Neifi to start at second tomorrow

[USSoccer]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul. What matters is who is in the lineup. And Neifi has no business being in any lineup.

 

Isn't there a new book that contradicts that notion? I believe its called "The Book" but i'm drawing a blank. I remember the gist of it is, your best batters should be placed first, second, and fourth, then next best batters third and fifth.

 

I think BP and other outlets have done some studies that the net effect of batting order on runs over a season is +/- 3 runs total.

[nick23]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul. What matters is who is in the lineup. And Neifi has no business being in any lineup.

 

Best case scenario is he has a fluke couple games when he does start, but that Dusty doesn't turn those fluke good games into the scores of terrible games by playing him every day. Neifi had a great April last year. But he sucked overall, and his non-April numbers were depressingly terrible.

 

I know there has been extensive research done on this, but I just find it hard to believe that batting order doesn't affect a game. How does Neifi possibly batting 5 times and Murton and Barrett possible batting 4 times not affect the game? How is Derrek Lee coming up with the bases empty the same as him coming up with a man on? Now maybe over the course of a season the numbers would tend to even out. But I'll never be convinced that the batting order does not affect a single game.

[goonys evil twin]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul. What matters is who is in the lineup. And Neifi has no business being in any lineup.

 

Best case scenario is he has a fluke couple games when he does start, but that Dusty doesn't turn those fluke good games into the scores of terrible games by playing him every day. Neifi had a great April last year. But he sucked overall, and his non-April numbers were depressingly terrible.

 

I know there has been extensive research done on this, but I just find it hard to believe that batting order doesn't affect a game. How does Neifi possibly batting 5 times and Murton and Barrett possible batting 4 times not affect the game? How is Derrek Lee coming up with the bases empty the same as him coming up with a man on? Now maybe over the course of a season the numbers would tend to even out. But I'll never be convinced that the batting order does not affect a single game.

 

I don't think anybody ever said it can't affect a single game. You could have a day when your 5, 6, 7 and 8 hitters get hot and score a bunch of runs together. You may not have scored that much if they were in a different order.

 

The point is, Neifi shouldn't be anywhere in the lineup. The fact that he's probably going to bat 2nd doesn't piss me off nearly as much that he'll bat at all.

[BigbadB]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul.

 

I don't buy it. I'd love for someone to prove to me that the Cubs wouldn't have scored many more runs last year if Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez had better hitters hitting 1/2 in the order all season long.

 

No guy with as many or more XBH's had less RBI's than Derrek Lee last year. And it wasn't even close. I'd be interested to see how far back Derrek Lee finished in the RBI race among 3rd place hitters who have had as high of a batting average or higher as he did in 2005.

 

1 game. Not that much impact, but could potentially have an impact. Over the couse of a season, like last year, huge impact.

[BigbadB]

he's going to play. Get over it.

 

Um, I most certainly will not "get over it". Please don't ask me to.

[nick23]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul. What matters is who is in the lineup. And Neifi has no business being in any lineup.

 

Best case scenario is he has a fluke couple games when he does start, but that Dusty doesn't turn those fluke good games into the scores of terrible games by playing him every day. Neifi had a great April last year. But he sucked overall, and his non-April numbers were depressingly terrible.

 

I know there has been extensive research done on this, but I just find it hard to believe that batting order doesn't affect a game. How does Neifi possibly batting 5 times and Murton and Barrett possible batting 4 times not affect the game? How is Derrek Lee coming up with the bases empty the same as him coming up with a man on? Now maybe over the course of a season the numbers would tend to even out. But I'll never be convinced that the batting order does not affect a single game.

 

I don't think anybody ever said it can't affect a single game. You could have a day when your 5, 6, 7 and 8 hitters get hot and score a bunch of runs together. You may not have scored that much if they were in a different order.

 

The point is, Neifi shouldn't be anywhere in the lineup. The fact that he's probably going to bat 2nd doesn't piss me off nearly as much that he'll bat at all.

 

Well I'm pissed about both decisions. It's just plain ignorance to put someone that can't get on base at the top of the lineup. Oh well, here's to hoping he has a great game.

[USSoccer]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul.

 

I don't buy it. I'd love for someone to prove to me that the Cubs wouldn't have scored many more runs last year if Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez had better hitters hitting 1/2 in the order all season long.

 

No guy with as many or more XBH's had less RBI's than Derrek Lee last year. And it wasn't even close. I'd be interested to see how far back Derrek Lee finished in the RBI race among 3rd place hitters who have had as high of a batting average or higher as he did in 2005.

 

1 game. Not that much impact, but could potentially have an impact. Over the couse of a season, like last year, huge impact.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/sports/basketball/19score.html?ex=1144296000&en=0e477b7af2710697&ei=5070

 

This article goes into detail about how batting order has a negligible effect over the course of a season.

 

This guy has a bunch of stuff on it, too:

 

http://www.pankin.com/baseball.htm

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul.

 

I don't buy it. I'd love for someone to prove to me that the Cubs wouldn't have scored many more runs last year if Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez had better hitters hitting 1/2 in the order all season long.

 

No guy with as many or more XBH's had less RBI's than Derrek Lee last year. And it wasn't even close. I'd be interested to see how far back Derrek Lee finished in the RBI race among 3rd place hitters who have had as high of a batting average or higher as he did in 2005.

 

1 game. Not that much impact, but could potentially have an impact. Over the couse of a season, like last year, huge impact.

 

Read this. link

[Laura]

Sounds like Barrett is starting.

 

The SunTimes[/url]"]Michael Barrett will have a combination of things to deal with today at remodeled Wrigley Field -- both at the plate and behind it. ...

 

"It looks like a whole new ballpark to me,'' Barrett said. "We'll see what it's like when the game starts and the lights are on in there. Hopefully it doesn't affect us too much.''

 

The greater concern for Barrett, starting pitcher Greg Maddux and the Cubs will be the archrival Cardinals, still the favorites in the National League Central.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

he's going to play. Get over it.

 

Um, I most certainly will not "get over it". Please don't ask me to.

 

Why don't you whine about water being wet while you're at it. Neifi is on the team, with a 2 year contract no less. He's not going to ride the pine for 162+ games.

[goonys evil twin]

Batting 2nd doesn't really matter. Batting order has been shown to not really affect runs scored over the long haul.

 

I don't buy it. I'd love for someone to prove to me that the Cubs wouldn't have scored many more runs last year if Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez had better hitters hitting 1/2 in the order all season long.

 

That's a different question. If they had better hitters, the lineup would be better, no matter the order. The problem is if you have sinkholes like Neifi in the lineup, anywhere, it'll hurt.

 

One thing to consider is with DLee coming up with the bases empty so often, they likely pitched differently to him than if there were men on.

[goonys evil twin]

he's going to play. Get over it.

 

Um, I most certainly will not "get over it". Please don't ask me to.

 

Why don't you whine about water being wet while you're at it. Neifi is on the team, with a 2 year contract no less. He's not going to ride the pine for 162+ games.

 

Seriously BBB, the Cubs aren't good, just deal with it and stop complaining. There are starving children in China who would love to have a team as bad as the Cubs to cheer on.

 

Oh wait, that doesn't make any sense. Neither does telling somebody to "get over it" about Neifi playing. Just because the Cubs made a dumb decision in the past doesn't mean we have to accept dumb decisions on a daily basis.

[Gunned]

Batting order can have a large effect -- but only between extreme opposites. Over the course of a full season, one would see a marked difference between a conventional order and an order than went something like Pitcher, Neifi, Cedeno, Pierre, Jones, Barrett, Murton, Ramirez, Lee. But since no manager would actually do that, most batting order variations don't have much of an effect.

 

Here's a study that sort of talks about this: http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~raj/writing/BattingOrder.html

 

It's still dumb of Dusty to bat Neifi second (mostly because he simply adores hitting into double plays), but it's not going to make a huge difference.

[BigbadB]

he's going to play. Get over it.

 

Um, I most certainly will not "get over it". Please don't ask me to.

 

Why don't you whine about water being wet while you're at it. Neifi is on the team, with a 2 year contract no less. He's not going to ride the pine for 162+ games.

 

I didn't sign him to that contract. If the government decides to take 70% of your income, are you going to simply smile and just "get over it".

 

I like the fact that water is wet, so there is nothing to whine about there. But, if it was dry, you bet I'd be in line to complain.

 

Just because you are pleased as punch that Neifi is on the team for the next two years doesn't mean we should all conform to how you feel. It's unreasonable to even think this should be the case.

[goonys evil twin]

he's going to play. Get over it.

 

Um, I most certainly will not "get over it". Please don't ask me to.

 

Why don't you whine about water being wet while you're at it. Neifi is on the team, with a 2 year contract no less. He's not going to ride the pine for 162+ games.

 

I didn't sign him to that contract. If the government decides to take 70% of your income, are you going to simply smile and just "get over it".

 

I like the fact that water is wet, so there is nothing to whine about there. But, if it was dry, you bet I'd be in line to complain.

 

Just because you are pleased as punch that Neifi is on the team for the next two years doesn't mean we should all conform to how you feel. It's unreasonable to even think this should be the case.

 

The difference is water always has been, and always will be wet. There's nothing you can do about it (and there's nothing you should do about it), unless you want to talk about turning it into its gas or solid forms, but that's another topic. Starting Neifi Perez is not something that has to be. You complain about something you want to see changed. Telling people to stop complaining about stuff they want to see changed is fascist, or something else that isn't good.

[BigbadB]

That's a different question. If they had better hitters, the lineup would be better, no matter the order. The problem is if you have sinkholes like Neifi in the lineup, anywhere, it'll hurt.

 

One thing to consider is with DLee coming up with the bases empty so often, they likely pitched differently to him than if there were men on.

 

Well, by all counts, I totally agree that a line up with Neifi is much worse off than a line up without.

 

My argument wasn't necessarily that, but moreso that if he has to play, bottom of the order would give the Cubs better opportunities to score runs at the top and middle of the order.

 

If it's about whether Murton or Walker bat 2nd or 7th, I agree that there isn't going to be much of a difference in runs scored over the course of a season. If it's Neifi and Walker or Murton, positioning in the line up can definitely be impacted.

 

You know my feelings on OBP.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

One thing I forgot is that the reason that Neifi is starting over Hairston is because, according to Dusty, Jerry was one or two for tenty against Suppan last year.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

One thing I forgot is that the reason that Neifi is starting over Hairston is because, according to Dusty, Jerry was one or two for tenty against Suppan last year.

 

Walker is the best option of the 3, according to the numbers.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

He's probably starting because Dusty sees Neifi as a "Cardinal Killer" since he won that one game for us with the walkoff granny.

 

Granted that was awesome to watch, I'd almost take it back if it meant Neifi not starting against the Cards.

[CubinNY]

Personally, I will never get use to Neifi starting. Not today, not tomorrow, not next year when he will be playing out his contract.

[lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

I do not like Neifi on a field
Nor on a sheild
hitting second
playing second
not for one second
I do not like Neifi
CubinNY I am

[/lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

[BigbadB]

Personally, I will never get use to Neifi starting. Not today, not tomorrow, not next year when he will be playing out his contract.

[lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

I do not like Neifi on a field
Nor on a sheild
hitting second
playing second
not for one second
I do not like Neifi
CubinNY I am

[/lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

 

I liked it. I don't dislike Neifi. I just don't like him on the Cubs.

[Coach C]

Personally, I will never get use to Neifi starting. Not today, not tomorrow, not next year when he will be playing out his contract.

[lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

I do not like Neifi on a field
Nor on a sheild
hitting second
playing second
not for one second
I do not like Neifi
CubinNY I am

[/lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

 

I liked it. I don't dislike Neifi. I just don't like him on the Cubs.

 

Agreed. I don't dislike him as a person or anything. It's just I don't like him playing for the Cubs. I was really upset on his terrible performance for the Royals. That one stung.

[Banedon]

It's not even him being on the Cubs I dislike...it's him being on the Cubs while Dusty in the manager and misusing him. Neifi could have his uses when used correctly.

[brinoch]

Personally, I will never get use to Neifi starting. Not today, not tomorrow, not next year when he will be playing out his contract.

[lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

I do not like Neifi on a field
Nor on a sheild
hitting second
playing second
not for one second
I do not like Neifi
CubinNY I am

[/lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

 

I liked it. I don't dislike Neifi. I just don't like him on the Cubs.

 

Neifi to the Cards!

[Coach C]

Personally, I will never get use to Neifi starting. Not today, not tomorrow, not next year when he will be playing out his contract.

[lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

I do not like Neifi on a field
Nor on a sheild
hitting second
playing second
not for one second
I do not like Neifi
CubinNY I am

[/lame attempt at Dr. Suess]

 

I liked it. I don't dislike Neifi. I just don't like him on the Cubs.

 

Neifi to the Cards!

 

And then watch him post up big numbers.