RBI 2k5

[BeefMaster]

I'm thinking of putting together an RBI ROM with 2005 rosters/teams, but I'd like some help.  My main issue is with batting orders.  I can just put together something based on stats and what I know about the players, but I'd like them to be accurate if possible.  If there's a team you know especially well (the Twins are the only one I have complete mastery over), let me know.

Also, I'm planning on including the playoff teams from last year, which leaves two spots open.  Right now, I'm planning on the A's and Giants, since they had the next-best records last year, but I'm open to suggestions if you think there would be better candidates based on this year's rosters.

[ultimate7]

Cubs (potential if you decide to included)

Note:  As I write this I realize that I have no idea what actual order will be and Dusty probably doesn't know yet either,


Walker
Garciaparra
Patterson
Ramirez
Burnitz
Lee
Hollandsworth
Barrett

Really Lee should hit higher, possibly switching Lee and Patterson, even though that woudl leave 3 lefties in a Row

[Nails]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Patterson, Walker, and Garciaparra as the top 3 in 2005.  But i'm not a Cubs fan, so I might be way off.

ESPN has team lineup pages from 2000 - 2004.  You might want to use the 2004 lineups as a guide to getting started.   The Cubs lineup page is here, and you can switch teams using the "change team" drop down list in the upper right corner of the page.

[fightonusc]

Since the As and the Giants were the two teams that were in the playoff hunt until the last game, that would make sense. They other option would be to follow the RBI model of AS teams based on players from teams not represented.

A couple of tools for finding a line-up that reflects the bulk of the 2004 season (as a guideline):

Baseball Reference will give you the starting line-ups for each team, so you can see who played the most games at each position. For example, here is the NY Yankees' starting nine, including the DH.

You can take that list and cross-reference it with the situational stats from each starting player from Yahoo Sports. For example,looking at Alex Rodriguez's stats, you can see that he had the majority of his ABs while batting third. You should be able to work out a starting line-up and batting order doing that.

Or, you could just take the starting line-up each team had in their first playoff game (or in the case of the Giants/As, in their last regular season game that mattered.)

[fightonusc]

Based on what I know about this season so far, here would be the Giants' batting order for this season:

1. Ray Durham (2B)
2. Omar Visquel (SS)
3. Marques Grissom (CF)
4. Barry Bonds (LF)
5. Moises Alou (RF)
6. Edgardo Alfonso (3B)
7. J.T. Snow (1B)
8. Mike Matheny (C)

Bench - Pedro Feliz
Bench - Michael Tucker
Bench - Deivi Cruz
Bench - Yorvit Torrealba

SP - Jason Schmidt
SP - Kirk Rueter
RP - Jim Brewer
RP - Armando Benitez

[Ryno23]

Here's my guess at the Cubs' line up:

Hairston Jr  LF
Walker 2b
Nomar SS
A Ram 3b
Burnitz RF
Lee 1b
C Patt CF
Barrett  C


This lineup is working well for me in mvp 2005

[BeeJay]

I don't know if you guys remember, but the Cubs didn't make the playoffs last year.

[Ryno23]

I don't know if you guys remember, but the Cubs didn't make the playoffs last year.

But they are a fairly popular team.

[Nails]

There's 2 non-playoff openings on the ROM too.

[Gerlost]

Cardinals would probably be:

1. David Eckstein (SS)
2. Larry Walker (RF)
3. Albert Pujols (1B)
4. Scott Rolen (3B)
5. Jim Edmonds (CF)
6. Reggie Sanders (RF)
7. Mark Grudzielanek (2B)
8. Yadier Molina (C)

Bench - John Mabry
Bench - Roger Cedeno
Bench - Hector Luna
Bench - So Taguchi

P - Mark Mulder
P - Chris Carpenter
P - Ray King
P - Jason Isringhausen

[Nails]

As much as I dislike the Yankees, It would be cool to have Randy Johnson in RBI.

2B. Tony Womack
SS. Derek Jeter
3B. Alex Rodriguez
RF. Gary Sheffield
LF. Hideki Matsui
1B. Jason Giambi
C.  Jorge Posada
CF. Bernie Williams

PH. Tino Martinez
PH. Ruben Sierra
PH. Bubba Crosby
PH. Rey Sanchez

SP. Randy Johnson
SP. Mike Mussina
RP. Tom Gordon (or Mike Stanton to add another lefty to the mix)
RP. Mariano Rivera

[fightonusc]

Your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

1. Chone Figgins (2B)
2. Darin Erstad (1B)
3. Vladamir Guerrero (RF)
4. Garrett Anderson (LF)
5. Steve Finley (CF)
6. Orlando Cabrera (SS)
7. Dallas McPherson (3B)
8. Bengie Molina (C)

(Note: Adam Kennedy probably isn't coming back untl mid-season from his knee injury, so I'm not including him here.)

Bench: Rob Quinlan
Bench: Jeff DaVanon
Bench: Lou Merloni
Bench: Juan Rivera

SP: Bartolo Colon
SP: Kelvim Escobar
RP: Brendan Donnelly
RP: Francisco Rodriguez

[fightonusc]

Los Angeles Dodgers:

1. Izturis (SS)
2. Werth (LF)
3. Drew (CF)
4. Kent (2B)
5. Bradley (RF)
6. Valentin (3B)
7. Choi (1B)
8. Ross (C)

Bench: Ladee
Bench: Grabowski
Bench: Bako
Bench: Perez

SP: Weaver
SP: Lowe
RP: Brazoban
RP: Gagne

[BeeJay]

I like the idea of 2 all star teams, the best of the rest like they did in the original.  You could maybe even handicap them so that they're only slightly better than the other teams.  In the wild card era, I just don't think that the teams that don't make the playoffs are very good at all.  Both the Cubs and the Giants made late pushes last year, but neither had a good team.  I also think it's good to give Cubs fans one more thing to complain about.

[Ryno23]

You grossly underestimate the typical Cub fan's tolerance for pain / complaining.

[BeefMaster]

I just filled in player stats for the Giants, and I don't care for all-star teams, so I think I'll keep two non-playoff teams for now.  I like the Cubbies, but I don't think they're going to make the cut.  Sorry.

[JoeDirt]

Cubs (potential if you decide to included)

Walker
Garciaparra
Patterson
Ramirez
Burnitz
Lee
Hollandsworth
Barrett

Are you saying this is what you think the line up will be?  I really doubt Garciaparra will hit 2nd and Hairston won't lead off...

Plus, Lee should hit 5...not saying he will, but he should...

[Ryno23]

lee will hit 2nd or 6th.

Remember, the Cubs have Dunsty Baker.


When Burnitz is hitting .210 with 3 hrs and 4 RBI's (in late june), dunsty will probably have him hitting 3rd or 4th.

[JoeDirt]

Dusty is okay at managing line ups...his biggest weakness, IMO, is his inabilitity (yes, I said inabiltity) to pull a SP at the right time...he seems to wait until it's too late far too often...

[Ryno23]

Dusty is okay at managing line ups...his biggest weakness, IMO, is his inabilitity (yes, I said inabiltity) to pull a SP at the right time...he seems to wait until it's too late far too often...

Dusty hit Lenny Harris lead off in 2003.  That's inexcusable.

He left Sosa in the 3 hole for the better part of last year.

He refused to take advantage of a hot DLee in June and July of last year, insisting that he hit 6th or 7th, but NEVER 3-5

While Grudz couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper bag, but Todd Walker was busy leading all NL 2b in OPS and homers (in limited action) during the first half, Dusty thought it would be a good idea to bench Walker in favor of Pudz.

Dusty is the biggest fuck up in the majors right now.