With This Lineup, I Could Play Left Field...

by jscape2000 on Jan 12, 2010 11:00 AM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

But then the Yanks would be assured of defeat.

I mentioned this article in the comments of another post a couple days ago, and it took some time to re-locate the article. Remember that NY lotto commercial a few years back, where the guy wins and buys a minor league team so he can play third base?

Camden Crazies runs the numbers. Assuming I could put up a .000/.050/.000 line (I'll get hit with a ball eventually), I'd be worth around negative 150 runs over a full season. For a DH, that's about 15 wins Below replacement level.

But, I watched how Johnny Damon played left field last season. Since I'm obviously not wasting any time in the batting cages, I'll bet that if I spend 7-8 hours per day shagging fly balls that I could be a league average left fielder (it is the easiest position on the diamond). I bet that raises my value -13 WARP3.

Which is still so bad it would basically negate the production of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Seems it'd be easier and cheaper to just cut the three of us and go back to the drawing board.

In the meantime, I'll bat myself 8th so we don't have 2 righties in a row, and Granderson's speed in front of Jeter should be an asset.

Jeter, Johnson, Tex, Arod, Posada, Cano, Swisher, jscape, Granderson

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I saw a really funny article, I think it might have been on fangraphs, where they calculated how good Barry Bonds was in the early 2000s. They actually showed mathematically that if you played a papaya for your DH that would put up a .000/.000/.000 line, or had two average hitting pitchers as DH’s in your lineup, ignoring the fact that you can’t have two DH’s, Barry Bonds was so good that combined with him, you would still come out at replacement level. I just found the article, it’s really funny:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/bonds-and-a-bat

by Wraithpk on Jan 12, 2010 11:48 AM EST reply actions

so take enough steroids and you can probably get to a 0WAR

Let the Panic bloom

by cashman bashman on Jan 12, 2010 3:08 PM EST up reply actions

I would totally do it

by Wraithpk on Jan 12, 2010 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

That's a hell of a lineup

hope you can bunt jscape.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Jan 12, 2010 2:52 PM EST reply actions

haha

please sign johnny

by cermolaNY2 on Jan 12, 2010 3:52 PM EST reply actions

There's only one answer

Cervelli for LF!

by Ed Valentine on Jan 12, 2010 4:44 PM EST reply actions

if you do that

then they could just eliminate the rest of the team. Just leave Cervelli out there, and thats an automatic 162-0 season

by nyyrocks29 on Jan 12, 2010 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

.050 OBP!

Assuming 600 AB’s…Way to take a few for the team Jscape with 30 HBP’s! This man has grit and you can’t place a price tag on that.

by Scooby Snacks on Jan 12, 2010 8:12 PM EST reply actions

I’m 5’8", so it’s a small strike zone and I’ll crowd the plate.

Also, as the original author said, in situations when you know the pitcher wants to throw a strike (3-0 on a pitcher with a base open) they’re only successful about 75% of the time. I’d walk a few times too. If Mo can draw a walk against K-Rod, I’ll get a few.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Jan 13, 2010 11:11 AM EST up reply actions