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    Acuna and batting order position

    Earlier in the year, the mouth breathers were out in full force declaring how much better Acuna was batting in the #1 spot in the order. Everyone with half a clue realized the splits being referenced were small sample coincidental nonsense, but the drooling masses persisted.

    Acuna's current 2019 splits are:

    Batting 1st: .284/.364/.526 (.889 OPS)
    Batting 4th: .278/.373/.481 (.854 OPS)

    So please, stop the "Acuna thrives in the lead off spot" stupidity. Acuna should be the 2 hole hitter, followed by Freeman and Donaldson...every...single...day. That's "the core" of this offense. Period. End of discussion.

    The discussion to be had is who bats 1st, 5th, and everywhere else? To answer that question, we look to xwOBA vs RHP/LHP...

    Non "core" xwOBA vs RHP (min 100 PAs):

    Nick Markakis 0.365
    Matt Joyce 0.358
    Dansby Swanson 0.348
    Ozzie Albies 0.329
    Brian McCann 0.322
    Tyler Flowers 0.314
    Austin Riley 0.287
    Ender Inciarte 0.287
    Johan Camargo 0.260
    Charlie Culberson 0.237

    Pretty easy to understand 2 of Markakis/Joyce/Swanson should be batting 1st and 5th vs RHP.

    Non "core" xwOBA vs LHP (min 50 PAs):

    Austin Riley 0.454
    Ozzie Albies 0.401
    Dansby Swanson 0.388
    Charlie Culberson 0.339
    Ender Inciarte 0.309
    Johan Camargo 0.305
    Nick Markakis 0.292
    Tyler Flowers 0.229

    Again, easy to understand Albies and Swanson should be batting 1 and 5 vs LHP.

    Also easy to understand why the Braves needed to acquire a RHH OFer at the deadline to start vs LHP. The hope now is that Riley comes back to fill that role, or Culberson can fake it a bit.
    Last edited by Enscheff; 09-04-2019 at 01:28 PM.

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    Ozz is sad you didn't include him in the core discussion.
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    This confirms that Markakis and Joyce are the same person, save the talisman Markakis hides in his neck that means he has to be an “everyday player” and face LHP.

    Meanwhile: Swanson is a pretty damn solid player, and should probably be viewed as “Core’s Lite” even if he’s not full Banquet.
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Chosen One View Post
    Ozz is sad you didn't include him in the core discussion.
    By "core" I meant guys who don't move around in the lineup. Albies is so good as a RHH that he should bat 1st vs LHP, but mediocre as a LHH so should bat lower vs RHP.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Enscheff View Post
    Earlier in the year, the mouth breathers were out in full force declaring how much better Acuna was batting in the #1 spot in the order. Everyone with half a clue realized the splits being referenced were small sample coincidental nonsense, but the drooling masses persisted.
    I don't remember this at all.

    Solid analysis, and I'm not saying you are embellishing a bit I just really don't remember it being a thing.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tapate50 View Post
    I don't remember this at all.

    Solid analysis, and I'm not saying you are embellishing a bit I just really don't remember it being a thing.
    Oh I remember it. When the season started at Acuna was batting 4th and in a tiny slump, this board was lit up with calls for him to be moved to lead off as that’s where he hit better.

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    I think it is ultimately ok for the Braves to have stayed pat with Duvall/Riley/Camargo as hopeful RH options in the OF. While none of them were idea, I'm not sure that anyone they would have acquired was going to be a whole lot more dependable. Not even sure what RH bats moved so far from the deadline.

    I actually thought a LH OF bat as insurance for Markakis/Inciarte would have been nice. My preference was Alex Dickerson.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Southcack77 View Post
    I think it is ultimately ok for the Braves to have stayed pat with Duvall/Riley/Camargo as hopeful RH options in the OF. While none of them were idea, I'm not sure that anyone they would have acquired was going to be a whole lot more dependable. Not even sure what RH bats moved so far from the deadline.

    I actually thought a LH OF bat as insurance for Markakis/Inciarte would have been nice. My preference was Alex Dickerson.
    Why would they need Markakis/Inciarte insurance with Joyce already on the roster?

    Anyone OK with Duvall/Riley/Camargo as RHH vs LHP should be over the moon happy with Joyce as a LHH vs RHP.

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    Duvall + Riley against lefties and Joyce + Neck against righties would be most ideal. Double OF platoon for the win.

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    I have to figure a healthy Ender is part of any OF vs RHP.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Enscheff View Post
    Why would they need Markakis/Inciarte insurance with Joyce already on the roster?

    Anyone OK with Duvall/Riley/Camargo as RHH vs LHP should be over the moon happy with Joyce as a LHH vs RHP.

    At the time, I thought Joyce was castoff who wasn't good for much more than pinch hitting. I'm not sure that's wrong, but he's done well enough.

    We're talking about the short side of a platoon and all of those guys have had moments of crushing LHP. Just not sure how much more you need to invest in part time players when you had bigger problems.

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    Guess I didn't see any bigger problems on this roster. It was BP and RHH OFer as the only real holes. AA fixed the BP, though he didn't address the LHP side of things, and ignored the OF.

    Joyce had been hitting well in spot PAs with the platoon advantage, and always had. I think he was much better "insurance" for Markakis/Ender than any RHH option in the system, who would be needed regardless of anyone else's health..
    Last edited by Enscheff; 09-05-2019 at 11:01 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Enscheff View Post
    Earlier in the year, the mouth breathers were out in full force declaring how much better Acuna was batting in the #1 spot in the order. Everyone with half a clue realized the splits being referenced were small sample coincidental nonsense, but the drooling masses persisted.

    Acuna's current 2019 splits are:

    Batting 1st: .284/.364/.526 (.889 OPS)
    Batting 4th: .278/.373/.481 (.854 OPS)

    So please, stop the "Acuna thrives in the lead off spot" stupidity. Acuna should be the 2 hole hitter, followed by Freeman and Donaldson...every...single...day. That's "the core" of this offense. Period. End of discussion.
    Your post clearly shows Acuna with a 35 point advantage batting in the 1 hole.

    Chalk one up for the mouth breathers.
    Last edited by Carp; 09-05-2019 at 08:58 AM.

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    Mouth breathers tend to be pretty smart. House painters otoh...
    "I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."

    "I am your retribution."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carp View Post
    Your post clearly shows Acuna with a 35 point advantage batting in the 1 hole.

    Chalk one up for the mouth breathers.

    Wait...that number doesn't count - just the other ones.

    Just mouth-breathing here, but I'll betcha Acuna doesn't swipe 33 bases hitting in front of Freeman either - Snitker wouldn't let him run that often in that spot.

    Make the argument that Snit SHOULDN'T put up a stop sign all anyone likes, he's the one making that decision (so far). His "old-schoolness" leads him to ignore the numbers in 95% of his decisions - what on earth makes someone think he wouldn't tie Ronald to 1B to make sure he's not distracting his best hitter when he's at the plate?
    Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...

    Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?

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    Quote Originally Posted by clvclv View Post
    Wait...that number doesn't count - just the other ones.

    Just mouth-breathing here, but I'll betcha Acuna doesn't swipe 33 bases hitting in front of Freeman either - Snitker wouldn't let him run that often in that spot.

    Make the argument that Snit SHOULDN'T put up a stop sign all anyone likes, he's the one making that decision (so far). His "old-schoolness" leads him to ignore the numbers in 95% of his decisions - what on earth makes someone think he wouldn't tie Ronald to 1B to make sure he's not distracting his best hitter when he's at the plate?
    Isn’t acuna stealing bases in front of FF anyway. It is one spot difference. I don’t think a base stealer is really a distraction is a thing.
    Coppy

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    Quote Originally Posted by bravesfanMatt View Post
    Isn’t acuna stealing bases in front of FF anyway. It is one spot difference. I don’t think a base stealer is really a distraction is a thing.
    clv should review the data and let us know who was as at bat when Acuna attempted to steal a base. I expect a report on my desk by close of business.

    So ordered.
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    aaaaaand....derp

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    Quote Originally Posted by clvclv View Post
    Wait...that number doesn't count - just the other ones.

    Just mouth-breathing here, but I'll betcha Acuna doesn't swipe 33 bases hitting in front of Freeman either - Snitker wouldn't let him run that often in that spot.

    Make the argument that Snit SHOULDN'T put up a stop sign all anyone likes, he's the one making that decision (so far). His "old-schoolness" leads him to ignore the numbers in 95% of his decisions - what on earth makes someone think he wouldn't tie Ronald to 1B to make sure he's not distracting his best hitter when he's at the plate?
    I think my post flew over your head.

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    Some quick numbers to illustrate the point:

    The Braves have scored a total of 344 runs on 218 HRs. That means they hit a HR with 0.58 runners on base, on average.

    Acuna has hit 36 HRs: 23 with 0 men on, 11 with 1 man on, 1 with 2 men on, 1 with 3 men on...average of 0.44 runners on base.

    Freeman has hit 38 HRS: 22 with 0 men on, 12 with 1 man on, 4 with 2 men on, 1 with 3 men on...average of 0.61 runners on base.

    Donaldson has hit 34 HRS: 21 with 0 men on, 6 with 1 man on, 7 with 2 men on, 0 with 3 men on...average of 0.59 runners on base.

    Are we starting to see the problem batting Acuna lead off?

    Moving him from #2 to #1 gains him ~17 PAs over the course of a season, which is roughly 1 extra HR out of him. Problem is, the cost of that 1 extra HR is ~0.15 runners on base for each HR he hits. Multiply that 0.15 by the 40+ HRs he is going to hit each year, and that's 6+ runs left on the table simply due to the fact he is hitting so many solo HRs. That's half a win the Braves could gain with nothing more than the swipe of a sharpie.

    Fact of the matter is someone else needs to be hitting in front of the Acuna/Freeman/Donaldson trio. There are several high-OBP low(er)-ISO options to choose from on this roster.
    Last edited by Enscheff; 09-05-2019 at 03:17 PM.

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