Comparison of Lineup

I'm going to assume that Rasmus starts for the sake of argument here. Now for the comparison:

Rasmus vs. Eckstein

Rasmus has a lot more speed and power, and will basically be a better lead off hitter. Eckstein had an OPS of .738 last year, with 10 SBs. Rasmus has yet to go under .830 in his pro career, and was at .932 in AAA last year. Big difference there. Rasmus' lowest SB total was 13, so there is another spot where he'll help this lineup out. It's been awhile since we had any type of base stealing threat in the lead off spot.

Ankiel vs. Duncan
This will be virtually the same person: decent amount of HRs, a lot of Ks, and a lot of ups and downs. I'm a little bit scared, however, about Ankiel's nature- obviously everybody knows about how he blew up in those playoff games I believe in 2001. He also went into a tailspin after the steroid allegations came out last year. If he can get his head on straight, he'll put up very good stats, but that might be a stretch.

Pujols vs. Pujols
Last year Albert had a down year, but I'm not sold that his elbow is back to normal. I remember reading an article awhile ago about how he couldn't extend his arm, and that if he had the same type of pain as last year, that he wouldn't play. That would be major trouble.

Glaus vs. Edmonds
Edmond's OPS dropped to .728 last year, and it'd been dropping since '04. Glaus on the other hand has been pretty consistent since '01, and if he can stay healthy, you can count on at least 30 HRs, something Edmonds hasn't done since '04.

Duncan vs. Rolen
Duncan was injured most of last year, like Rolen. If Duncan stays healthy and LaRussa plays him everyday, look for him to bop at least 35 HRs, and an OPS over .900, something Rolen hasn't done since '04 (sounds like Edmonds, doesn't it).

Molina vs. Encarnacion
Molina has been improving offensively, but he won't be able to put up the stats Encarnacion did. Look for more improvement by Molina, but he's still nothing special.

Kennedy vs. Molina
Last year was by far Kennedy's worst year, and I honestly think that Brendan Ryan would be a better option here. However, I expect him to get back to where he was before last year. Molina was solid last year, and was most likely better than Kennedy will be this year.

Izturis vs. Miles
Both suck(ed), and I know Ryan would be a better pick for this spot.


Overall, the top of the lineup is a lot better this year, especially in the power department. The bottom of the order drops off a bit, but if Rasmus can meet expectations and starts, this will be a decent lineup, and a lot better than you'd expect with Rolen and Edmonds being traded in the off season. I'll be getting a defensive comparison later......

The Purple Iguana