March 04, 2009
Team Offense, Minnesota Twins
The series on team offense continues with the Minnesota Twins. I plug the probable lineup from CBSSportsLine into the Lineup Analysis Tool, and fill in the numbers with Marcel the Monkey projections. The results:
- Best lineup: 5.13 runs per game
- Probable lineup: 5.05 runs per game
- Worst lineup: 4.73 runs per game
- Regressed lineup: 4.68 runs per game
The Twins scored 5.09 runs per game in 2008.
The probable lineup is very close to the optimum. The first four batters are only shifted by moving Mauer and hits great OBA into the leadoff spot. The Twins manage to concentrate a good deal of offense into their first five slots. Crede, with his power, is good at finishing a rally, making the seven slot perfect for him.
I'm very excited to see Dernard Span. It's tough to find a great leadoff hitter anymore. Teams seem very content with putting someone with a .350 to .360 OBA in the slot. Span projects to .380, and might do better. Should the Twins develop a fan club that sits in the outfield with Viking helmets singing, "Span, Span Span, Span, Span, Span, Span, Span!" whenever Denard takes his position or comes to bat?
This is a good Twins offense. If runs scoring continues to be down this year, they'll once again do well in the rankings.
Other teams in this series:
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Posted by David Pinto at
08:56 AM
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Offense
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