6th hitter? Miranda or Cervelli that is making the bottom of the lineup way too thin.
I like Gardner he has played well but he is perfect in the number 9 hole being a double lead off guy. And he can utilize his speed better down there too. Girardi will put him back there when Granderson returns.
whatever. the season is already over.
Why bother.
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I love the satire on this site.
nick in sf-
jerkface advocated gardner leading off too though he doesn’t share my enthusiasm for small ball.
i think there is on one side people who say stay the course and let the regulars come out of their funk on their own.
where i see the difference of opinion is the two spot. cashman and the coaching staff has gone with the high on base percentage slug guy nick johnson or swisher there who basically lets the big guys swing.
i know gardner has been there , but he doesn’t run in that spot so what good does it do?
there’s polariztion going on , but it isn’t clear yet what the poles are.
i’m definitely not into just waiting for guys like teixeira to start hitting. i would drop him down in the order. i like a team to be a little edgy. so it ticks tex off. maybe that’ll get him going.
jeter in the two spot to me is a no brainer. there are a lot of options for the three spot. swisher, granderson, or cano depending on who’s hitting well.
7789 May 25th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Gardner has to bat 2nd. They need Swisher in the 6th hole until Granderson come back. The number 6 hitter is suppose be a power guy that can drive in runs. If you move Swisher to 2nd who will be your 6th hitter? Miranda or Cervelli that is making the bottom of the lineup way too thin.
I like Gardner he has played well but he is perfect in the number 9 hole being a double lead off guy. And he can utilize his speed better down there too. Girardi will put him back there when Granderson returns.
——
Miranda or Thames will be your power in the 6 hole.
Gardner doesn’t belong in the 2 hole and neither does Granderson because he doesn’t hit lefties. Swish makes the most sense.
With Tex not hitting we basically do ny have big power bats outside of Arod.
Yes Granderson hit 30 and Swish up there too but this team is a patient hitting line drive team and the lineup should reflect that.
Cano hitting 4th is fine as with Jeter,Swish and Arod on base a line drive to left is fine by me instead of Tex uppercutting every pitch he sees right now.
Take some pressure off Tex and let him hit 5th.
Gardner isn’t a 2 hitter. Girardi would be better off hitting Gardy leadoff and Jeter number 2.
Greg May 25th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Can somebody please tell Girardi to put Swish in the 2 hole?
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I’m willing to bet that you were one of the people here screaming for Swisher to be benched last year around this time when he was hitting .150 in May.
Thinking before posting? You’re nuts SJ!
The best uplift for this Yankee team is baserunners – baserunners – baserunners and timely hitting. Winning breeds confidence.
Late game heroics are nice to see but insurance runs in the later innings are a bullpen’s best friend.
Actually, if it weren’t for the lese majeste charge I would get from some of the devoted Yank fans around here I’d suggest batting Gardner leadoff, Swisher second, Cano third, ARod fourth and Granderson (when he comes back) fifth, let the folks who aren’t hitting and the minor league callups fill out the lineup.
Although in general I don’t think playing around with the lineup makes much difference.
sj-
graderson is acceptable in the second spot. much better than swisher.
it just seems that the guys who can run aren’t running and that they are falling into a pattern of just waiting for things to happen.
i do prefer a style of baseball where the offense is always putting pressure on the defense.i think that the yankees can play that kind of baseball and have the personnel to do it.
XLJ May 25th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Gardner isn?t a 2 hitter. Girardi would be better off hitting Gardy leadoff and Jeter number 2.
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Thats what you get with Gardner 9th and Jeter 2. Swish at 2 takes more pitches and provides power later in the game if Gardner or Jeter are on base. He will allow Gardner to steal by taking pitches and can drive the ball as well which is something Gardner can’t do.
How many balls did Gardner hit out of the infield against the Mets? I don’t think any. Slaps to 3rd and roll over grounders to 2nd are tiring.
Crawford is next years 2 hole hitter and until then Joe will have to figure it out. Gardner is NOT a 2 hole hitter. Granderson can’t hit lefties and NJ is on eternal DL. Not how this was drawn up.
Swisher provides patience and power and although he is not a base stealer he is the best option this year as it stands or until we make a trade.
sj
and as far as me liking gardner leading off, that’s based on him continuing playing well.
if he’s been playing over his head then that’s not going to work, and i can see him in the 9th spot if he regresses a bit.
the yankees are still in an experimentation period of where hitters are going to hit and you’d like to see that start clearing up, but with the injuries and slumps they are going to have to try different things to try to come up with a line up that works.
Guess I posted on the old thread just as the new thread went up… so heres a repost
I know I don’t post all that often, but i’m always reading and hanging around. Just wanted to let all my fellow yankees fans know I have a little website with a few Yankees wallpapers and Personas (for firefox) (I’ll be adding more when I have time) I also have some skins for other apps that I plan on using. One is for the application indexer/launcher called Launchy, and also a clock program i used called Clocx. Link is in the sig or http://www.yankeesjtj.com hope you find something you like.
Here’s hoping The Yanks have a good game tonight!
“Are you convinced that GGBG can handle the resposibility of being a leadoff man ?”
mtu-
one way to find out.
i agree he may not be able to do it,but i’d like to see what would happen.
more than anything ,i do not want to watch this team play the kind of baseball where every base stealing threat steals less than he did last year.
it feels like that is what is happening.
the team seems less aggressive on the bases than it was last year.
I think the real polarization is between the lineup when NJ and Posada and Granderson were in it and then they aren’t.
We were doing fine with NJ batting 2nd even though he wasn’t hitting.
When the bottom of the lineup is Posada-Granderson-Swisher-Gardner, the poles melt away.
Girardi could flip Jeter and Gardner and it wouldn’t look all that different than it does when Gardner bats 9th and Jeter 1st. Fine with me if they want to take a temporary measure until Granderson returns, but it’s only 3 games until then, hopefully. Or 2, since they didn’t do it tonight.
We’ll see what happened when Granderson returns. I suspect he’ll hit 6th or 7th to start, then maybe he’ll supplant Gardner at 2nd if he hits well and Gardner doesn’t.
Will Jeter and Arod start running more and de-polarize LoHud????
I doubt it.
with a quick look it appears the yankees are stealing at about the same rate as last year.
the difference is that it’s almost all gardner doing it
jeter is at a 15 stolen base rate.
alex is at a 7 rate
gardner at a 62 rate.
take gardner out of it and the yankees are not running the way they did last year.
melky and damon are gone and granderson hasn’t been playing.