It's often thought a team should put the players most likely to reach base at the top of the order, with those in a slump filling out the bottom half. Yet, as A's pitcher Greg Smith gets set to take the mound and make his major league debut north of the border, the A's feature a lineup where the leadoff man is batting .074 and the cleanup man is sporting a .130 mark. In contrast our 8 and 9 hitters are both above .400. That's right. The next threat to Ted Williams' historic mark just might be named Ryan Sweeney. Maybe.
As has been much discussed today, the A's made a roster move to bring Smith on the the major league team, designating the occasionally popular and occasionally frustrating Dan Johnson for assignment.
Your 2008 Oakland Athletics
1. Buck (RF)
2. Ellis (2B)
3. Barton (1B)
4. Cust (DH)
5. Brown (LF)
6. Crosby (SS)
7. Hannahan (3B)
8. Suzuki (C)
9. R. Sweeney (CF)
Their 2008 Toronto Blue Jays
1. Eckstein (SS)
2. Stewart (LF)
3. Rios (RF)
4. Wells (CF)
5. Thomas (DH)
6. Hill (2B)
7. Overbay (1B)
8. Scutaro (3B)
9. Zaun (C)