Comments on: Thinking about Dusty Baker

By: Sweet Uncle Lou’s Friday Roundup: The “.500 Again?” Edition

Sweet Uncle Lou’s Friday Roundup: The “.500 Again?” Edition — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:32:10 +0000

[...] Dusty Baker’s lineup construction killing the Reds? Let’s hope [...]

By: Kurt Frost

Kurt Frost — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:42:13 +0000

Yeah…I’m out of town to…I’ve been posting from Barren Lake all day.

By: Mr. Redlegs

Mr. Redlegs — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:52:20 +0000

“What a tired, useless argument.”

And yet 1,000 percent correct.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:46:38 +0000

Kurt, I can’t get any further out of town.

By: GregD

GregD — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:22:33 +0000

Larussa bats the pither 8th.

By: mike

mike — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:12:52 +0000

what skill set?

what does it mean to “his skill set is only suited to leadoff”

there is only 1(!!!) skill needed for leadoff and it’s being able to get on base
Taveras does not have that skill

By: Plowboy

Plowboy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:09:45 +0000

Oh, and why does Baker need to “see” EE before letting him play? Isn’t Sweet’s word good enough?

My God, we actually get a chance to see our absolute best lineup tonight, and he uses THAT for an excuse?

ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS.

By: Plowboy

Plowboy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:06:22 +0000

GregD: EXACTLY. We need to use a little common sense her when talking about Taveras.

And Jason #41, you hit the nail right on the head. Who cares if his skill set is only suited to leadoff when he rarely gets on?!

If Baker simply HAS to play him, fine, but do NOT lead him off. Put somebody in front of Votto who can actually get on base!!!!!! THAT’S a HUGE reason they’re not in 1st place right now.

By: mike

mike — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:02:06 +0000

well said GregD

By: GregD

GregD — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:38:30 +0000

If these sort of predictions were finite and accurate, minus the human and intangible element of sports, there would be no reason to play games. Just punch in lineups on a computer and we all move along with our lives.

What a tired, useless argument.

By: GregD

GregD — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:37:36 +0000

It’s so sad that the Reds have no other coaches or scouts in the organization and Dusty has to watch everyone practice before he can decide when and where they play.

By: Y-City Jim

Y-City Jim — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:29:13 +0000

From Fay’s blog:

Encarnacion, activated today from the DL, might play Saturday.
“I’ve got to see him a day or so first,” manager Dusty Baker said. “I might play him tomorrow. We’ll see.”

By: Y-City Jim

Y-City Jim — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:26:51 +0000

Is Edwin sitting so he has a day to get re-acquainted to the MLB environment or is Dusty just unable to let Jerry Hairston sit?

By: JasonL

JasonL — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:23:50 +0000

David, here is justifcation: Willy Taveras is not a good hitter. He is going to make A LOT of out no matter where you put him. If he makes an out in front of the pitcher, it doesn’t matter as much because the pitcher wasn’t going to drive him in anyway. If he makes an out in front of Votto, well, that is an entirely different situation. Which would you rather see two or three times a game: Pitcher up with Hanigan or Dickerson on while Votto bats 4 times with the bases empty or Votto having men on he can drive in?

You can talk about utilizing Taveras’ skill set, and that’s fine, but if you choose to utilize that, you are making poor use of the skill sets of Dickerson and Hanigan (they are good at getting on base) by forcing them to bat in front of the awesome Janish/Pitcher/Taveras black hole. If you want to score runs, you don’t worry about utilizing Taveras, you worry about minimizing the damage he does. That is the definition of the eight spot. Though, if you want, you can bat him seventh or ninth (the “second” lead off hitter thing) and I won’t argue with you.

I do think Taveras is better than he’s played this year overall, but not as good as his April numbers. In the end, however, he is still not a good major league hitter and should not be at the top of anyone’s batting order. I don’t give a flying leap what other teams have done with him. He’s a 7-8-9 hitter until he proves otherwise.

By: Mark T

Mark T — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:22:28 +0000

If indeed Dusty is in charge of the lineup, as Bob Miller says, then the decision to play Taveras is Dusty’s call alone. Regarding his salary, those are “sunk costs”, which have to be paid out whether he plays or not. So salary is not an issue. So it is Dusty, and as I heard on pundit say about him when the Reds hired him, that he has never had an original thought. In playing Taveras and leading him off, he’s strictly going by the book.

I thought about this in Cleveland when they were using the DH and Owings was pitching – would Dusty consider not using the DH? Not a chance. Book says no. Has he ever considered batting Owings anywhere but ninth? Not a chance. Book says noooo …