Hey Todd, we're playing your lineup today. I like it....

[War Machine Dawg]

Lineup:
1. RF - Adkins
2. DH - Sneed
3. 1B - Powers
4. C - Freeman
5. CF - Shepherd
6. SS - Ogden
7. LF - Johnson
8. 3B - Vickerson
9. 2B - Frost

Nice to see Cohen giving Vickerson a look at 3B so quickly. Freeman at C and Sneed at DH keeps our 2nd & 3rd best hitters in the lineup. I wish we could turn Shepherd into a leadoff hitter so we could bat Adkins further down the lineup where he'd have more RBI opportunities. It would allow us to use Shepherd's speed on the bases more effectively, too. But that's a minor quibble and could happen eventually.

Today's starter - Luke Bole. He has been wild early. I'm not impressed so far Jaron Shepherd saved him from a HUGE inning with an absolutely spectacular diving grab in LCF and a pretty good grab on the warning track. I'd much rather have Whitney out there. Of course, Cohen could just be giving the young guys like Bole a chance/look early.

 

[Goat Redux]

we've got a team full of average joe players with some below and a few above average.

I think at this point, Freeman, Shepherd, Adkins, Ogden and Vickerson have cemented themselves in the lineup for the next few weeks at least. Collins started off hot, but has disappeared. Trey Johnson needs to be starting in the OF with Shepherd and Adkins right now. I like Sneed at DH. Now, if Frost isn't worth a ****, hell put Butler in there.

 

[War Machine Dawg]

I suspect Bole is going just to give him an early look. You're right that SEC play makes or breaks the season, but that's assuming we take care of business in the non-con.

I think Frost will stay at 2B just for his defense. I wouldn't mind giving Jet a shot in LF. If he could just play marginal D out there, I think his bat justifies giving him the chance. An OF of Jet, Shepherd, and Adkins would be pretty good. When Brownlee is healthy, I see us playing him in either CF or RF and moving Adkins back to LF. Shepherd will start at whichever OF spot isn't taken by Brownlee.

 

[Todd4State]

I think the reason he's not is because Luke Adkins is doing pretty well in that spot right now, and it's an "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" type of thing.

A lot of American League managers like to have a lineup with "two leadoff hitters"- one leading off and one in the nine hole, so that they have a guy with speed at the bottom of the lineup and most leadoff hitters are good at bunting and can handle the bat well. That may also be something that Cohen explores at some point in time.

 

[Todd4State]

because he reportedly "can't see the ball well on the right side of the infield". Obviously, not a Cohen recruit.

 

[missouridawg]

Not sure about his batting eye and a knack for getting on-base, but his speed is undeniable and pitchers would hate to have him on base to start a game...

 

[jackstefano]

FOR ME TO POOP ON!</p>

 

[dawgstudent]

[No message]

 

[jackstefano]

you can't expect much from me this evening.

 

[Goat Redux]

for his ability to turn the double play. It's going to come down to who performs in the games. Can Frost hit well enough to justify Butler's bat being out of the lineup, whether at 3b or 2b. That's the question. I think Ogden and Vickerson have wrapped up 2 of the three infield positions.

 

[BCash]

Who are you quoting that said that about him? If that's true thats so ridiculous.

 

[Todd4State]

for his ability to turn the double play. It's going to come down to who performs in the games. Can Frost hit well enough to justify Butler's bat being out of the lineup, whether at 3b or 2b. That's the question. I think Ogden and Vickerson have wrapped up 2 of the three infield positions.

Does Butler and Sneed's lack of defense be overcome with their offense? Based on the SELU series, and this series, I would say no. Frost may go one for three with a walk or a sacrifice, but on defense he takes away two or three hits at least defensively. And you also have to remember that that a lot of players take their glove with them to the batters box- when they make a mistake, a lot of times players will start to press to make up for their mistake and it starts to affect their offense.

Plus, I have seen Jet play second base. He makes Chuck Knoblauch circa 1998 and Steve Sax look like Roberto Alomar. That's not a good thing.

Jet would have to put up Palmeiro circa 1984 type numbers to justify keeping him in the lineup.

Plus, lately Frost has been doing little things right- he has gotten a couple of hits including a double, has laid down some good bunts, and he runs the bases well. Those are some other things that Jet lacks in- bunting and baserunning, and I suspect that Frost is already superior to him in that regard. Butler is a better hitter and has more power, but I think when it's all said and done, you have to go with Frost.

 

[Goat Redux]

and were both instrumental in our '07 run. It takes more than just a few good plays to just write them off. It's a difficult situation for Cohen. He'll probably lean toward the new guys because they are his recruits. I don't know if it's effort or injury with Butler and Sneed, but something's going on with them.