Where do you bat Armas

[Gantry]

There are so many variations on the Boston lineup, that I decided to make a poll.  Quite a few people say they bat Armas 8th, interesting...

Personally I go for the leadoff spot since there typcially aren't any runners on 1st, lessening the chance of a double play...

[JoeDirt]

I bat him 2nd, always.  Burks leadoff and Hendu 8th!

[ultimate7]

8 hole, save Hendu for situational, Burks 1

[Gantry]

You go the full game with Buckner then, how does that work out for you?  The BoSox lineup can use more lefties, but I typically don't have much luck with him...

Lots of vote for #8...   If you are playing curve, won't most people toss around him to get to the pitcher? 

[BeeJay]

I tend to go Burks 1, Hendu 2, and then put Armas in the 8 spot.  However, I rarely play RBI the same way twice in a row, so who knows what I'd really do if I were to play right now.  A lot of the time I'll save most of my pinch hitters to sub for the pitchers, or late in the game when I need a homer.

[fightonusc]

What you hope by batting Armas No. 8 is that he comes up in a situation where putting him on base is not advisable. For example, with runners on and less than two outs, the batting team could intentionally strike out/sacrifice bunt to bring up Burks (my choice for leading off) with an extra runner on base. Against Boston, they're line-up is deep enough where you almost have to bite the bullet and pitch to guys in a lot of situations.

[Nails]

8 hole, save Hendu for situational, Burks 1

Same here

[ultimate7]

You go the full game with Buckner then, how does that work out for you? The BoSox lineup can use more lefties, but I typically don't have much luck with him...

Lots of vote for #8... If you are playing curve, won't most people toss around him to get to the pitcher?

Buckner generally sucks, but I leave him in until a critical situation.  I usually play 1 Starting pitcher, so guys will get pitched around, but it's tough because you waste 5 pitches and don't get an out.

[JoeDirt]

Lots of vote for #8... If you are playing curve, won't most people toss around him to get to the pitcher?

Always...unless you're Noah and think this is a wuss move.

[RedBarron]

Me being the dolt that I am, I have some sort of mental block about holding onto subs.   I hate having the pitcher bat.

I also hate having a shitty hitter or a hitter who's just had a bad day come to the plate and I not have a PH waiting in the wings.

Back in the olden days, I always left Billy Buck in there.  I was always of the opinion that he and Boggs were similar players.


Of course, I hardly ever played with or against boston.

[JoeDirt]

I really do think that the holding onto a PH is a dolt move.  I respect the opinions of others, but if you think/do this, you are a dolt.

It's funny to me how so many people think forfeiting several outs a game (and killing potential big innings in the process) is okay if you can upgrade a bat for one at bat that might or might not come up.

[fknmclane]

I've pretty much always batted Armas eighth, using him as a veritable second cleanup hitter.

Burks makes sense at the leadoff spot because of his speed and Hendu usually but not always goes in for Buckner.  Lately I've been like Ultimate where I'll leave Buckner in either until he sucks too much dong or the situation is critical.

I can definitely see myself walking Armas in the tourney if someone is batting him eighth but usc's reasoning also rings true.

Gantry, good point about staying out of the dp.  A problem with Armas in the 8th spot becomes far greater when Gedman is on second base.  The inevitable dp soon follows.

[TempoGL]

armas 2nd...burks 1st.  spike stays in.  go spike!

[capt_taco]

8th. The "second cleanup" factor comes heavily into play -- plus, I cannot in good conscience put such a slow, fat fuck on the basepaths ahead of anyone but the pitcher.

Henderson usually sits on the bench for me until I need him. Buckner isn't great, but he usually does OK. Henderson does't do much better except for the first powered-up at-bat.

Also, another thing with Armas is his powered-up at-bat will usually come with runners on base, if you bat him 8th. It's a waste if you put him leadoff.

[Stock]

burks
armas
boggs
rice
baylor
dewy
gedman
hendu

I've used this line-up since I was 8.  Armas is the best hitter on this team, so you must bat him early in the line-up to make sure nobody else in the line-up gets more ABs than him.

[hdunlo]

I really do think that the holding onto a PH is a dolt move.  I respect the opinions of others, but if you think/do this, you are a dolt.

It's funny to me how so many people think forfeiting several outs a game (and killing potential big innings in the process) is okay if you can upgrade a bat for one at bat that might or might not come up.

i agree for the most part, but if i have spike owen coming up for the first time. with 2 outs and no one on, i just leave him in. there is something to be said for saving the power boost for a critical situation, but not too late in the game

[GDavis]

8th is the spot.  Subbing out Buckner or Boggs early is a fool's move.  Both players are decent, and you need to save Henderson for a big spot.

[Stock]

8th is the spot.  Subbing out Buckner or Boggs early is a fool's move.  Both players are decent, and you need to save Henderson for a big spot.

Buckner is not decent.  He is terrible. Even if he can pull off a "lefty hit", you can still throw him out from right field.
Only Barrett, Spike, and Sullivan are worse as far as power goes.

[capt_taco]

Buckner is not decent.  He is terrible. Even if he can pull off a "lefty hit", you can still throw him out from right field.
Only Barrett, Spike, and Sullivan are worse as far as power goes.

Gedman's rating might be a little better, but he sucks just as much ass as Buckner every time I hit with him. Plus he's a righty, which works against him too. I really notice no practical difference between the two guys over time.

[Stock]

Buckner is not decent.  He is terrible. Even if he can pull off a "lefty hit", you can still throw him out from right field.
Only Barrett, Spike, and Sullivan are worse as far as power goes.

Gedman's rating might be a little better, but he sucks just as much ass as Buckner every time I hit with him. Plus he's a righty, which works against him too. I really notice no practical difference between the two guys over time.

Sure, they are similar.  I believe Gedman's power equally makes up the difference for him not being a lefty.  However, the main reason you should take out buck instead of Gedman is that buck bats in the 2 hole.  You need to bat someone much better in the 2 spot to maximize their ABs.
If the game had Gedman batting 2nd and Buckner batting 7th, I would probably bat Armas for Gedman and leave Buckner in the game.