The Perfect Line-up

[PhilaYank36]

I'm about to have my fantasy draft next week, and after pouring over dozens of possibilities and outcomes, I came up with this question: if you were making a real-life fantasy team, what would be the best possible line-up? The factors you have to include are skill-set, place in the line-up and defense. Here's what I came up with:

• 
  
  1) Jose Reyes, SS
  2) Chase Utley, 2B
  3) Albert Pujols, 1B
  4) Alex Rodriguez, 3B
  5) Travis Hafner, DH
  6) Carlos Beltran, LF
  7) Joe Mauer, C
  8 ) Vernon Wells, CF
  9) Ichiro Suzuki, RF
  
  I defy anyone to come up with a better line-up.

 

[Freelance Hack]

I'll tweak yours:

1) Ichiro Suzuki, RF
2) Chase Utley, 2B
3) Albert Pujols, 1B
4) Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5) Carlos Beltran, LF
6) Travis Hafner, DH
7) Vernon Wells, CF
8 ) Joe Mauer, C
9) Jose Reyes, SS

 

[PhilaYank36]

I understand flip-flopping Suzuki & Reyes, but why drop down Hafner? So he wouldn't clog up the bases ahead of Beltran?

 

[shotglass]

Boy, if someone had been asleep the past three years and woke up to see the names Utley, Hafner and Reyes in there, they would have been stunned.

But I do believe you nailed it. I've only just recently realized how valuable Reyes has become.

 

[Ellis Redding]

If you\'d like this lineup for the postseason, then I\'d replace A-Rod with David Wright.

 

[PhilaYank36]

Nah, I'd put in Miggy Cabrera. He already has a ring.

 

[Clever username]

I hate the Red Sox, but no David Ortiz?

 

[PhilaYank36]

I think Hafner is just as good, maybe even better, than Ortiz. Papi did hit 54 last year, but Hafner lost out on 100 at-bats b/c of getting hit by a pitch. Pronk trumps Papi in all the percentages (avg, obp, slg). You could go with either one of these guys, but since I blame Big Sloppi and the rest of that damned team from Boston for ruinning my super-senior year, I'm going for the dude with the better nick-name and with six grand slams in the first half of last year.

 

[pallister]

What, no Joe Crede?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

I'd put Grady Sizemore in center and Vlad Guerrero in right.

 

[Freelance Hack]

I understand flip-flopping Suzuki & Reyes, but why drop down Hafner? So he wouldn't clog up the bases ahead of Beltran?

Partially. I also like Beltran more as a hitter, and batting him fifth should give Hafner more run-producing opportunities.

I'd also consider flip-flopping Beltran and Utley, just for the speed factor.

 

[PhilaYank36]

Whoever hits for more contact and isn't strikeout prone has got #2.

 

[outofplace]

I'll go with another tweaking of what we've already seen.

1) Ichiro Suzuki, RF
2) Chase Utley, 2B
3) Albert Pujols, 1B
4) Travis Hafner, DH
5) Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5) Carlos Beltran, LF
7) Vernon Wells, CF
8 ) Joe Mauer, C
9) Jose Reyes, SS

All I did was put Hafner between Pujols and Rodriguez. He's a much better hitter than Beltran. Utley stays in the two spot over Beltran because he's going to hit for a higher average and it's not like he clogs up the basepaths. He stole 15 bases and was second in the major leagues in runs scored with 131 (behind Sizemore's 134).

I agree with Ichiro in the leadoff spot and Reyes ninth because Reyes still doesn't walk enough and he still has too many 0-for-5's.

What about the perfect starting rotation. I ended up with only one lefty and four right-handers, but no lefty other than Santana is close to the top five.

1. Johan Santana
2. Chris Carpenter
3. Brandon Webb
4. Roy Oswalt
5. Roy Halladay

 

[Cadet]

Can't we start a sub-board for fantasy sports?

 

[Ellis Redding]

What about the perfect starting rotation. I ended up with only one lefty and four right-handers, but no lefty other than Santana is close to the top five.

1. Johan Santana
2. Chris Carpenter
3. Brandon Webb
4. Roy Oswalt
5. Carlos Zambrano (Dude's a workhorse; never been hurt, unlike Halladay and Oswalt.)

Tweaked the final spot.

 

[Ellis Redding]

Just be sure he doesn't question a call with two outs in the fifth inning and a five-run lead. He'll go headhunting, get ejected and lose you a ****ing win. :

Every pitching staff needs a borderline psycho.

 

[outofplace]

What about the perfect starting rotation. I ended up with only one lefty and four right-handers, but no lefty other than Santana is close to the top five.

1. Johan Santana
2. Chris Carpenter
3. Brandon Webb
4. Roy Oswalt
5. Carlos Zambrano (Dude's a workhorse; never been hurt, unlike Halladay and Oswalt.)

Tweaked the final spot.

I considered Zambrano there, too. Not a huge difference between the two. Halladay has been better for a longer period of time. Zambrano has been healthier.

 

[PhilaYank36]

I'd put Grady Sizemore in center and Vlad Guerrero in right.

Sizemore strikes out too much and doesn't quite have the glove that Vernon Wells does. Even though Vladdy-Daddy hits for average and power, this line-up needs a leadoff hitter that can grind out at-bats, take walks and steal bases. Plus, Guerrero is about average in the field if you take away his Howitzer, and even that isn't all that b/c he's been known to air-mail a few now and then. Not only does Suzuki have a canon, but he's also very accurate and a helluva lot more mobile.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Figured the guy with Phila in his screen name would have found a way to get Ryan Howard into the line up. I love Hafner, and I realize he is a real DH (although supposedly they are going to get him in at first more this year), but damn, Howard went ROY and MVP in his first two seasons. He may not be Pujols, but hell, buy him a small glove and take your chances with him at second base, if necessary.

 

[PhilaYank36]

Apparently Mr. Ragu, you missed the "Yank" in my name, which is where my true allegiance lies. Pujols is a better defensive first baseman, more mobile and can actually reach double figures in stolen bases. Hafner is more consistent and a better judge of the strike zone, if you compare his K/BB ratios with Howard. Howard's a great guy, but if I want the best starting nine, Pujols is manning first and Pronk's my DH.

Since we already have a starting five rotation, how 'bout a bullpen? Mo's my closer with Joe Nathan and B.J. Ryan as set-up men.