Post by Boston Red Sox on May 15, 2019 22:21:13 GMT -5
Oldest Rivalry - Hitting Edition
-- Boston, MA
Now for the hitting portion of our breakdown, with both teams having some stellar hitters! Both of these teams have historically been known for their great lineups and how well they can put a full 1-9 together! Without any further introduction, here are the two lineups:
Edge: Mattingly - Both are exceptional players, but Cecil Cooper is in the twilight of his career and even with these great numbers is a shell of what he was in his prime. Mattingly is outdoing him in almost every category by a small number, and is probably the best defensive first baseman in the league. Cooper is 8 months shy of being a dozen years older than Mattingly, so the 25 year old probably has even better years ahead of him while Cooper is looking at maybe two more years before his decline really sets in at most.
Second Basemen
Doug DeCinces vs Lou Whitaker
DeCinces - .249/.313/.440, 17 2B, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 37 BB, .979 Fielding %, 12 Errors | Whitaker - .327/.418/.500, 22 2B, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 65 BB, .979 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Whitaker - While DeCinces is having a career year, Whitaker is a force when it comes to putting the bat on the ball and making something happen. Almost .080 points higher in batting average more than makes up for a little less pop. They seem to be about equal on the field, but Whitaker moved from shortstop earlier in the year so he has less time at second this year than DeCinces, so that's not an extremely accurate measurement of their compared skill with the glove.
Third Basemen
Gary Gray vs Rob Deer
Gray - .259/.290/.400, 8 2B, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 10 BB, .994 Fielding %, 1 Error | Deer - .223/.325/.319, 11 2B, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 60 BB, .991 Fielding %, 3 Errors
Edge: Gray - This one surprised me too, but Gray is having a better year than Deer considering that he was out with injury for part of it, and has played less games. His combined OPS is .046 higher than Deer, who by all means should be putting out a much better offensive season than this; He's obviously struggling with something. Gray is probably better defensively, even though Deer is a damn good defender in his own right. These factors put the struggling Gray on top of the struggling Deer at this point in the season, and it will remain to be seen if that will turn around.
Shortstops
Wade Boggs vs Willie Randolph
Boggs - .344/.441/.520, 42 2B, 8 HR, 73 RBI, 73 BB, .980 Fielding %, 10 Errors | Randolph - .329/.428/.394, 13 2B, 1 HR, 46 RBI, 64 BB, .977 Fielding %, 11 Errors
Edge: Boggs - Boggs is on a record setting pace in doubles this year, and has a shot to set the all time single season doubles record this year. Randolph already has 64 steals, and an outside shot at 100. Still, Boggs is a much more rounded player, and his OPS being over .900 shows why. In every aspect except speed, Boggs has at least a slight edge. Hopefully both these players break records, because they exist to be beaten!
Left Fielders
Jim Rice vs Mike Rogodzinski
Rice - .266/.302/.474, 26 2B, 19 HR, 55 RBI, 21 BB, .970 Fielding %, 6 Errors | Rogodzinski - .267/.324/.399, 16 2B, 11 HR, 64 RBI, 35 BB, .902 Fielding %, 16 Errors
Edge: Rice - Beyond having a slugging percentage .075 higher, it's easily decidable just by the fact that Rogodzinski is an absolute butcher in the field who shouldn't be seeing play time outside of DH at this point in his career. Rogo is still a good player, but his fielding is beyond awful and he's not the player he was in his prime days in DET/PIT/BOS. Rice has speed with 35 steals on top of that and it makes it one of the easier decisions out of any of these.
Center Fielders
Fred Lynn vs Howard Johnson
Lynn - .292/.399/.409, 6 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 24 BB, .981 Fielding %, 2 Errors | Johnson - .254/.352/.371, 18 2B, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 50 BB, .979 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Lynn - Lynn may not have counting stats this year but he has only been in 40 games this season due to 2 early season injuries keeping him out of action for almost the entire first half. Lynn is looking like his regular self since returning, and that means this isn't close. Johnson is a player that is definitely going to put up better numbers in the coming years, but right now Lynn is still in his prime and yet to slow down.
Right Fielders
Dwight Evans vs Tony Armas
Evans - .238/.354/.408, 18 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 46 BB, .987 Fielding %, 2 Errors | Armas - .294/.368/.466, 12 2B, 11 HR, 52 RBI, 36 BB, .961 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Armas - With more time on field Armas wins this close race in right field. Evans is a defense first right fielder with a great eye at the plate, so he's walked more than Armas in a lot less games. In almost every other stat though Armas has shown to be more consistent, especially with the .294 average, which is miles above the .238 average of Evans. We'll see if Evans can even get his starting job back, considering replacement while injured Dave Park has been raking since being traded to the Red Sox.
Designated Hitter
Andres Galarraga vs John Kruk
Galarraga - .265/.343/.480, 23 2B, 21 HR, 90 RBI, 44 BB | Kruk - .240/.296/.360, 12 2B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 28 BB
Edge: Galarraga - Kruk is just a year too early to be a breakout player in my opinion, meanwhile Galarraga has finally broken out of his shell (hard to believe you can say that about a player with 66 HR in the last 3 years before this season, where he's already slugged 21). In a year or two, they might be much more evenly performing players, but for now the Big Cat takes this battle simply because of his production in the DH spot.
Final Verdict: Tie
Both teams have a stacked lineup with the exception of 2 spots each, which are filled with either underperforming players with a lot of talent, or injury replacements for talented players. We'll see which team is more clutch down the stretch, and which lineup propels it's team deeper into the playoffs!
Now for the hitting portion of our breakdown, with both teams having some stellar hitters! Both of these teams have historically been known for their great lineups and how well they can put a full 1-9 together! Without any further introduction, here are the two lineups:
| Red Sox | Yankees | |
| Catchers | Butch Wynegar | Darrell Porter |
| First Basemen | Cecil Cooper | Don Mattingly |
| Second Basemen | Doug DeCinces | Lou Whitaker |
| Third Basemen | Gary Gray | Rob Deer |
| Shortstops | Wade Boggs | Willie Randolph |
| Left Fielders | Jim Rice | Mike Rogodzinski |
| Center Fielders | Fred Lynn | Howard Johnson |
| Right Fielders | Dwight Evans | Tony Armas |
| Designated Hitters | Andres Galarraga | John Kruk |
Catcher
Butch Wynegar vs Darrell Porter
Wynegar - .204/.264/.230, 0 HR, 20 RBI 18 BB, 5 Errors, 28.8% RTO | Porter - .212/.319/.324, 10 HR, 51 RBI, 49 BB, 6 Errors, 19.4% RTO
Edge: Porter - While Porter is having a down season, he's still hitting better than Wynegar, who's a near non-factor in the batters box. Porter will probably perform better in the second half than he did in the first half considering his track record; it's doubtful his .212 average is a permanent drop, and he's a career .260 hitter. Unless he's completely out of gas as a player, he's going to smoke Wynegar in final stats at the end of the year. Behind the plate Wynegar is better defensively, but not by a far margin in most categories except his ability to throw out runners at a much better clip. Tettleton would be a different story, but he recently went down for the year, so Porter is now the better starting catcher between the two teams.
First Basemen
Cecil Cooper vs Don Mattingly
Cooper - .307/.360/.487, 33 2B, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 38 BB, .991 Fielding %, 11 Errors | Mattingly - .320/.376/.509, 25 2B, 17 HR, 82 RBI, 42 BB, .998 Fielding %, 3 Errors
Edge: Mattingly - Both are exceptional players, but Cecil Cooper is in the twilight of his career and even with these great numbers is a shell of what he was in his prime. Mattingly is outdoing him in almost every category by a small number, and is probably the best defensive first baseman in the league. Cooper is 8 months shy of being a dozen years older than Mattingly, so the 25 year old probably has even better years ahead of him while Cooper is looking at maybe two more years before his decline really sets in at most.
Second Basemen
Doug DeCinces vs Lou Whitaker
DeCinces - .249/.313/.440, 17 2B, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 37 BB, .979 Fielding %, 12 Errors | Whitaker - .327/.418/.500, 22 2B, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 65 BB, .979 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Whitaker - While DeCinces is having a career year, Whitaker is a force when it comes to putting the bat on the ball and making something happen. Almost .080 points higher in batting average more than makes up for a little less pop. They seem to be about equal on the field, but Whitaker moved from shortstop earlier in the year so he has less time at second this year than DeCinces, so that's not an extremely accurate measurement of their compared skill with the glove.
Third Basemen
Gary Gray vs Rob Deer
Gray - .259/.290/.400, 8 2B, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 10 BB, .994 Fielding %, 1 Error | Deer - .223/.325/.319, 11 2B, 9 HR, 40 RBI, 60 BB, .991 Fielding %, 3 Errors
Edge: Gray - This one surprised me too, but Gray is having a better year than Deer considering that he was out with injury for part of it, and has played less games. His combined OPS is .046 higher than Deer, who by all means should be putting out a much better offensive season than this; He's obviously struggling with something. Gray is probably better defensively, even though Deer is a damn good defender in his own right. These factors put the struggling Gray on top of the struggling Deer at this point in the season, and it will remain to be seen if that will turn around.
Shortstops
Wade Boggs vs Willie Randolph
Boggs - .344/.441/.520, 42 2B, 8 HR, 73 RBI, 73 BB, .980 Fielding %, 10 Errors | Randolph - .329/.428/.394, 13 2B, 1 HR, 46 RBI, 64 BB, .977 Fielding %, 11 Errors
Edge: Boggs - Boggs is on a record setting pace in doubles this year, and has a shot to set the all time single season doubles record this year. Randolph already has 64 steals, and an outside shot at 100. Still, Boggs is a much more rounded player, and his OPS being over .900 shows why. In every aspect except speed, Boggs has at least a slight edge. Hopefully both these players break records, because they exist to be beaten!
Left Fielders
Jim Rice vs Mike Rogodzinski
Rice - .266/.302/.474, 26 2B, 19 HR, 55 RBI, 21 BB, .970 Fielding %, 6 Errors | Rogodzinski - .267/.324/.399, 16 2B, 11 HR, 64 RBI, 35 BB, .902 Fielding %, 16 Errors
Edge: Rice - Beyond having a slugging percentage .075 higher, it's easily decidable just by the fact that Rogodzinski is an absolute butcher in the field who shouldn't be seeing play time outside of DH at this point in his career. Rogo is still a good player, but his fielding is beyond awful and he's not the player he was in his prime days in DET/PIT/BOS. Rice has speed with 35 steals on top of that and it makes it one of the easier decisions out of any of these.
Center Fielders
Fred Lynn vs Howard Johnson
Lynn - .292/.399/.409, 6 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 24 BB, .981 Fielding %, 2 Errors | Johnson - .254/.352/.371, 18 2B, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 50 BB, .979 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Lynn - Lynn may not have counting stats this year but he has only been in 40 games this season due to 2 early season injuries keeping him out of action for almost the entire first half. Lynn is looking like his regular self since returning, and that means this isn't close. Johnson is a player that is definitely going to put up better numbers in the coming years, but right now Lynn is still in his prime and yet to slow down.
Right Fielders
Dwight Evans vs Tony Armas
Evans - .238/.354/.408, 18 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 46 BB, .987 Fielding %, 2 Errors | Armas - .294/.368/.466, 12 2B, 11 HR, 52 RBI, 36 BB, .961 Fielding %, 5 Errors
Edge: Armas - With more time on field Armas wins this close race in right field. Evans is a defense first right fielder with a great eye at the plate, so he's walked more than Armas in a lot less games. In almost every other stat though Armas has shown to be more consistent, especially with the .294 average, which is miles above the .238 average of Evans. We'll see if Evans can even get his starting job back, considering replacement while injured Dave Park has been raking since being traded to the Red Sox.
Designated Hitter
Andres Galarraga vs John Kruk
Galarraga - .265/.343/.480, 23 2B, 21 HR, 90 RBI, 44 BB | Kruk - .240/.296/.360, 12 2B, 7 HR, 48 RBI, 28 BB
Edge: Galarraga - Kruk is just a year too early to be a breakout player in my opinion, meanwhile Galarraga has finally broken out of his shell (hard to believe you can say that about a player with 66 HR in the last 3 years before this season, where he's already slugged 21). In a year or two, they might be much more evenly performing players, but for now the Big Cat takes this battle simply because of his production in the DH spot.
Final Verdict: Tie
Both teams have a stacked lineup with the exception of 2 spots each, which are filled with either underperforming players with a lot of talent, or injury replacements for talented players. We'll see which team is more clutch down the stretch, and which lineup propels it's team deeper into the playoffs!
