Lineup While Marte is Hurt?

[Wahoot]

Here's what I'd do against RHPs. The number you see to the right of each player's name is their career OPS (on base + slugging) vs. right handed pitching.

CF Sizemore – 948
RF Nixon – 893
DH Hafner – 1040
C Martinez – 862
LF Dellucci – 826
1B Garko – 792
3B Blake – 758
SS Peralta – 728
2B Rouse – 783

AVG OPS = 848

My guess is that Barfield will play over Rouse -- and maybe longterm he should. But, right now, I'd almost be happier with a platoon there, letting Barfield hit against lefties and hopping that sparks something in him. For God's sake, he's hitting .142!!!

[Mr. MacPhisto]

I'd rather have Rouse at 3B and avoid Blake entirely. I believe Barfield will eventually put it together while Casey Blake is done and has always struggled to move runners. The guy is the master of LOB.

[Steve Buffum]

I'd rather have Rouse at 3B and avoid Blake entirely. I believe Barfield will eventually put it together while Casey Blake is done and has always struggled to move runners. The guy is the master of LOB.

Okay, I am not going to be forced to be Casey Blake's Advocate here, but Mike Rouse is batting a brisk ZERO and is much better at MI than 3B. He may not hit as well, but at least his defense is worse. No thanks.

I think Rouse is being used appropriately: spell Barfield and/or Peralta, run a little, show up in the left-hander's batter's box. Since NOBODY in the infield outside first base is hitting worth the Vice Presidency, I'm not going to get real worked up about Blake hitting the BEST of the five-man set {Marte, Blake, Rouse, Peralta, Barfield}.

[leadpipe]

If Rouse is a starter, you're in trouble. If Barfield is part of a platoon whereas he is playing against lefties, you're in trouble. If you take Barfield out of that horrible defensive infield, you're in trouble.

There are zero other options here. Barfield plays and improves, or, you're in trouble.

[Hoover]

Or call up Inglett who hit way better than Rouse last year.

Let's hope he isn't just another mediocre player that Wedge has man love for.

[Kuiper]

Has anyone actually heard the prognosis for Marte? How long is he expected to be out? If this is a DL and rehab stint-kind of deal, then we start takling about replacements. Otherwise, it's clear that Blake mans 3B and a combination of Garko, Martinez, and Hafner handle 1B.

Barfield may need to sit and regroup, but that has nothing to do with Marte (other than the need to keep him in so as to avoid disrupting 1/2 to 3/4 of the infield).

[Steve Buffum]

Has anyone actually heard the prognosis for Marte? How long is he expected to be out?

Marte on the 15-day DL, Choo recalled:

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/p ... p&c_id=cle

[Kuiper]

Thanks for the heads-up SWB.

Interesting choice to bring up Choo. My guess is that this signals that Dellucci is not 100% either (and possibly Nixon has issues too). Blake can play 3B, with Rouse as a backup, and Choo can spell the outfielders.

[Wahoot]

With Silva pitching, I expect to see Choo in the lineup tonight. Why else call up a lefty? At any rate, Choo's career OPS vs. RHP is .802. A drop off from Dellucci, yeah, but not much. And replacing Marte with Blake at 3B "should" make up for it.

[Wahoot]

Thanks for the heads-up SWB.

Interesting choice to bring up Choo. My guess is that this signals that Dellucci is not 100% either (and possibly Nixon has issues too). Blake can play 3B, with Rouse as a backup, and Choo can spell the outfielders.

It's Dellucci. He did something to his calf.

[He Gone]

I'm wonderin where inglett is too.

[consigliere]

Folks, Inglett was just activated from the Buffalo disabled list last week and is coming off all sorts of leg injuries. He's only played like 4 games.

For a backup middle infielder, I still prefer Rouse. If a roster spot comes available for a super utility guy like Inglett, then we call him up.

By the way, I think you will not see Marte for a good month (or even more). Not that the injury is serious or anything, but I would bet he'll go on a rehab assignment in Buffalo for a few weeks. Might be just what he needs to get his game going again.