These players MUST play right now

[Wally Mo Pena]

Loosing 4 of 5 can be good early in the season. The first time you start to feel the weight of loosing bad, all the kid gloves come off, all the favorites and politics stop, because everyone just wants to win. So maybe this is what we need, maybe now we can get the right team on the field and make a run. And anyone who complains about playing time, they can hold their comments until we win game or two.

So based on about 20 games, these players must play, everyday, until they slow down considerably, need a day off, or we clinch (Ha!).

Sean Casey .286 .329 .329, not great, but an OPS around .7 is good for most reds (sob), and at least he doesn't strike out every time up.

Joe Randa .266 .382 .516, looking more like the guy we expected, but that's still solid. And he's walking more than i thought he would. OPS of .900 should drop a little with time, but the joker has delivered.

Adam Dunn .304 .435 .750, and he can steal a base.

Wily Mo .333 .378 .833, someone needs to help him in the field though, bad.

Ryan Freel .359 .457 .462, pretty obvious, has been for a while

Felipe Lopez .273 .333 .455, he's just better than Rich Aurilia, he just is.

That Leaves Kearns and Griffey platooning, and i'd play Kearns in center for now, wily mo just doesn't have the skills yet and right is more managable for him.

I would suggest a lineup of

Freel (OBP and speed)
Randa (OBP won't GIDP that much)
Wily Mo (protection from Dunn to get more pitches to hit)
Dunn
Casey
Kearns/Griffey
FeLo
catcher
pitcher

It's different, but i think it could work. Also, you could switch Dunn and Pena if you were worried about the R/L thing.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I want Randa batting 5th or 6th in that lineup:

Freel
Dunn
Pena
Kearns/Griffey
Casey
Randa
LaRue
Lopez

[Wally Mo Pena]

3 comments, though i know this is all fantasy since this lineup will never be used.

randa has a high OBP which would be good for the 2 hole, and he will be better with protection.
I don't think i'd want a .230 hitter hitting cleanup.
Lopez is a better hitter than Larue, i'd hit him 7th.

[CincyRedsFan30]

3 comments, though i know this is all fantasy since this lineup will never be used.

randa has a high OBP which would be good for the 2 hole, and he will be better with protection.
I don't think i'd want a .230 hitter hitting cleanup.
Lopez is a better hitter than Larue, i'd hit him 7th.

Randa has a high OBP, but I think he should be lower for now until he really starts hitting again. Also, he has proven throughout his career that he is better in the 5th slot than anywhere else.

Kearns is starting to hit the ball well lately and now has a couple of HR. I really think he'd thrive in that spot... as that is where he was when he thrived a few years ago.

As for Lopez vs. LaRue...that one is close. LaRue has gotten on baes more, but Lopez has a higher OPS. That could go either way.

[redsrbetter]

I like both of your lineups. CRF's is the one I have been rooting for lately. But Wally's is the one I begged for at the beginning of the season. So honestly I would be happy with either of them. But Wally hit it right on the head. It won't happen. We talk about this every day, and every day we get disappointed. Another good thought was when Wally said;

"The first time you start to feel the weight of loosing bad, all the kid gloves come off, all the favorites and politics stop, because everyone just wants to win."

This was a great point and should be a matter at hand for Miley. So it gives us another reason to hope that Miley sees the light. But will he?....