Wrigley team fresh off waivers...constructive criticism?

[tyches_coin]

I'm by no means an expert but I'd second Coffeeholic's suggestion of atleast 3 left-handed bats in the lineup. I usually try to have a lefty batting leadoff in Wrigley, one in the 3 or 4 spot and another in the 6/7 (+clutch which is conveniently ball park independent) area. I almost never manage to pull it off, but thats my goal regardless of my opponent's pitching. It's far cheaper for an opponent to pickup a 9R starter capable of shutting your lineup down than it is for you to pickup a significant left-handed bat midseason to counter the move. Somebody like Beckett is around 1.5 and there are guys close to .5 that will do well against an all righty lineup.

I know how hard it can be to find a lefty bat that won't suffer too much in Wrigley. Casey and Kotsay are two of the best I've had but if they're gone that's not much help. Helton and Hafner have also done well for me but are expensive (Helton's numbers certainly weren't 6 million dollars better than Casey's in my opinion). You might want to take a look at Gload if he's out there.

That said, Buck did well for me in Wrigley (41 homeruns though there were also 2 Coors in the division to help him and a US Cellular). Cabrera's been ok so far through a fourth of a season (good power, mediocre average but he's been improving lately). Clemens and Oswalt both won 20 games for me, era's of 3.71 and 4.15 respectively (once again 2 Coors contributing a bit I'm sure)

[1crazycanuk]

I don't know how to help you much more than everyone else has but I will say...I would not get rid of Gordon. I believe having him on two of my teams has helped me tremendously and will probably always try to get him. Cora is a good choice for 2B though.

[hechojazz]

I picked up Gload for Nevin, so I've got a pair of lefties in my lineup, plus switchhitting Figgins...I tried to get Casey, but...

[hechojazz]

Just curious, but with Gordon on my team, I obviously want to mark him to set up both ways. I've got Hoffman to close, but as he is R6R and I have Cerda at L5L, do I want Hoffman marked to close both ways, or should I list Cerda to close against lefties? Should I maximize the closer if it is Hoffman both ways? After Gordon, Hoffman and Cerda, I've only got some sub-.60 guys...will I be stretched too thin?

Also, any suggestions on lineups? I've crunched the cards a bit and come up with the following so far...

vs. LHP
FIGGINS
MORA
BURNITZ
TORREALBA
GLOAD
BELLIARD
M. CABRERA
GREENE
A. JONES

vs. RHP
MORA
GLOAD
M. CABRERA
BUCK
BURNITZ
A. JONES
GREENE
BELLIARD
FIGGINS

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!!

[hechojazz]

BUMP
:P

[1crazycanuk]

hechojazz...though each of them are skewed a different way in balance...the other may still have a better card. Like Hoffman could STILL be better against lefties than Cerda so just check out the cards. If he's not, then yeah I'd just put Hoffman to close against righties.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans on here. God bless.

[hechojazz]

Cerda's got a better card against lefty batters. 5 walks, a 1-6 chance on a double, and a 1-8 chance on a single*. And 2 fatigue @s. Hoffman's got 2 BPHRs (not a big deal in Wrigley, but elsewhere...), about 3 chances for a double, 1-5 for a triple, and about a 1 and a half chance for a HR. And 2 fatigue @s. So Cerda's definately superior. But I guess I can't set closer usage to maximize if I've got Cerda against lefties and Hoffman against righties, right? There will then be a shortage in the pen, don't you think?