That's conventional thinking. Stats say otherwise: 3 hole is for your 5th best hitter. The 3 hole batter comes to the plate with fewer runners on base than the 4 or 5 hole hitters, on average.
The myth of the balanced lineup
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That's conventional thinking. Stats say otherwise: 3 hole is for your 5th best hitter. The 3 hole batter comes to the plate with fewer runners on base than the 4 or 5 hole hitters, on average.
- Nov 18, 2013
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It makes sense that #4 or #5 hitters have more runners on base if teams are batting their best hitter in the #3 spot. If runners on base were the gauge why would you bat the best hitter in the #1 spot with no one on base?
No they don't. Stats might say the following...
...but that is because
...the three hole (your best hitter) is always on base when 4-5 come to the plate, even when she leads off an inning...which she can do very well too...because she is the best hitter in the lineup.
Be careful in the conclusions you draw from stats alone.
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Why?
Not saying you're wrong. Well, actually, I do lean toward thinking balance and diversity is overrated if not meaningless.
But what is your philosophy there?
Do you have a link of synopsis of that school of thought, that the #3 hitter should be the 5th best hitter?
Again, that's the conventional logic. The reality is that the #3 hitter comes up with 2 outs, none on quite often - enough so that this spot isn't as important as some think it is.
Runners on is the measure for some spots, but not all. Obviosuly someone has to get on, first, hence the high OBP desired in the #1 slot.
I'm not opining here, just repeating the results of thorough statistical analyses.
Optimizing Your Lineup By The Book - Beyond the Box Score
Admittedly, the differences are small, but not insignificant.
Take it or leave it, but these stats don't lie.
- Dec 8, 2014
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Agree that 3 hole should be one of your better hitters. I look at it as the first 3 spots in the order are going to get the most at bats during a game and throughout the season. Who do I want to get the extra opportunities?
- Feb 17, 2014
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Are baseball and softball different enough for us to think about this differently? I think slappers add a dimension to softball that you don't have in baseball.
- May 3, 2014
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Agree with best overall hitter batting #1 - if she can run all the more reason. Been fortunate enough to have a leadoff hitter the last couple of years that can put us up 1-0 or get on via bunt or walk and then steal 2B. I tend to stack the first 4 slots with the same type of hitter as #1 except in descending order. My "power" hitters hit 5 and on and then try to bat a speedy slapper last.
- Nov 18, 2013
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Stats lie all the time and with enough research someone could write a book stating why your best hitter should be in the #9 spot. Batting the best hitter somewhere other than #3 is an interesting thought that may have merit, but you can't read a book or a post online and be convinced everyone else in the baseball/softball world is wrong.
