Deep AL-like batting order a boon for Mets [Article]
Posted: Tue Apr 3, 2007 5:45 am
Article
ST. LOUIS -- When Willie Randolph says all the parts of his batting order are interchangeable, what he really means is depth.
They are American League deep.
"We have an American League lineup," said the Mets manager, which is to say it is loaded. "We have players who can hit anywhere."
However, after tinkering with his order in spring training, often batting David Wright behind Jose Reyes and floating last year's second hitter Paul Lo Duca, Randolph kept the status quo.
One through five, the Mets' order is the same for remarkably the first time in franchise history in consecutive seasons.
After crunching the numbers, one stood out as to why the Mets stayed the same, and it is basic, said hitting coach Rick Down: The Mets scored 834 runs last season, third in the National League.
"If it's not broke, don't fix it," Down said. "We did pretty well last year."
There is a method for setting up Reyes, Lo Duca, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Wright like dominoes.
"Your first couple of guys you want to have a high on-base percentage so they can get on base for the 3-4-5 hitters," Down said.
Reyes' speed automatically puts him leadoff, although his on-base percentage needs improvement.
"It's something I have to work on," Reyes said of cutting his strikeouts from 81 and increasing his walks from 53. "I can get better. If I am on base more I will score more runs."
Last season he scored 122 in part because Lo Duca advanced him into scoring position, and that includes taking the pitch that allows for the steal.
The rap on Lo Duca is he clogs the bases because he's not fast, but he compensates with a .355 on-base percentage and by not striking out much (38 times), which protects Reyes.
A key to what the Mets did last year came from taking control early in the game. They scored 131 runs in the first inning to lead the National League and were 67-23 when they scored first.
A lot of that stems from Lo Duca's ability to advance runners and put the ball in play.
"If you're asking me if I care where I hit, I really don't, as long as I am in the lineup," said Lo Duca, who drove in three runs in the season opener Sunday at St. Louis. "But one of the things I do well is to advance runners. I know what we did last year early in the game and I'm proud of what I did."
The 3-4-5 hitters are the RBI guys Beltran, Delgado and Wright, who drove in 116, 114 and 116, respectively, while hitting 41, 38 and 26 homers.
"We have such a good lineup that it doesn't matter where I hit," said Wright. "I'll get chances to drive in runs whether I hit second or fifth."
However, batting second, Down said most of those RBI opportunities are confined to Reyes, while he has a buffet table in front of him batting fifth.
"He'll get a lot more chances to drive in runs batting fifth," Down said. "He will have more guys on base batting fifth. It just stands to reason. That's because one of the hitters ahead of him while batting second is the pitcher."
Another reason to keep Wright fifth is he struck out 113 times last year, a number, if in the second hole, doesn't help Reyes.
In theory, Wright would see more fastballs with Reyes on base ahead of him, but then again, so would Beltran.
And pitchers would work carefully to Beltran because they don't want to put a runner on base ahead of Delgado. Their thinking is the same while working to Delgado because of Wright.
And to protect Wright, the Mets are hoping for a big year from Moises Alou, who protected Barry Bonds in San Francisco, and a rebound year from Shawn Green.
"There's a reason why the lineup is set up the way it is," Down said. "Part of setting it up is to get the most out of each hitter."
