Derrek Lee...Is it time?

[Roast]

At what point do we move Derrek out of the 3 spot in the order? I'm not suggesting a permanent move, but rather a temporary "until he gets back into it" type of thing.

 

If you think we should, the question then becomes "who bats third?"

 

Well, Soriano is staying put in the lead-off spot, so not him. I'd like to keep Ramirez in the 4 spot if for no other reason than he's been excelling there, so why change? What about DeRosa? Maybe Floyd? If it were up to me, I'd try something along these lines:

 

Soriano LF

Fontenot 2B

DeRosa SS/Floyd RF

Ramirez 3B

Lee 1b

Floyd RF/DeRosa SS

Pie/Pagan CF

Automatic Out Catcher

Pitcher

 

What do you guys have to say?

[Jon]

If you're going to move Lee anywhere, it would be up in the order. He may be struggling with his power, but he's an OBP machine (.410 in June and .462 so far in July).

[kente777]

I don't think you consider it at all. OK, his home run stats have been down, but he still has the 2nd best batting average in the N.L. and has the 2nd most Total bases on the team.

 

I wouldn't change a thing.

[otis89]

I think he's basing this on Lee's recent struggles. Sure, his overall numbers are good, but in his last 10 games, he's 7-35. That's a .200 batting average. Only 2 RBI in that span, too. That's not good. He's also hitless in his last 10 at-bats.

[Roast]

If you're going to move Lee anywhere, it would be up in the order. He may be struggling with his power, but he's an OBP machine (.410 in June and .462 so far in July).

 

Wow, I didn't realize that. Would anyone be open to moving him to the 2-hole then?

[Roast]

I think he's basing this on Lee's recent struggles. Sure, his overall numbers are good, but in his last 10 games, he's 7-35. That's a .200 batting average. Only 2 RBI in that span, too. That's not good. He's also hitless in his last 10 at-bats.

 

Exactly. I'm all for letting someone work out of their slump but if we're gonna be trying to win games we might as well put someone in the 3-spot that can get some hits for now.

[rocket]

this lineup has been working the past 20ish games, just keep it as is

[Guest]

I think he's basing this on Lee's recent struggles. Sure, his overall numbers are good, but in his last 10 games, he's 7-35. That's a .200 batting average. Only 2 RBI in that span, too. That's not good. He's also hitless in his last 10 at-bats.

 

If you make changes to your lineups based on 10 game slumps, you'd never have a set lineup.

[UMFan83]

He is also slugging almost .500, which is most likely second on the team behind Ramirez. (I'm too lazy to check) That should keep him in the 3 hole

[Yestheydo]

trade the bum he Sox

[Guest]

He is also slugging almost .500, which is most likely second on the team behind Ramirez. (I'm too lazy to check) That should keep him in the 3 hole

 

Sori's got Lee beat in SLG too.

[hardcorecubfan]

up until the last two years Derrick has been a 2nd half player, which I am hoping happens. Is it worth switcing him now for a cpl of games then have him get hot post ASG and move hime back?

[A New Era]

Until he gets back into it!!?!? Are you kidding? He's not hitting homers, probably his wrist is to blame for the power decrease. But that's the only thing he's missing though. .410 OBP is exactly what you want in front of Aram and Floyd.

 

Dlee is fine in the 3 hole. .

[Soul]

I don't like the power outage from the entire team in the 2nd half of the Nats series, to be honest.

 

But I'm still a ways away from calling for a move of DLee to somewhere else in the order. For June & July, it's been a working lineup. Not saying it will continue to, though. Maybe they go into a long slump, I dunno.

[Anomalied]

If the Cubs were to acquire Griffey (an extremely remote possibility, IMO), then I would consider moving Derrek in the lineup... but only up.

 

1. Alfonso Soriano (LF)

2. Derrek Lee (1B)

3. Ken Griffey Jr. (CF)

4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)

5. Cliff Floyd (RF)

6. Mark DeRosa (2B)

7. Ryan Theriot / Mike Fontenot (SS)

8. Rob Bowen / Koyie Hill ©

[satxcubfan]

Grace played several years in the 3 spot, ahead of Sosa. Nothing wrong having a contact hitting, doubles machine hitting ahead of a power hitter. Leave Lee where he is!

 

Caveat: Not comparing Lee to Grace by any means, just an analogy for contact ahead of power.

[soccer10k]

If he gets moved anywhere it should be to the #2 spot. But I'm fine with him where he is.

[Abe Frohman]

DLee is almost leading the league in hitting, and his OB% has been over .400 all season. He has a ton of doubles, and is not really in a slump.

 

Why would you want to move him from the 3 spot? He's perfect there and the Cubs are playing good ball. Don't change anything when you are playing good ball.

 

More HR's would be nice, but hey - we are kinda surging right now.

[Skyballer]

If the Cubs were to acquire Griffey (an extremely remote possibility, IMO), then I would consider moving Derrek in the lineup... but only up.

 

1. Alfonso Soriano (LF)

2. Derrek Lee (1B)

3. Ken Griffey Jr. (CF)

4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)

5. Cliff Floyd (RF)

6. Mark DeRosa (2B)

7. Ryan Theriot / Mike Fontenot (SS)

8. Rob Bowen / Koyie Hill ©

The problem wit this lineup is it has Fontenot as SS, he is a second baseman and can't play short.

[Tracer Bullet]

Lee can only move to 2nd, if you're going to move him at all. But if you take him out of 3rd, you have to put Soriano or some to-be-acquired hitter there (KGJr-esque). You don't move Lee out of the 3 spot b/c he's not hitting enough HRs and replace him with DeRosa or Cliff-freakin-Floyd (he of the 4 HR, 9 XBH, .400 SLG). I realize Lee isn't hitting HRs at the pace we wanted, but he's not likely to hit 46 HRs and SLG .660 again. We need to correct our expectations (30 HRs, .500 SLG, .900 OPS). He's not likely to hit 30 HRs this year, but he's still the 3rd best source of power on this team. If we refuse to move Soriano out of first, you have to leave Lee at 3rd.

[Amazing_Grace]

I would consider flipping Lee and Ramirez. Lee would be a good cleanup hitter. If his stats continue on the pace they are on now, he is a player kind of like Grace was in his heyday. Great BA, tough to K, doubles machine. I've always liked that sort of player in the 4 spot because 3 hitters tend to be high SLG strikeout guys and it's good to have a great hitter behind them for situations where they K. It also means pitchers won't want to walk the 3 hitter for fear of facing the team's best pure hitter with runners on. Sosa and Grace at 3 and 4 in the order was a good combination for a lot of years (just the rest of the team sucked).

[hossdriver]

I agree... With a .400+ OBP and the ability to hit in the clutch without power, Lee offers the combo of scoring and driving in runs to hit best in the 3 hole.

 

He's still second in Rs scored behind Soriano, and third in RBI behind Derosa and Ramirez.

 

If you did anything later in the season, you might move him up to the 2 hole, Rammy to the 3 and Floyd and Derosa behind him. Until Rammy's knee is 100%, you don't want him hitting to high in the order.

 

I see leave him where he's at, because he's protecting the 2-hole very well, and still being productive (to his career averages) even without the power.

[killthegoat06]

If the Cubs were to acquire Griffey (an extremely remote possibility, IMO), then I would consider moving Derrek in the lineup... but only up.

 

1. Alfonso Soriano (LF)

2. Derrek Lee (1B)

3. Ken Griffey Jr. (CF)

4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)

5. Cliff Floyd (RF)

6. Mark DeRosa (2B)

7. Ryan Theriot / Mike Fontenot (SS)

8. Rob Bowen / Koyie Hill ©

 

Damn that is a solid lineup.

[SouthSideRyan]

If the Cubs were to acquire Griffey (an extremely remote possibility, IMO), then I would consider moving Derrek in the lineup... but only up.

 

1. Alfonso Soriano (LF)

2. Derrek Lee (1B)

3. Ken Griffey Jr. (CF)

4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)

5. Cliff Floyd (RF)

6. Mark DeRosa (2B)

7. Ryan Theriot / Mike Fontenot (SS)

8. Rob Bowen / Koyie Hill ©

The problem wit this lineup is it has Fontenot as SS, he is a second baseman and can't play short.

 

No, the problem with the lineup is it has Griffey as a CF. He can't play CF.

[killthegoat06]

I agree... With a .400+ OBP and the ability to hit in the clutch without power, Lee offers the combo of scoring and driving in runs to hit best in the 3 hole.

 

He's still second in Rs scored behind Soriano, and third in RBI behind Derosa and Ramirez.

 

If you did anything later in the season, you might move him up to the 2 hole, Rammy to the 3 and Floyd and Derosa behind him. Until Rammy's knee is 100%, you don't want him hitting to high in the order.

 

I see leave him where he's at, because he's protecting the 2-hole very well, and still being productive (to his career averages) even without the power.

 

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