Everyone does their position-by-position breakdown. Look around the internet and you can find dozens. I never understood why people choose to break a lineup down by defensive position. Defense is important, but putting player’s abilities in context is more important. Alex Rodriguez isn’t really supposed to compare to Chone Figgins, he compares more to the #4 hitter in the lineup.
So, how do the team’s hitters match up?
Leadoff – Derek Jeter vs. Chone Figgins
Both players can steal bases, and both players get on base exceptionally well. Derek Jeter hit .334/.406/.465 in 2009, while Figgins hit .298/.395/.393. Jeter showed more power than his rival, and therefore has a clear edge in effectiveness. While Figgins is faster, the difference between him and Jeter is negligible.
Edge: Yankees (1-0-0)
Two-Hole: Johnny Damon vs. Bobby Abreu
Both outfielders are watching their careers wind down. Bobby Abreu has spent his the twilight of his career hitting for much less power than he used to, but still showing his ability to draw walks. Johnny Damon has actually seen a dramatic increase in power, mostly at the expense of defense. Abreu hit .293/.390/.435 this season, while Damon hit .282/.365/.489.
I think that Bobby Abreu is terribly overrated by the media. He is a very good baseball player, but his drastic decline in power is starting to hurt his value. Damon is provides both power and an ability to avoid outs, but makes a few more outs. To me, its a tie.
Edge: Tie (1-0-1)
Three Spot: Mark Teixeira vs. Torri Hunter
Torri Hunter is a fine baseball player. He had a career year, hitting .299/.366/.508, and is making the Yankees regret not signing him. Regardless, this one is easy:
Edge: Yankees (2-0-1)
Cleanup: Vlad Guerrero vs. Alex Rodriguez
This would have been an epic match up a few years ago. Both are going to the hall of fame. One is in the twilight of his career. Fortunately for us, that one is not Alex Rodriguez. Arod is my pick for ALCS MVP.
Edge: Yankees (3-0-1)
Fifth: Hideki Matsui vs. Kendry Morales
Morales finally had the breakout year that we were all waiting for. He was supposed to be a major source of power out of Cuba, but that took some time to adjust. Matsui had an excellent season, hitting .294/.367/.509, but Morales best him with home runs, hitting .306/.355/.569. Really, Morales should be in Guerrero’s spot. Alex Rodriguez would have an edge over Morales, and Matsui over Guerrero.
Edge: Angels (3-1-1)
Sixth: Jorge Posada vs. Juan Rivera
Juan Rivera has shown a nice rebound since his terrible injury. The former Yankee hit .287/.333/.478. But Posada easily bested him, hitting .285/.363/522. This one isn’t even close.
Edge: Yankees (4-1-1)
Seven: Robinson Cano vs. Maicer Izturis / Howie Kendrick
Izturis, a utility man who can play all over the diamond, had a career year. Howie Kendrick has a lot of talent. Neither come close to doing what Robinson Cano did this year. I think that Yankee fans underrate how good their 2nd baseman is. And how good their #7 hitter is for someone in that spot. Another huge win for the Yankees.
Edge: Yankees (5-1-1)
Eighth: Mike Napoli vs. Nick Swisher
Swisher and Napoli are really very similar hitters. They both swing for the fences, but strike out often. Fortunately for the Yankees, Swisher not only hit more out of the park, but he took twice as many walks as Napoli. Again, the Yankees have an underrated asset hitting way back at 8th in their lineup, and stashed away in right field. He’s a damned good baseball player, and is a big part of the Yankee depth.
Edge: Yankees (6-1-1)
Second Leadoff: Melky Cabrera vs. Erick Aybar
I fully expected six months ago for Melky to be out of the Yankee organization and Brett Gardner to be in this spot. While Gardner had a good rookie season, Cabrera really came in to his own in 2009. Gone are the long slumps and booming hot streaks. He became a major league average hitter in almost every way, which is great for a center fielder and 9th hole batter
That said, the Angels win this one with Aybar. The shortstop hit .314/.353/.423. He won’t be a 9th hitter for long.
Edge: Angels
Final score: Yankees have the big edge (6-2-1)
The Angels have a very good lineup that scored a lot of runs in 2009. That said, the Yankees have a historically deep lineup of power hitters that rivals some of the best of all time. So deep that they best the 2nd best in the league 6 of 9 times. Amazing.
Has anyone else gone crazy waiting for this series to begin? One more day…
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18 Responses to Breaking Down The Lineups
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TIQ IQ
Read Caple’s piece on the long layoff if you haven’t yet. It is pretty stupid (the layoff not the article). It seems that every major sport is pushing back the end of their season. We have seen this in football where the Super Bowl is now in February. March Madness has leaked a week into April. The College football bowls which used to culminate on Jan 1 or 2 now go a full week later. With the other sports weather is not a factor, but unless the baseball playoffs get moved to netrual sites in the southern US it makes no sense to push baseball back into Nov. Furthermore, the off days change baseball, a play everyday sport that rewards depth into a who has the top 2 pitchers who can dominate a short series. Bottom line I don’t like the way this has been going. Baseball needs to get out of the cold and snow and into games every day so the season is wrapped up before the last week of October and reward the success teams have had all year. The real reason that the team with the best record has only won the World Series twice since the wild card format is not because “the playoff are a crapshoot” it is because the playoffs are fundamentally different than the season due to scheduling. That’s my rant for today – Get out and play ball already (and rain stay away).
Your so slanted and biased its not even worth explaining why.
Please explain. We’d love to hear where your difference of opinion lies. Much of the “slant” and “bias” is based on the numbers, and as we know, numbers have a well-known Yankee bias.
I’m perfectly willing to defend my picks further. Which do you have issue with?
Whats next 4th starter -Gaudan vs Kazmir- advantage Yankees
Which one do you disagree with? Just list one, that would be great, so we know what you are complaining about.
Kazmir would clearly have an advantage over Gaudin but it’s not relevant. Nobody’s trying to pick a fight. Tell us which ones you disagree with.
Mo, Steve and EJ why even try and respond? Not one Angel fan that comes here is reasonable, the reasonable fans aren’t looking for fights on the internet why even waste logic they aren’t looking fror discussion they are looking for trolling.
I don’t even know how you can call it bias though because it’s a known fact that the Yankees have one of the best offenses the league has seen in this decade so how could the Angels be better?
The Yankee lineup this year is an historic one for depth, and breath of power, and OBP. It seems just about everyone is over .800 OPS. I’ve never seen it rated to other great lineups in statistical terms, yet.
I’d love to see this years’ team take their place with the powerful 1927, 1932, 1939, 1961, and 1998 teams. (You can add your pick of an early 1950′s team, as well to this list).
However, they have to win it all to be considered with these all time greatest of the great Yankkee teams.
If they don’t win it, they will be similar to teams like 1926, 1931,1942,1955,1960,1997,2004, 2006 and a few other teams this decade, too.
Powerful, but just not good enough.
I’m going to really enjoy the games this year, as i think that they have what it takes to do it.
My biggest worry is the weather interfering to produce a misdirected outcome. (Thank Heaven we don’t have 3 games in the Colorado mountains in Nov–what was MLB thinking?) This Angels team reminds me a little of the those 1926 and 1942 Cardinal teams which beat two great Yankees teams.
If they play on normal,dry fields, I think this yr’s Yankees take all comers.
Tom G.
Figgins is just as good if not better a lead off hitter as Jeter. He is a PURE basestealer and a PURE leadoff hitter as jeter is not ….the only reason why jeter even hits leadoff is bec he hits into too many double plays………..Damon has not hit in over a month, while Abreu coninues to hit , work counts and walks.Abreus on base percentage is almost 400 the most important stat if you are# 2 hitter…….so far 2-0 angles ………………
Base stealing is not what matters in a lead off man (even though Jeter has 30) it’s getting on base and Jeter has better numbers all the way around there.
Jeter- 334/.406/.465
Figgins- .298/.395/.393
Jeter has more power and hits for a better average… Also Figgins has been on base once in the ALDS and that was with a walk Jeter is hitting .400 in the ALDS… Damon has been on a cold streak but you can’t just compare the last month you have to compare season for season and I would take Damon over Abreu, both suck in LF but Damon has more power, it more clutch and works the count just fine… Like everyone on the Yankees.
2-0 Yankees
Also walking is not the most important thing for a 2 hole hitter…
In case you didn’t know the ultimate goal of the lead off hitter is get on base no matter what (Jeter did a better job than Figgins at this) and the goal of the number two hitter is to move the runner over no matter what (something Abreu doesn’t do as well as Damon) and the 3, 4 and 5 hitters have to drive the runs in… It’s called baseball.
What irks me the most abot this one is how you write “this one is not even close”-Rivera has had more Hr and RBI than posada .I understand posada was on the DL ,but he wont even catch in 2 of the games. Juan Rivera -Jorge posada and Jose Molina -advantage angles.
Yeah but Molina will hit 9th so the match up won’t be against Rivera… However no matter who is in the 9th spot will have a huge advantage on Molina and it isn’t close.
Let me ask you think Toby, would you really take Juan Rivera over Jorge Posada? I wouldn’t but if you would that is your decision. Jorge is more clutch and has been a much better hitter over there careers I would agree it’s a little strong to say “it’s not close” but it really shouldn’t affect your day… It’s an opinion not set in stone.
Also if you noticed they put in Napoli in the line up Vs Swisher and Napoli wont even catch at least two games so Nick Swisher -Napoli and Mathis -advantage Yankees.
Posada had 383 AB’s this yr, and Rivera had 529 AB’s.
So, in 146 extra AB’s, J. Rivera had only 3 more HRs and a measly 7 RBI’s.
Also, Posada has some of the best postseason stats (RBI’s and HR’s) of ALL TIME.
Posada over J.Rivera–and it’s not even close.
That’s why you look at rate stats (OBP, SLG, OPS, etc.).