Thread: Article: 2013 Spring Training Preview

This idea that the no. 1 hitter has to be a basestealing tablesetter, no. 2 hitter has to be a switch hitting bat handler who can bunt, no. 3 has to be a run producer, whatever - that all gets thrown out the window after the 1st inning, right? Heck, it gets thrown out the window in the first inning quite a bit.

Consider, you have a 1 and 2 hitter who OBP at .340 each. Well, math says .66^2 = .436. Meaning, almost half the time the 3 hitter gets up, there are 2 outs and the bases are empty. What do you want your 3 hitter to do, throw his plate discipline out the window? Cash in a few dozen more strikeouts for 3 or 4 solo home runs?

Joe is going to be 30. Why do people keep trying to square that circle. He's not a power guy, he's a hit and walk guy. Joe is what he is. He hits well in all situations. There's not a weak spot in his game.

This is a great thread -- lots of insightful points and every poster has exhibited passion, intelligence and respect for other viewpoints.

I would love to see Mauer move up to #2 this year, for all of the reasons that have been given. But the arguments for him staying at #3 are almost as persuasive for me.