24 May 2005
SS Furcal
2B Giles
1B Franco
CF A. Jones
RF Mondesi
C Estrada
3B Betemit
LF Langerhans
P Hudson
I defended Julio in comments last night, but that doesn't mean I think he should be batting 3rd. I think he has more worth than Jordan or Mondesi. If Chipper is out, then either Giles or Andruw should be batting 3rd--right now probably Andruw.
Also, Wilson Betemit is batting .306/.444/.556 for a 1.000 OPS (.400/.471/.933 against left-handed pitching for a 1.404 OPS). With Chipper out, I think he should be batting ahead of Mondesi, Estrada, and Langerhans, but probably not 3rd--Andruw should be there right now. In this lineup, with these players, I'd bat him cleanup.
One 2 hit night for Mondesi last night overrides 2 months of batting at the Mendoza line so he gets to bat 5th tonight. I don't know if we'll ever get to see Johnson or McCarthy (barring injury or until roster expansion in September), instead I'm afraid we'll be subjected to Jordan and Mondesi for the rest of the season.
I think that if Jordan and Mondesi finish the season as the starters, and with their current amount of production, that the Braves will not win the division. I don't see much chance of them getting better than they are now, either.
Update: I stand corrected about Mondesi: against left-handers he's batting .227/.393/.500 for an .893 OPS, showing that he might have worth as a platoon player. Against the left-hander, maybe he should be batting 5th after all. Jordan has only a .648 OPS against left-handers.
Against right-handers, both are miserable with a .581 OPS for Jordan and a .577 OPS for Mondesi.
