You mean when the guy at the top is reaching base, and 3-6 are hitting with power, teams score more runs??
BRILLIANT!
The Astros are kind of funny in a way. They have Biggio at leadoff who basically isn't about gettng on-base per se. He's about getting his knocks and helping the team win that way. Then you get to Ensberg who isn't about moving Biggio over like a good contact hitting #2 would. It's about a guy taking the walk and getting on-base primarily and if the pitcher decides to challenge him with good fastballs, then... well... maybe he'll swing at a couple of them. It's not your prototypical top of the lineup sorts. Burke and Loretta would be much better at it if you were looking for prototypical. And throw Loretta a challenge fastball... or even if you throw a fastball away and low, this guy will still eat those pitches alive and you'll think to yourself... "Damn, this guy is a tough out!". Loretta is a contact guy par excellance! But I digress... the Astros are currently employing the top of the order guys that are different than the norm and it's working (to an extent).
What is really rounding into shape (pun intended) is the middle of the lineup. Berkman, Lee and Scott are becoming a well functioning middle of the lineup. PENCE!!! works well at the #6 because he can free swing to his hearts desire now. And it's working so far, even in that disaster of a game in St. Louis on Sunday, there were signs that good things were starting to happen.
The long term though is what will Ensberg really do as a #2? I mean, he isn't contact hitting at all. He doesn't really employ an approach of hitting behind a runner. Is that important? Over the long haul, you do want to have your #2 doing those sorts of little things for sure. Last night, in a different sort of situation but one that illustrates the approach factor of being in a lineup, cropped up.
Tight game, Reds up 5-4. Lane doubles over Dunn's head to lead off the inning. Next batter is PENCE!!!, now mind you, he isn't the #2 guy, he's supposed to find a way to drive Lane in to tie the game. So he's swinging, good... that is what he's supposed to do in that role. Swing the bat, drive him in. First pitch was a slider that PENCE!!! pulled off of. Same pitch came second. Same result, swing and a miss. I still think he's doing what he's supposed to do in that role. But think for a minute if you will: what if PENCE!!! is hitting #2 and behind him is Lance Berkman and not Adam Everett. Same approach?
No.
As a #2, PENCE!!! would be required at the very least to be a productive out. No strikeout. No trying to drive him in. His job if he were in the same situation is to move Lane over to third base. That means hitting behind the runner and trying to push the ball towards the right side. But hitting #6, he is swinging to drive in Lane. So he grounds back to the mound and Lane doesn't move. Next batter up is Adam Everett and he flies out to centerfield. Deep enough to score Lane had he been moved to third on a productive out. But see, that is the point... a #6 isn't tasked to do that, but a #2 is. So that is subtle but the thing you look for in a marathon season to work for your favor.
Will Ensberg finally get to this point and make productive outs part of his game? Will contact hitting become something he understands? Will walking become the only thing he understands with this position? It may not hurt the team for Ensberg to be #2, but for now I reserve my judgement if overall, we're not talking about how it didn't help the team much to have a non-contact, make productive outs type at the 2 hole this season in order to give MoBerg a place to reside.
Time will be the judge of this unorthodox approach to the top of the lineup.
