Making a Successful Lineup

Hey guys,

Sorry I've been away for a while.  I've been super busy.  In today's post, I want to talk about something that is a little different in the minds of other coaches than it is in mine.  Too many youth coaches and even high school coaches have no idea how to make a batting order.  You see 95% of teams with their order going from best hitters to worst hitters and that just can't be the case if you want maximum production from your lineup.  What I want to do is just go from spots one to nine in the order and describe the types of hitters that should be in these spots.  Here we go:

1- Most coaches get this one right, because it's easy.  You want a guy with great discipline, speed, and contact abilities in your lead off spot.  It also won't hurt to have a little power here.  Nothing shuts a pitcher down more than a double in the gap to start the game.  The main thing is he has to be a ball player.  He has to be able to do everything with the bat.

2- This needs to be a guy who can go the other way well.  Hopefully your leadoff man is on base and the 2 hitter has the chance to move him over or drive him in.  He needs to have the ability to play small ball and it doesn't hurt to have speed.  Once again, this guy needs to be one of your more rounded baseball players, at least in the hitting department.

3- He needs to mash.  Strikeouts are at a minimum, average is high, and power production is high.  This is your team's best hitter.

4- Similar to the 3 hitter, but your cleanup guy has a little more leeway for strikeouts and maybe a little lower average.  Only slightly!

5- Another power guy, but maybe not polished enough to be in the 3 or 4 slots.  He might have lower power numbers, but make sure he can get hits, because this is not a place where you want outs.

6- Do you have that guy on your team that when he hits it it goes, but otherwise he strikes out?  We all do, and this is the spot for him.

7- Contrary to popular belief this is your weakest hitter.  It's a great spot for him, because more often than not your 7 hitter isn't starting or ending an inning.  Have a guy who can bunt here.

8- Here's where I get a little weird, but it's proven many times to work in my lineups.  I have my second  leadoff man in the eight spot.  If you don't have a guy with speed, have a guy who doesn't strikeout in this spot.  He needs to have a high on base percentage.

9- Obviously this is your second 2 hitter.  The purpose of the 8 and 9 spots being a second 1 and 2 hitter is that you are rolling the order back over.  The key to the big inning is being able to roll the order back around.  You see most coaches body language change to, "well crap, this inning is done," when they get to 8 and 9, but the key to burying a team is to have a strong bottom so you can crush them with your top again.

Try this type of lineup out.  You can literally try it anywhere; fantasy, video games, little league games, or anywhere else you are making out a lineup.  It will give you the most statistical production every time.

Tip of the day: Make your lineup according to the talent that you have on your team.  If your team doesn't have the talent to produce the order above then don't waste your time.  Just get the most production you can out of the top of your lineup.

Thanks!