TierbsHsotBoobs
New Fish
Almonte is not likely to be very good. He just doesn't have the offensive tools to be successful outside of speed. It will be interesting to see if McLendon moves Ackley up to leadoff at some poont to get someone with some on base skills at the top of the lineup.Tough to make any definitive conclusions now but I am worried about Smoak, Almonte, and RF. Miller should probably end up hitting fine and Seager too but 1B can't be a relative offensive black-hole and neither can RF (another position that should be a big OPS spot).
Almonte's defensive numbers look very good so far this year, but it's way way way too early to learn anything form those. Eyeball test he looks talented but still unpolished in center to me. But he uses his speed very well. His defense could be a real asset.
He might be a guy worth keeping around, but he's more of a #8 or 9 hitter than #1. On that note, it's probably time to move Zunino out of the 9 hole. He's still an OBP black hole but dude can mash.
Here's how I'd set the current lineup:
Versus righties:
LF Ackley
SS Miller
2B Cano
1B Smoak
DH Hart
3B Seager
C Zunino
RF Saunders/Morrison
CF Almonte
Versus lefties:
LF Ackley
SS Miller
2B Cano
DH Hart
3B Seager
1B Smoak
C Zunino
RF Romero I guess (honestly I don't think he's ready - I'd send him down but given the current roster if he's here he should play)
CF Almonte
That lineup is still very vulnerable against lefties. They really need a right handed or switch hitter who can slide into the two hole. It's too bad Nick Franklin doesn't fit the roster defensively, he'd be the perfect bat there.
Disagree.