Lineup Projections & Bearman Farewell

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. 

As someone who equally loves basketball and baseball (but DESPISES the cold weather), I find myself around this time of winter starting to check out the MLB Spring Training reports from Florida and Arizona.

While I must admit a tiny dose of jealousy when I see reporters filing their video stories while wearing short-sleeves and sporting sunglasses, my thoughts begin to stray towards the season yet to come.  And, like any true baseball fan who thinks it would be “easy” to run a professional baseball team, I think about a potential lineup that I would trot out on Opening Day if I ran the show.

So, while thinking warm thoughts…here’s my lineup (version 1.0) for both the Phillies and Nationals as we stand here today on February 25^th.

 

NATIONALS

Trea Turner              Shortstop

Adam Eaton             Right Field

Anthony Rendon    3^rd Base

Juan Soto                  Left Field

Ryan Zimmerman  1^st Base

Brian Dozier             2^nd Base

Yan Gomes               Catcher

(Pitcher spot)

Victor Robles           Center Field

 

ANALYSIS

Although Eaton was originally brought in to be the team’s lead-off hitter, I think Turner can do too many good things at the top of the lineup to not have him bat first.

Plus, you have a nice right/left alternation through the first five spots in your order.  Thanks to a strong second half by Zimmerman and the addition of Dozier to solidify second base, you have a strong protection behind the Soto, to help him out in case of a sophomore slump.

Finally, although I’m not a huge fan of batting the pitcher in the eighth spot, I would consider moving Robles down to the “second leadoff position.”  However, if you would do that, I might be inclined to move Eaton back to first in this order to avoid having Robles and Turner go back-to-back.

 

PHILLIES

Jean Segura                         Shortstop

JT Realmuto                         Catcher

Bryce Harper                       Right Field

Rhys Hoskins                       1^st Base

Andrew McCutcheon        Left Field

Odubel Herrera                  Center Field

Mikael Franco*                   3^rd Base

(Pitcher spot)

Cesar Hernandez                2^nd Base

*(or Scott Kingery, if he wins the open competition in spring training)

ANALYSIS

First of all…regarding the whole Manny Machado vs. Bryce Harper debate, the Phillies have WAY too much money available to not sign Bryce Harper, and I think the whole “mystery team” is another grand Scott Boras-created hoax, so I’m going to go ahead and say he signs with Philadelphia.

Secondly, I again have to break my own rule of batting the pitcher in the eight spot, but with good reasoning.  With a lineup this solid, you simply can’t afford to have someone of McCutcheon’s talent hitting any lower than sixth on this team—not unless he has a dreadful spring.

Furthermore, Hernandez still hasn’t convinced me he is a pure leadoff hitter (yes, I know he was “secretly” hurt through the second half of last season), but in this lineup he can be a great piece to get on base at the bottom of the order and set up Segura (ideally a number-two hitter anyway), Realmuto (another good contact hitter) and Harper.

Also, remember how well Franco seemed to hit while batting eighth in front of the pitcher last year?  It may have been an anomaly, but with this lineup, we’d see if there was something to it.

Finally, while I am a huge Roman Quinn fan, I’ll take an optimistic view of Herrera’s intense off-season workouts and say he reclaims his form as an everyday center fielder and solid middle-of-the-lineup persona at the plate.  If Quinn stays healthy and has a solid spring (and they do in fact sign Harper), I’d have Quinn bat just ahead of the pitcher’s spot (to maybe steal a base ahead of a sacrifice bunt every now and then) and Hernandez to form a “double-leadoff” position ahead of the power bats.

Keep thinking warm thoughts and, in a few short weeks, it’ll be time to talk more baseball on our “SportsTalk” show and here on our blog!

***

Before I sign off today, I did want to express my deepest condolences to the extended family of a friend and former colleague, Kevin “Bearman” Schutts — one half of WZZO’s legendary morning team.

When I first started in the communications business, one of my roles was as a fill-in traffic reporter at WAEB/WZZO.  While some of the bigger on-air personalities looked down on part-time/non-big-named employees, both Schutts and his partner, Keith Moyer, treated me like one of the gang right away and never looked down at me (or anyone else on the staff) like many media personalities frequently do.

Years later after I worked in Philadelphia and New York and had a chance to come back to the Valley and be part of a media event with them, they treated me exactly the same as they had when I first knew them—with no extra airs and just like a regular person…again, something that doesn’t always occur in this industry.

Some of the bigger names in broadcasting typically give people a once-over and decide if that particular person can help their career, enhance their life in some way, or be a threat to their job.  If it’s one of the first two categories, they’ll act like the most gregarious individual you’ve ever met…and if it’s the latter, well, heaven help you.

Whether or not you liked the playful shenanigans of the “Bearman and Keith” show over the decades, even a critic would have to say their longevity and creativity in a business which frequently changes trends (and subsequently, people) on a dime, was second to none in the Lehigh Valley.  I would also argue that in the area’s rich broadcasting history, they will go down as one of the greatest announcing duos on a short list of some incredibly talented broadcasters to come out of and/or serve this area.

And yet, the thing I remember most of this pair is simply the kindness they showed to all people.

I have always carried with me the respect they showed their co-workers and audience members alike.  It is something I have tried to emulate in my own career—something that may not be that important in moving up the “food chain,” but one of the most important lessons of life that they probably don’t even know they taught me as a young, fill-in radio guy.

RIP Bearman…you will be missed, in more ways than you can ever know.