Sunday, March 13, 2005

A short Yahoo paragraph has me thinking...which would you rather have to start the season:

Option 1
Biggio LF
Taveras CF
Lane RF
Burke 2B

Option 2
Biggio LF
Lane CF
Palmeiro RF
Burke 2B

Option 3
Lane LF
Taveras CF
Palmeiro RF
Biggio 2B

Basically, you're choosing 2 of Taveras, Burke, and Palmeiro for the month or so until Berkman returns. The easy way out is to say Burke is a much better prospect than Taveras (he is), so we go with Option 1 or 2. Then I'd say I would rather see Taveras get a shot than Palmeiro, so I like Option 1. This would give us a probable Opening Day lineup of something like:

Biggio LF
Everett 2B
Bagwell 1B
Lane RF
Ensberg 3B
Burke 2B
Taveras CF
Ausmus C

Maybe you switch Everett and Taveras, or bat Taveras leadoff; it doesn't really matter that much.

The only thing is, the Yahoo report seemed to assume that it would come down to EITHER Taveras or Burke winning a starting job, because the Astros would "like to shift Biggio back to 2nd if Taveras wins the CF job to start the season." Well, frankly, that sucks, and it means we'd be going with Option 2, and essentially be choosing Palmeiro over Burke for a starting position. I've said it before, and I've said it again: Craig Biggio has said many times in the past that he's a team player, that he'll do what the team needs to do, etc., etc. Well, it's time to pay up, Bidge, and play outfield - at the very least until Lance comes back. Otherwise our Opening Day starting RF will have a career .348 SLG%.

Oh, and Notre Dame got screwed. Northern Iowa???? What crap.

2 comments:

Andy said...

Option 1 for sure. We need to make the most of Berkman's injury, and the way to do that is to give the prospects more playing time -- not Orlando Palmeiro.

It should also be noted that Lane is getting a lot of time in center. I think that's a good thing.

Anonymous said...

I'll tak option 2....while Taveras has had a nice couple of weeks, his impatience at the plate will be feasted upon by pitchers once the games count. Speed can only cover up so many mistakes.