The A’s finally finished off the deal for Orlando Cabrera according to ESPN’s Buster Onlney. 4MM is a bargain.
The A’s lineup is drastically different and is going to put up runs in contrary to last season. Can the pitching make this off season full of moves worth While? There’s no doubt this lineup is more potent and complete than rival Angels.
I think the Cabrera move is great for the A’s because it gives them the lead-off hitter they had been looking for and it gives them flexibility. Now Ryan Sweeney is batting second Right? New projected lineup…
1.Cabrera
2.Sweeney
3.Cust
4.Holliday
5.Giambi
6.Chavez
7.Ellis
8.Buck
9.Suzuki
This lineup could be fierce if Chavez can prove healthy. Do you think Ellis, Buck or Suzuki should be switched?
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March 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I think the lineup is going to look like this:
Sweeney
Cust
Holliday
Giambi
Chavez
Cabrera
Buck
Suzuki
Ellis
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I understand putting Cust further up in the lineup but why not have Cabrera on top? I’m not sure if Sweeney the table setter kind of guy. Although he does have a better OBP. I think Sweeney will become a more consistent hitter in the two hole
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I like:
Cabrera
Ellis
Holiday
Giambi
Cust
Chavez
Sweeney
Buck
Suzuki
I think Cabrera and Ellis will make a good table setter combo for the thumpers in the line-up. I would rotate Ellis and Sweeney depending on a right or left handed starting pitcher.
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Don’t you think that’s to many lefty’s in a row?
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
That is why Cust HAS to hit 2, to have him, giambi and chavez at 4 5 6 is too much of a liability. They are way to left heavy in the middle then.
I guess you could switch cust and cabrera and have:
Cabrera
Sweeney
Holliday
Giambi
Cust
Chavez
Buck
Ellis.
The only things set in stone are:
Holliday @ 3, the man is the perfect 3 hitter, he cant hit anywhere else.
Giambi @ 4, Same thing, to hit him anywhere else would be crazy.
So for 1, its Sweeney or Cabrera, and I give Sweeney the higher upside, so if i have to drop one its going to cabrera.
2 is either cust or cabrera than, and you need to break up all the lefties in a row, and putting cust 2 does this, even though he is not a typical two hitter, but the a’s really dont have any typical two hitters.
Sweeney
Cust
Holliday
Giambi
Chavez
Suzuki – Break up lefties
Buck – High upside, could be breakout hitter and eventually move up or replace Sweeney.
Ellis – Steady, mainly defensive player
Cabrera- Second leadoff hitter. Could steal bags and even out the lineup, its either him here or switching him with suzuki…
March 2nd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Cabrera will not bat ninth, no offense, not for 4MM. I don’t think he’s coming to Oakland to do so. Suzuki will perform better (for now) in that that spot.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Am I the only one who thinks this trade was pointless. First off, why are we wasting 4 million on a position that we already have a semi-productive player? Second, we have to give up a draft pick because he is an “A” caliber player… He is a career .274 hitter, never hit over 100 RBI’s and only once had more than 100 runs.(Playing in some really good line-ups) His fielding percentage is only a hair better then crosby’s. It makes sense to bring in a quality infielder to act as an insurance policy if Crosby, Chavy, or Ellis get hurt -Given their recent history a serious possibility- but I have a feeling Crosby is going to get run out of town, then we just wasted a portion of 5 million more. Why didn’t we spend 4 million and go after Abreu a couple of weeks ago? Why haven’t we been looking into Ben Sheets. I just am not buying into the idea that a 35 year old career .274 hitter is worth, replacing a potentially refreshed 29 year old with his best season in front of him.
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Well I think you have to look at the 4MM deal alone, separate of Crosby. The going rate for a “potential” .280 plus hitter is far more -even in this economy- than what the A’s paid. If the A’s can flip Crosby (and pay some of his salary) for a prospect, I say its a great deal. The end result could possibly be .280, 15 stolen bases and good defense for around seven million. That’s two million a year cheaper than Renteria.
Sheets is out for most of the season and the A’s just have too much depth to go after Abeu. Also his defense really lacks.
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Sweeney
Cabrerra
Giambi
Holliday
Chavez
Cust
Suzuki
Buck
Ellis
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I do agree with you NorthBay, I want to see Crosby succeed here, I have always like him and felt he got the short end of the stick continually. And he still is, the only hope i have for him is that he will beat out cabraerra and we will trade cabrerra for something
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Given that it looks like it is done deal. I would really like to see Cabreba earn his spot. Adding a quality infielder to an infield that has three potential health risks is a really positive idea, but I don’t think that Cabrera should be handed Crosbys spot. I think we should seriously look at having Chavy in DH spot until arm fully returns, or have Ellis in DH until he come back to full health. I guess the main thing im trying to say is that give Crosby the respect to stay with the team and make Cabrera earn the starting spot from him.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Sweeney
Ellis
Holliday
Giambi
Cust (Chavy after he regains his form)
Chavez (Cust, after Chavy starts ballin again)
Cabrera
Buck
Suzuki
I like the idea of Cust in the 2 hole because of his OBP but he’s just too fat and slow. We need to have a chance him to get around the bases and to the plate, especially because Cust either hits a bomb or walks. What makes a good 3/4 hitter in my opinion is that players ability to get baserunners home from first base. That’s a true power hitter.
Sweeney is going to have a great season.
Ellis is a perfect fit at 2. Playing ~145 games, he’ll hit at least 15 bombs, with a comparable OBS than Cabrera.
Agree with above, you’re pretty much an idiot if you think Holliday (3) should be anywhere else in the line-up.
The rest speaks for itself. I just want this line-up to have some consistency that these guys can get comfortable with.
GOOOO A’S!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:15 am
I would like to see the opening day line up,
1. Cabrera SS
2. Sweeney CF
3. Holiday LF
4. Giambi 1B
5. Suzuki C
6. Cust DH
7. Buck RF
8. Chavez 3B
9. Ellis 2B
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:34 am
Intill we see who is better I have go give the nod to Cabrera to start over Crosby, he is better defence. He has speed and hits on a regular basis so he gets the lead off spot. Sweeney is a contact hitter that Geren can use for run & hit/ hit & Run. I think he will hit good in a 2 spot. Holiday you have to bat third. Make sure he gets as many at bats with men on during the season. Giambi will be the Man in the 4th spot & dugout !
Suzuki proved that he can move baserunners with the bat, Plus it makes the pitching change before
Cust comes on to hit the mistake pitch. Putting Buck in the & spot creates a problem for their pitching because He can switch to the Right while they have the left handers for Cust and Buck hits better from the right then they have to face Chavez after him so do they keep the left hander in for him. If he does not do the job switch Ellis for Buck. then Chavez clears some bases. Ellis in the 9 is a 2nd leadoff to set the table again.
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 am
sorry my friend, Buck is not a shitch hitter. lefty all the way…I do like how you bat suzuki so high up, but I almost feel he is still not enough of a threat for the 5 hole
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Cust batting 3rd? Are you serious? You must really like Cust, normally your best hitter goes in the 3 hole(Holliday) while your high HR and strikeout guys usually hang out around 5-7. I am a big Cust fan(unless it means him playing OF) but his AVG is WAY TOO LOW to be in the 3 hole. I would have to say lineup should go:
Buck RF
Sweeney CF
Holliday LF
Giambi 1B
Cust DH
Chavez 3B
Crosby/Cabrera SS
Suzuki C
Ellis 2B
Gives us another leadoff man at the bottom of the order. Plus if Chavez really is healthy, Cust would benefit and see alot more fastball counts hitting in front of a healthy Chavez. As for SS I’m still not sold on either Croz or OC.
Just in also looks like the Garciaparra deal is almost done, I dont understand that one unless they aren’t sure on Chavvy’s health yet.
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Ok I going on record and agreeing that Cust shouldn’t bat third, however with this lineup so left-heavy, that 4-5-6 spot might suffer. Putting Suzuki there is an idea, but he just isn’t the home run or RBI threat. That’s the main reason I had Cust third, to break up the lineup some, you know.
I think with custs’ OBP he would provide ample opportunities for Holliday.
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I think Cust would be good in the 2 hole, although not a typical number two hitter. His OBP is comparable to the average 2 spot, because of the enormous number of walks he receives. I think that he would benefit greatly from hitting in front of Holliday, and that could help him cut down the number of strikeouts, as pitchers are more hesitant to throw breaking balls in close counts. However, he is not a good number 2 hitter in terms of his speed, and his ability to move runners over. I was thinking he might be a big double play risk, and this required some thought. Last year he flied out 43 times, and grounded out 43 times. And of course he struck out 197 times. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, especially because if you don’t put cust in the two hole, you end up with three lefties 4-6. Here, Sweeney acts as a sort of second lead off man as well.
Cabrera SS R
Cust DH L
Holliday LF R
Giambi 1B L
Chavez 3B L
Suzuki C R
Ellis 2B R
Buck RF L
Sweeney CF R
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I think the lineup should go:
Sweeney
Cabrera
Giambi
Holliday
Chavez
Ellis
Cust
Suzuki
Buck
While Giambia isnt the prototypical 3 hole… putting him there allows for a lineup without three lefties in a row.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I know his last few years havent been the greatest, but has everyone completely written off Croz? I would think Cabrera would have to earn the right to start, especially since Bobby finally stayed healthy for a season. And from everything I am reading and seeing, Bobby is raking right now, so why pencil in OC already?