More Lineup Fun

David Pinto at Baseball Musings has a very cool toy called "Lineup Analysis". You plug in the OBP and SLG for nine players and generate the 30 best and worst run-scoring lineups.

I put in the nine starters for the 2006 Red Sox.

Best (5.728 R/G)   Worst (5.289 R/G)
Youkilis           Gonzalez
Ramirez            Crisp
Varitek            Nixon
Ortiz              Varitek
Lowell             Loretta
Crisp              Ramirez
Nixon              Lowell
Gonzalez           Youkilis
Loretta            Ortiz

In 25 of the 30 best lineups, Manny was batting #2; Ortiz was #2 in the other 5. Youkilis or Nixon was the leadoff guy in all 30 best lineups. ... In every one of the 30 worst lineups, Gonzo was #1 and Ortiz was #9.

I input the 2006 numbers for the probable 2007 lineup:

Probable    Best        Worst
5.674 R/G   5.856 R/G   5.210 R/G
Lugo        Youkilis    Pedroia
Youkilis    Ramirez     Crisp
Ortiz       Lugo        Lowell
Ramirez     Ortiz       Lugo
Drew        Drew        Varitek
Lowell      Lowell      Youkilis
Varitek     Varitek     Drew
Crisp       Pedroia     Ramirez
Pedroia     Crisp       Ortiz

I have to admit I'm pretty amazed that Tito's probable lineup is so similar to the most productive lineup (based on the players' 2006 performance).

Once again, Manny is at #2 in 25 of the best 30 lineups. In the other 5, he's leading off. (There are obvious many flaws in this exercise -- no accounting for speed or a player's comfort level or jeering from the media -- but it's fun.)

My campaign to get Manny into the 2-hole begins now!