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Cardinals will continue batting pitcher in #8 slot
2008-02-26 19:47
by Bob Timmermann

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has said that during spring training games where the DH is not used, his pitchers will be written in to the #8 slot. La Russa also said that this would continue during the regular season.

“We’ll hit the pitcher eighth,” he said. “We’re going to have a second leadoff as the ninth-place hitter.”

La Russa inserted a position player in the ninth spot behind the pitcher for the final 56 games last season. The Cardinals were 28-28 in those games after starting the season 50-56.

Brewers manager Ned Yost has broached the idea of having catcher Jason Kendall bat ninth.

Comments
2008-02-26 20:04:53
1.   El Lay Dave
The Dodgers have an obvious candidate for such a scheme, depending on who wins starting OF jobs.
2008-02-26 20:22:45
2.   El Lay Dave
Based on B-R.com's numbers, the Cardinals scored just over 1/4 of a run per game in those last 56 games compared to the first 106. 4.643 vs. 4.387. Perhaps the article truncated that last number instead of rounding.

The article does not note how the 7th place hitters feel about this.

2008-02-26 23:41:31
3.   Xeifrank
Tango Tigers says on Page 149 of "The Book" that "The Second leadoff hitter theory exists. You can put your pitcher in the eighth slot and gain a couple of extra runs per year."

Number of team runs, by batting slot for the pitcher (from the same book). Only for NL parks.
1 / 4.774
2 / 4.754
3 / 4.756
4 / 4.752
5 / 4.795
6 / 4.805
7 / 4.838
8 / 4.847
9 / 4.835

He also goes on to say "Do whatever you can to prevent a below-average pitcher from coming to bat."

and goes on to recommend
Day 1: #1 Starter
Day 2: #2 Starter
Day 3: #4 Starter, #5 Starter, 3rd best reliever
Day 4: #3 Starter
Day 5: 5th Starter, #4 Starter, 3rd best reliever.

On day 3 and 5 you pinch hit for the pitcher in every at bat (double switches if need be), which gets you to the 6th or 7th inning in almost every case and you still have your top two relievers available in all cases.
---

Note: This all comes from Tango's book, none of it is of my discovery.
vr, Xei

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