Lineups

We got lots of baseball stuff in the PG today and I'll try to get something up about all of it if I have time this afternoon. It would appear that a good place to start is the predicted lineups. Dejan, Smizik, Cook, Meyer, and Collier all submitted projected opening day lineups today and they're not much different. All five have Duffy leadoff and Jumpin' Jack second, while everyone except Cook also goes the same at 3-5 with Bay, Burnitz, and Casey (Cook slots them Casey, Bay, Burnitz). Randa is almost the consensus 6 hitter (Collier says Castillo) while mostly everyone puts Doumit seventh (Dejan puts Castillo 7th and Collier puts Randa there) and Castillo eighth (Dejan and Collier both have Doumit 8th). They all listed Duke as pitcher (I don't know if that was done simply to fill in the 9 slot or they all think Duke is the opening day starter). In terms of guessing the lineup that Tracy will put on the field, I'm inclined to agree with Dejan:

1. Duffy, CF
2. Wilson, SS
3. Bay, LF
4. Burnitz, RF
5. Casey, 1B
6. Randa, 3B
7. Castillo, 2B
8. Doumit, C

That wouldn't really be the lineup I'd put on the field if I was managing the team, though. One other thing I'll say is that I'd be inclined to agree with Dejan that if Jack struggles in the 2 slot, Randa should probably be moved up there pretty quickly. In fact, I wouldn't even start Jack in the 2-slot. It's true that his average over his career is best batting second, but last year he put up a paltry .615 OPS out of the 2 hole (compared with .728 batting eighth). Duffy batting leadoff kind of worries me, but we don't really have a better option at this point so I suppose it's his job until he loses it. And Burnitz wouldn't come anywhere near the field if I was managing the team. That would leave us with

1. Duffy, CF
2. Randa, 3B
3. Bay, LF
4. CWilson, RF
5. Casey, 1B
6. Castillo, 2B
7. Doumit, C
8. JWilson, SS

Of course a lot can change in the next month or so at camp, this is just a gut reaction at the moment.