How to fix the Batting Order Blues (Jays)

The Jays offense has been less than stellar as of late. Here’s my optimal lineup for the next month or so.

Note: This is my perfect world scenario batting order and most likely isn’t going to happen.

Optimal Jays Offense

Scutaro
Hill
Lind
Rios
Overbay (sub with Millar vs lefites)
Rolen
Wells
Harper (sub with Bautista vs lefties)
Barajas

Thought Process

1 & 2:

The Jays are running a Sabermetric offense this season. Arguablly their top two hitters are batting 1 and 2. The Sabermetric group loves something like this because it simply maximizes plate appearances from top production bats. It’s working so far. Let’s not mess with this.

3 & 4

Rios will never be much more than a .775 – .825 OPS level hitter. He’ll maintain a job, yet never live up to the hype placed on him. In his last four half-season intervals he’s been good, not great. Big news right? I’d move Lind into the #3 spot in the vs righties batting order. Lind’s been mashing righties and he even has a .125 OPS advantage over Rios against lefties. This is important to counter-act late inning lefty situational relievers. Rios down to the four hole.

5

I’m not a Vernon Wells, never have been really. I know its cool for the kids to hate on Vernon right now but search our archives and you’ll see a steady stream of negative comments for this inconsistant hitter and lazy defender. As for his hitting in this or previous seasons, Vernon’s too inconsistant for my liking in a production spot in the batting order. Right now he’s just not getting the job done. Maybe he’ll turn it around at some point this season but 60 games is enough of an opportunity IMO. I’d move up Lyle. Overbay is mashing righties this season (OPS well over .900). When a lefty comes into the game late I’d sub in Millar.

6

I’d move up Rolen and his contact bat to the #6 spot, with the hope that he’ll be able to cash in some of the on-base players at the top of the order. His vs rigthy success is nothing to write home about this season. However I do think he’s worth a look in this spot until Vernon gets going.

7

Yep, Vernon all the way back to seventh. The offensive ‘leader’ of this club should accept this demotion, unless he’s more about himself than the team. (which could very likely be the case)

8

Thanks for coming Inglett. Now back down to Vegas for you. Let’s bring up Brett Harper. I wrote this about Harper on May 11th and everything still stands.

Harper is a longtime minor leaguer (similar to Randy Ruiz) that historically crushes righties. His OPS since 2005 vs RHP is .986. This year he’s leading the 51’s in batting. Maybe a two week trial is in order. You just might luck out and find another Carlos Pena, Jack Cust type.

I’d like to see him DH vs righties. When a lefty comes in late sub in Bautista.

9

Barajas doesn’t hurt the Jays offensivley from the catching position and actually has more RBI than both Rios and Wells. He’s fine in the #9 slot in both orders.