HELP! with my team's lack of run production

[kmkravitz]

With table setters, Ichiro, Biggio, and Wagner have good OBPs, and with a number of 4-5 slot hitters I expected better run production, but have too many unproductive outs. Leading league in Ks. Have hit into 40 GIDPs.

Top two teams in division have, respectively, 71 less hits but 2 more runs, and 45 less hits but 68 more runs, than I.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=367498

Despite RH leaning park (Metropolitan '71), have hit more HRs on the road, but only 32 total. Other parks in division: Polo '41, County '78, and Griffith '11.

Pitching not as good as I expected from R. Johnson, Seaver, and Cliff Lee.

Any thoughts on lineup, or other team changesl?

[sschu]

RH HR power in RH park:
Greeny
Simmons
Santo
Bench

LH in RH park:
Ichi
Flick

RH OBP in RH park:
Honus
Biggio

It is difficult to make the case that either Bench or Santo will generate a lot of power.

In this type of park suggest 6 guys who can hit 30+ HRs, you have maybe 3. How about Belle or Suttles or Sosa or Rino or Mays or Kiner?

I do not get Flick or Ichi on this team and Sandberg it would seem is a much better choice than Biggio. Not sure what you expected out of Bench, but he is doing his normal.

Johnson has 2 BPHRs and Seaver has 3 BPHRs vs RHs ... in a RH HR park.

In short, the team is performing as designed.

sschu

[Valen]

Assuming Biggio, Wagneer, and Ichiro at top of lineup. I usually would prefer to have 2 tablesetters with run producers beginning at #3.

Biggest thing that jumps at me though is Duffy. What a waste of one of the top cards in the set.

[kmkravitz]

Got Flick in draft instead of McGee. Kept him for both defense and LH bat to avoid having another RH bat.

Thought I would get benefit of Bench's 3 BPHRs vs RH pitchers I thought I would face at home. Santo does have 7 hrs but only are at home, plus had never used him before so thought it was worth it in RH leaning park.

Though it is $100m cap thought should put more money into SPs and focused on RH hitters, not allowing use of higher cards, like Duffy's.

Also hated to pass up Wagner, even lower cost card, when he was dropped and showed on FA list. Thought Ichiro would give higher OBP and steals in leadoff, but Wagner's OBP about 90 point higher.

Thanks for the input. Need to reevaluate.

[PotKettleBlack]

If you look at Ichiro's card (and really Ichiro's career), he doesn't do the little things for on base. He hits for average, but he doesn't walk very much, he doesn't find a way to get hit by pitches a lot (like Biggio)... I think he's been miscast as a leadoff his entire career. He should've been a 2/3/4 hitter to take advantage of his bat control and ability to find the gaps in a defense. Would be better as a #2 batter IRL.

In ATG, I've used him but never really developed a love for him, aside from the glove and the speed.

There's a bit of logic in your last post that kind of escapes me.

Wagner wasn't in the original plan. But then he hit the waiver wire and you decided to mess with original plan and add him. Which led you to have too many table setters (PS McGee would have been another, so maybe the plan needed some revision). Big Duffy would have been really good in your situation as a heart of the order guy.

[kmkravitz]

Saw something in another thread, got frustrated with losing streak, so deleted my lineup to see what HAL would do.

HAL put Wagner at leadoff, kept Biggio at 2, moved Greenberg to 3 and dropped Ichiro to 7th, guessing Bench, Simmons, and Santo better suited to 4 thru 6. Thought that was interesting what HAL did with Ichiro.

Never had Ichiro before and only thought of him as leadoff based on his MLB history. Now see the basis for your evaluation PKB.

I failed to get Vizquel in draft so went for Wagner, who I always like, to play short. Erred in putting him in 3 spot, neglecting to put Greenberg in 3rd to be sure to get him up in first inning.

Looking at trying to shift things to get Belle, Kiner, or, tho will be hard, to get Duffy. A little unsure about gutting SPs to upgrade hitting, but that is where the money is. Always got good production from Simmons but maybe need to look at him as well to get more HRs?

Thanks!

[sschu]

Once you are this far along in a season it is tough turn things around. When I get into this situation suggest the following:

Pick someone to drop for a scrub, maybe Honus for Crosetti or Bench for Schalk type thing. Make sure the scrub can play defense and is durable if possible. This helps with money.

Drop suggest (all based upon money, figure out before hand):

Flick for Thomas, Dawson (82) or even Duffy
Ichi for Hafey, Sosa, the Rock
Biggio for Sandberg or Gordon

Seaver for Mullin, etc, db RHers are plentiful
Johnson for the same

Schalk
Greeny
Sand
Santo
Honus
Simmons/The Rock
Duff/Simmons
Hafey/Sosa

Best of luck!

sschu