How Should I Choose The Batting Order For My Baseball Team?
One of your jobs managing a baseball team is to give your team the best chance to score runs. One way is to take advantage of your players batting skills and put them in specific spots in the lineup. For example, you may have a player who is an excellent fielder but not a great hitter. Nevertheless you’re going to play that player because of their defensive ability.
Where, though, do you place that player in the lineup where their lack of hitting will do the least damage?
One way to find a place for them is to build a lineup based on the hitting ability of all your players. If you do it increases their chances of getting on base, which they must do to score. A good lineup exploits both speed and power.
First, divide your lineup into three sections; three players in each section. Each section has its own purpose.
The first section of your lineup, the first, second, and third batters, includes players with speed and finesse with a bat.
Discipline at the plate is the trademark of these players, and they don’t swing as hard. They have the knack of getting their bats on the ball and striking out less. This gives them a better chance to get on base and to score.
Say a fast player hits a slow roller; they may beat the throw to first and get an infield hit. The top three hitters control their bats, and they don’t let opposing pitchers control them.
The emphasis on the second third of your lineup, the fourth, fifth, and sixth batters, is power. The power hitter tries to hit the long ball, which lets the runners on base score, or at least advance them on the base paths. This includes both long singles and extra base hits. These hitters often come to bat with the idea of hitting a home run, especially in the latter innings of the game and their team is behind.
The manager looks for self-confidence, which is a trait of power hitters. You want players who relish batting in pressure situations when their team needs a hit.
The last three players hit in the seventh, eighth, and ninth positions. These are the pretend power hitters who strike out more than they hit. These are players who might be speedy but usually end up speeding back to the dugout because they didn’t get a hit. These players may be the above-mentioned players who are standout defensive players but can’t hit 90 to 100 mph pitches.
These hitters don’t fit into the first two categories in your lineup, but they have to bat and you hope they don’t squelch too many rallies.
The way a manager structures a lineup may be their most important job. They must know the tendencies of the batters and their psychic makeup’s. Many games are won or lost on how players respond to the pressure of consistent hitting.
