Stretch run advice, please

[tyches_coin]

I've got a team that just played game 150. I'm second in my division and 1 game up in the wildcard race with another team 2 back. Both teams are in my division. I just lost Jorge Piedra (my dh against right-handed pitching) for 7 games. I'd really appreciate some suggestions on what to do.

I only see two real options off my bench: DH Denny Hocking, or play Nick Punto at either shortstop or thirdbase and slightly improve my defense by moving either Michael Young or Aaron Hill to DH. I'm fairly sure I'm better off DHing Hocking but I'm a bit lost as how to rearrange my lineup.

Here's a link to my team:
http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=9230

And here's my lineup against righties when Piedra is healthy:

Utley 2B
Crawford LF
Young SS
Howard 1B
Piedra DH
Gibbons RF
Kotsay CF
Hill 3B
Phillips C

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

[geekor]

Hmm... why not play hocking at SS and move Punto to 2b :P (oh wait I'm the one whose first on your division) :shock: :P

ok, kidding aside, I'd say Hocking is the best offensive threat, so you might as well just DH him and bat him 9th (moving everyone else up one)where the decent OBP can come in handy. Either that or bat him 6th moving Gibbons up to 5th, where the OBP can hopefully be utilized by Kotsay or Hill.

[tyches_coin]

Thanks. Batting him 9th was pretty much what I was thinking. I kept trying to find a lineup I liked that would let me drop Utley back towards the middle of the order but I think he's by far my best leadoff option against righties. Hopefully having Hocking hit ninth will give Utley some good RBI chances out of the leadoff spot. I just don't trust Kotsay and especially Hill to knock anyone in.

Thanks for the advice and for a great race this season. Pretty sure this is the strongest division I've ever played in and even with how well eveyone in the division has played most of the year its been a challenge just trying to keep your team from running away with it at times. Now if I could just convince you to finish your season 9-0 starting tomorrow night.

[durantjerry]

I would DH Hocking and bat him first. I used him as a DH in a $60 league and he posted a .340 OBP, slanted slightly better vs rhp's. Drop Utley to 5th vs rhp's.