Playing Bonds higher up in the order

[Drewdogs]

Ok, the steroid Barry Bonds column has been hot enough for me and i've already thrown in my opinions, but it got me wondering whether anybody had tried playing Bonds higher up in the order here in Strat 2005? Anyone try batting him in the second spot or even leading off? Obviously this isn't perhaps the most logical place, but i'm curious how it might have turned out considering his extremely high on base percentage. Interested to hear about any experiences, both good and bad.

cheers
-drew

[MARCPELLETIER]

Bonds ideal spot is #2, with a good lead-off and a good on-base player with no slugging on #9.

[worrierking]

Bonds is the best leadoff hitter in the deck. He's also the best cleanup hitter. He's the best third hitter, second hitter, fifth hitter etc. It's reallly hard to mess up a lineup when he's in it.

I doubt you would cost yourself any runs by leading him off.

[jodynadu]

Bonds can hit anywhere in the lineup!
But if you lead him off and the bottom of your order does not have OBP, you've crippled his ability to produce RBI.

I've used him as #2 vsRHP behind average OBP [.339 (#9) .355 (#1)]
310 124 21 0 41 89 117 45 .400 .565 .865

I've used him as #1 vs LHP in spots. It's no disaster.

[bomp helium]

a good reason to bat him #2 (besides the obvious) is that over the course of 162 games he will get that many more chances to swing the bat...you want your best hitter (and your 16 million) to get as many shots as possible...as a giants fan it has been frustrating over the years to see how many times over the course of a season Bonds (batting fourth) has been left on the on-deck circle when the game ended...

On my teams I have often led off with Larry Walker, J.T. Snow or even A-rod (all high OBP)...

and then I park pesky guys like Lugo at the back of the lineup, where they can set the table without taking up the prime spots...

a lineup is circular of course...your "leadoff hitter" is only assured of being your leadoff hitter in the first inning...

so in this case the bottom of the lineup sets the table for the top...

I love this guy...six games to go and he has 90 HRs, 194 runs, 192 RBIs, .380 BA, .985 SLG., .543 OBP...Yowza!!!...with two dodger stadiums in the division and several petcos in the league...

[Mean Dean]

I hit him mostly 2nd in an offline, 24-team league. He did okay... 359/538/813, 58 HR, 138 RBI, 167 runs scored... ;)

I think you'll end up hitting him there more often than not in TSN as well, because if you draft him, you're not going to be able to draft all that much else. By batting him 2nd, you can ensure a productive offense with just three guys -- a top leadoff guy to hit in front of him (this is crucial), and another big hitter to protect him. Sure, you could have a true monster offense by hitting him 4th, putting three high-OBP guys in front of him, and another bomber behind to protect him. But how could you afford to have all those other things and draft Barry too?

[JdEarly]

I'll tell ya how you can afford to have all those other things and Bonds too... COORS. The stadium allows you to spend $10 million on pitching (okay, probably a little more) and the rest on a monster offense.

[markp65]

Careful. Never bat Bonds leadoff. You'll lose a guaranteed 162 opportunities for him to knock in someone else. I like him 2nd or 3rd.