Speed at the top: What's your opinion?

[bleacher_creature]

I just picked up Jeff Davanon for his $.63M price tag to hit lead-off vs RHPs. In his first series (Dodger Stadium) he went:

3 for 10
1 BB
1 double
1 RBI
3 SBs (vs decent pitching catching combos)
4 Runs scored

For a team that has sucked offensively.

What is not to like about Davanon BTW at that price? I have seen plenty of other teams that are scoring a lot of runs (2005 cards), with slightly lower OB at the top. Davanon = 38.1 OB. There is nothing wrong with his ability to play LF either.

A lot of times we hear that SBs are pointless, yet we often see that teams who succeed have speed at the top. IMO, this game wasn't invented yesterday, and there is a reason why speed has been a factor forever. The HR is important too, but so is the ability to move runners up, stay out of DPs, and score from 1st on a DOUBLE (no stars), or 2nd on a SINGLE (no stars).

I just wonder if any vets out there are consistently successful when they completely dismiss speed at the top. Please don't show me some stupid Coors team either. That doesn't even count.

[LARRYLANG]

Actually what little success I've had has been with Speed teams rather than power teams. Devannon is a great leadoff guy vs RH--His only problem--injury. I'll take a speed team over a power team anyday. You can play a little more agressively and it just makes it more of a challenge to me anyway.

[MICHAELTARBELL]

Speed is important, but not as important as OBP at the top. What is the use of a guy who is FAST, but cannot get on?? Best combination is both.

davannon in the 05 set was one of my favorite players, I think i had him on EVERY team i had, and always lead him off vs righties (usually platooned with Bocachica). But compare to a guy like Furcal for example....Better base stealer, faster..but a better lead off hitter?? I don't think so :wink:

When choosing a leadoff hitter, OBP and * are the two keys to success IMHO :)

[bleacher_creature]

[quote:f1fc7e37dc]What is the use of a guy who is FAST, but cannot get on?? Best combination is both. [/quote:f1fc7e37dc]

Yeah. We're not talking about low OB speedsters, but at some point I do wonder if it isn't better to trade a few OB points for some speed. So the question is:

[b:f1fc7e37dc]How many OB chances (out of 104) are required at the top for a * lead-off man?[/b:f1fc7e37dc] I'm going to say 38-40 as a minimum.

Of course the * lead-off will help the batting average of the #2 hitter, since the 1B and holding middle infielder will be down graded one rating.

Ichiro in the 2004 cards had to be one of the great lead-off cards of all time.

edit: BTW, I'm talking Davanon as a 2005 card, as in 2006 SOMO. There is nothing wrong with his card really, other than the low BA, and he has to be checked "avoid righties".

[geekor]

I think 40 is my minimum, but really I must have 45 ob chances or more, prefer the *.

having a lower ob with great speed just hasn't translated in to as many runs as a slow .400+ obp at the top of the order, at least not from the leadoff guy. Maybe I'm the only one who got Freel in 05 with 73 runs in a season only I guess.

[bleacher_creature]

[quote:870762077e="geekor"]I think 40 is my minimum, but really I must have 45 ob chances or more, prefer the *.

having a lower ob with great speed just hasn't translated in to as many runs as a slow .400+ obp at the top of the order, at least not from the leadoff guy. Maybe I'm the only one who got Freel in 05 with 73 runs in a season only I guess.[/quote:870762077e]

By that count, Jeter might be the #1 lead-off guy for '06?:

OBL = 42.2
OBR = 49.2

Or L. Castillo:

OBL = 51.1
OBR = 45.3

If you miss these in a draft, it seems there are still some good platoon possibilities.

Lofton = 47.4 OBR
Freel = 54 OBL

[cirills]

I prefer Giles (Brian) with 51.4 OBL and 51.7 OBR and a * to boot! :wink:

[MARCPELLETIER]

One of my golden rule is to never have my weakest hitter in the #1 slot.

With Davanon, you have adequate on-base, but everything else is crap: no power, almost no single** chances, many gbA (a bad thing with your #9). Should be 8th or 9th, in my opinion.

[bleacher_creature]

[quote:890e8e4faa="sandlotshrink"]I prefer Giles (Brian) with 51.4 OBL and 51.7 OBR and a * to boot! :wink:[/quote:890e8e4faa]

Unless you don't get him, along with 10 other owners who tried in the draft and failed.

Marcus,

I like the idea of a clutch .300 hitter at the top. Initially I had Damon batting lead-off, and he [i:890e8e4faa]WAS[/i:890e8e4faa] driving in the BOTO hitters (mainy Navarro @ #8 ) who were getting into scoring position. This team had to be shaken up though.

He's played in 6 games after picking him up mid season. Not too shabby (he even walked TWICE in a 5 run inning):

8 RUNS
4-15 HITTING
1 DOUBLE
1 RBI
[b:890e8e4faa]8 WALKS[/b:890e8e4faa]
3 SBs
0 CS
.267 BA
.522 OBP

So far so good, all for $.63M

[Leo / loob]

In Shea. I went against traditional wisdom with the lineups too!!

Speed at the top
Lowest GBA in the 2 hole
and POWER AT THE BOTTOM!!

Here are the Batting Orders:

VS-L
Ichiro RF
Roberts (yes, the 2b 10 million dollar man Roberts) 2b
Crawford LF
Hunter CF
Cabrera SS
Gomes DH
Polanco 3b
Posada C
T. Clark 1b

VS-R (I went a lil more traditional)
Crawford
Ichiro
Roberts
Gomes
Clark
Polanco
Posada
Hunter
Cabrera

Team is 2nd in the league in Runs Scored, 2nd in the league in HRs, 1st (by a long shot) in SB with 55

***EDIT*** I am ALSO 1st in the LEAGUE IN SLUGGING % (due to my high # of triples I think)

Pitching wise, I am 10th, with a 4.10 ERA!!!

Very strong pitching league this is

Here is the team link, enjoy!!!

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1802