Carl Crawford played his first games of the season this
week. He has looked fantastic in those games. I know my fantasy team had gotten
a huge boost from his return. (And Ellsbury’s too.) He’s doing everything Red
Sox fans hoped he’d do when he was signed. He’s doing it from the number two
spot in the order too. Some people, including Crawford, think that spot in the
order might have something to do with it. That had drawn the ire of some fans.
It shouldn’t matter where he’s batting. We’re giving this
guy 100 million dollars! He should bat wherever Valentine wants him to, and
just hit. If he’s in the seven spot, he needs to suck it up and perform. His
only job is to help the team. But, there are a few flaws with that argument.
The first one is that it always stops too soon. If the theory is that we’re
paying him 100 million dollars so he should hit wherever we put him, why does
that theory end with the batting order. What if Valentine said, “We’re paying
this guy 100 million dollars. We seem to have a lot of outfielders on the team
at the moment. But, Lester’s been struggling. So we need to have Crawford
pitch. I know he’s never done that before. But, like I said, he’s making 100
million dollars. He’ll just have to suck it up and throw that curve ball.” That
would be ludicrous. Why is it any different to force him to bat in a spot he’s
not used to?
Come on, you say, we’re just talking about a line-up shift
here. He should be able to deal with that. Well, if a player should just
produce no matter where they bat, why does it matter where you put Crawford?
Why does it matter where you put Pedroia? Why not hit Crawford second and
Pedroia sixth? If it doesn’t matter, why does it matter so much?
The real answer should be, “We’re paying Crawford 100
million dollars. Why are we asking him to do something different than what he
did to earn that 100 million?” If the Lakers get Dwight Howard, are they going
to make him play point guard? Of course not. They’re trying to get him because
he’s an elite center. When a company hires a new CEO, do they put him on the
line in the cafeteria? That would be crazy. They’re paying him millions because
he has elite skills to run a company. Not make creamed corn. Nobody’s telling
him, “For all that money, you’ll work wherever we tell you to.” They hired a
guy with a specific set of skills, so they put him in the position that uses
those skills.
It’s the same thing with Crawford. The Red Sox chased after
him because he was an elite talent. He could set the table at the top of the
order. He could drive pitchers crazy. He made it easier for everyone else
hitting behind him. He made the team better from that two-spot.
Why would you put him anywhere else?
The only time the spot in the order matters is in the first inning. After that it just depends on who got the last out. The reason to put your best hitters at the top of the order is that they get a chance to hit one more time than the guys at the bottom. The way he hit last year he didn't deserve to hit at the top of the order because he wasn't one of the best hitters.
ReplyDeletePersonally I never liked him as a player. I think he is an average bat with a lot of speed.
His speed is another reason not to bat him second because right behind him is Ortiz. Why risk the out stealing a base if Papi can bring him home with the long ball.
Last year Youkilis should have batted second and this year Pedroia should because of their high OBP. (Both have over 30 points higher Career OBP than Crawford) Let those two guys set the table for Papi.
To me he is a leadoff hitter but we already have a better one in Ellsbury. (plus he is faster and, again, has a higher OBP) So the only plasce left to put him is at the bottom of the order. I would say 5th but that puts him behind the slowest guy in the lineup (and maybe the majors) Gonzalez and puts too many lefties in a row so you got to move him down even farther.
Regardless of money it comes down to the best hitters need to be at the top of the order and with the team we have he isn't good enough to hit at the top of the order.