are too limited commodity to just dump them right now. Olivo is really struggling at the dish but he is calling a good game and throwing well both things that everyone has given Buck a pass on for years now. I’m all for trading Olivo or B.Pena but I wouldn’t just dump them, it’s not like they are soft tossin relievers.

Buck is still strugglin tossing runners out. He has given up 4 steals I believe and got a gift call on his one toss out. His limitations in that aspect of the game are still scary to me. Kinsler didn’t wait long at all to take off last night so either Meche needs to vary his pickoffs, his timing or Buck is gonna struggle. I love the way Buck is hitting and hopefully this is a sign of Seitzer helping him out as opposed to another hot start followed by a second half black hole.

Although we know that batting order doesn’t matter much at all (5-15 runs a season), I obsesss over it constantly, too. You can read my general thoughts on batting order and the Royals here. Obviously, the group that’s available now is much different than before the season started.

I would say, first, that, although no managers do it, given the universality of platoon splits, one should always have different lineups vs. LHPs and RHPs.

So (without rerunning all the platoon numbers or looking) , here is my suggested lineup with the players you use vs. RHPs:

1. DDJ

2. Callaspo

3. Jacobs

4. Butler

5. Teahen

6. Crisp

7. Aviles

8. Maier

9. Buck

Two weeks of stats don’t change guys talent. DDJ is one of the best hitters on the team vs. RHPs, and the best OBP guy historically. He should lead off. I put Jacobs 3rd, since models show that of your best hitters, the guy with the lowest OBP and highest power should hit third, since he hits the most with 2 outs. Thus, I put Callaspo rather t han Crisp second, because Callaspo has the higher expected OBP, and because Crisp’s speed is a sort of neutralized hitting in front of a power hitter like Jacobs. DDJ’s good baserunning (although not steadling) is leveraged better in front of a contact hitter like Callaspo. Butler hits 4th — I still think he’ll pick it up, and we need to separate lefties. TEahen hits fifth, because he’s left. Crisp hits 6th, because, while he’s been good, obviusly he’s ahead of himself. And putting him in front of high-contact, low-power guys like Aviles (who can’t hit RHPs all that well) and Maier leverages both his stealing and baserunning better. I’m one of the bigger John Buck fans you’ll find, but he shold be hitting 9th. Against RHPs, these last three guys could be in a different order.

Vs. LHP:

1. Crisp

2. Aviles

3. DDJ

4. Butler

5. Teahen

6. Callaspo

7. Jacobs

8. Buck

9. Maier

Well, this one is a bit tougher with Guillen oujt. NOt sure about the last three. Of all these guys, Aviles and Butler are the only ones whom can be expected to be above average hitters vs. LHPs this season. If Guillen was here, you can see how I’d order them in my other post. But now Crisp goes into the leadoff spot. NOt much power behind him, so his speed comes into play. Not too many good choices for #3, so I picked DDJ since his historical spits aren’t awful. Feel weird putting Buck #8… the last four spots could be in any order, probably — have to split up Jacobs and Maier, so one ends up being #7 and ahead of either Buck or Callaspo, either of whom probably hits lefties better.