Re: Who bats 9th?
It makes sense if you've got three guys you want to plug into the top two spots. You don't want to push your 3-4-5 guys down to 4-5-6, so you relocate your odd-man-out instead.
Like the '04 Sox, who had the '03 AL batting champ Mueller hitting 9th. It was down to him or Bellhorn The Rally Killer. Might as well put Bellhorn after the power hitters (Varitek/Nixon/Millar), and hope they cleared the bases before Bellhorn could do any damage.
Not many teams have that luxury. Varitek/Nixon/Millar would bat 3-4-5 on most teams (I mean the '04 Millar, who could get the ball out of the infield).
Speaking of Mueller, he signed with LA yesterday, and I can't believe Red Sox Nation has been quiet about it. I guess the Can't Complain After Winning A Title Grace Period is in full swing.
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