The series on team offense continues with the Colorado Rockies. Colorado finished tied for seventh in the majors and tied for second in the National League in offense last season, scoring 4.54 runs per game. They scored the same number of runs as the Cincinnati Reds.
The CBSSportsline probable batting order is the one manager Jim Tracy is likely to write up this season. The OBP and slugging percentage used come from the Marcel the Monkey forecast system. The numbers for pitchers represent the Rockies pitchers batting in 2011. Plugging those numbers in the Lineup Analysis Tool (LAT) produces the following results:
- Best lineup: 4.91 runs per game
- Probable lineup: 4.69 runs per game
- Worst lineup: 4.32 runs per game
- Regressed lineup: 4.36 runs per game
The distribution of talent among Rockies players means that lineup construction takes on more importance. As you can see, there is a wide gap between the best lineups and the worst lineups Tracy can put on the field. There isn’t a lot of power in the lineup, with only Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez expected to smack the ball. Tracy’s biggest mistake, as far as I can see, is burying Todd Helton‘s OBP in the fifth slot. Todd no longer hits for power, so his on-base skills should be put to use.
You can see the results of all the teams on this Google spreadsheet as the series progresses.
Previous articles in this series:
- Explanation
- Boston Red Sox
- New York Yankees
- Texas Rangers
- Detroit Tigers
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Toronto Blue Jays
If you like the Lineup Analysis Tool or series like this, please consider donating to the Baseball Musings Pledge Drive.