Best Leadoff Men

[ANDYCOCHRANE]

Now that quite a few teams have been drafted in the 2006 game, who do anyone out there see as the best leadoff men, both expensive and cheap?

So far 2 teams), I have gone after Garabito and Clark as my leadoff platoon, both as DH. The problem is that with them being DH I lose out on a good hitter in that spot.

Any nominations?

[1crazycanuk]

Shankly, aren't they TWO good hitters? I don't see how you miss out on a good hitter.

Gabarito is good for leadoff all the time except for maybe the first at bat of the game. He's got some SINGLE**'s that are really more useful in his later at bats if the 9th guy gets on. I play him at 2B sometimes because my DH is Thomas. I know I suffer on my D but hopefully his hitting makes up for it.

[LARRYLANG]

Crawford vs RH
Podsednik vs LH

:lol: :lol:

[ANDYCOCHRANE]

[quote:1b00a61bf1="1crazycanuk"]Shankly, aren't they TWO good hitters? I don't see how you miss out on a good hitter.

Gabarito is good for leadoff all the time except for maybe the first at bat of the game. He's got some SINGLE**'s that are really more useful in his later at bats if the 9th guy gets on. I play him at 2B sometimes because my DH is Thomas. I know I suffer on my D but hopefully his hitting makes up for it.[/quote:1b00a61bf1]

I see what you mean there. I guess what I meant was that usually I like my DH to be one of the usual suspects, - Giambi, Ortiz, Manny etc. Big hitters with not particularly good D.

[MARCPELLETIER]

Giles, Abreu and Roberts are this year's elite leadoff vs rhp. Giles vs lhp is very strong as well.

[LMBombers]

How about Alex Sanchez?

[JohnnyBlazers]

Mauer vs RHP, Michaels vs LHP. Sizemore's been doing pretty good for me

[paul.czarnecki]

I'm getting good results out of a Piedra/D. Bell platoon in one league.

[markp65]

If you play in a righty-sided park and you consider the stolen base to be a way to hand your opposition some free outs when you're on offense... Try Mr Moneyball himself - Kevin Youkilis.

[MARCPELLETIER]

markp65,

even if you dislike stolen bases, you can't ignore the "holding at first" effect. When a runner is held, one part of the middle infield defense (whoever is responsible of second base) AND the first basemen have their ratings downgraded of almost the equivalent of 2 (ss-1 becomes ss-3).

Mauer (great choice) almost automatically calls a "holding the runner" with his stealing stats as soon as he gets to first base (and he has many singles and walks). And if you don't want Mauer to steal a base, you just click "don't steal", adn still beneficiate of the holding at first that he attract--- although I would rather recommand to be extra conservative and leaves open the possibility to steal with Mauer.

Youkilis will never force the opposite team to hold him at first with this year's stealing stats. At the end of the day, this costs your offense hits, turned into double-plays, runs, and wins.