Based on Jerry's words, name the M's 1B, 2B, 3B next year.

[TridentHawk]

What's up with bpj suddenly promoting a slap hitter anyway. I'm smelling a rat. Think you should check the credentials of that profile.

I never had a problem with Ichiro if he would have played 2B or CF.

If Arraez has to be a 1B, he wouldn't be worth going after because you could easily find a 1B with a better OPS. Same reason Ichiro wasn't good enough for RF after his first few years. Other RF's could put up better OPS without breaking a sweat.

And either way, Arraez has a significantly better OPS than Hoerner over the past few years. He's not the weak one.

There aren't many better 2B available, and we need a leadoff hitter because Julio, JP, and even Robles aren't best suited to do it.

JP shouldn't be anywhere near the leadoff role ever again.

[Vogelbomb]

Once Bliss gets settled in and starts knocking the ball around the yard like he did in Miami last season, establishes a .270+ avg and .330+ obp, I'd stick him in at leadoff, go Robles in the 2-hole, then J-Rod, Cal, Raley, Arrozarena. You're both absolutely right on about JP, stick him at 9 and don't ever move him. He should bat 9th all season long.

I like that a lot. Hopefully Bliss does what I hope from him and hopefully Arrozarena can step his game up and have his best season. I love Robles. I think he's going to be big time again in '25 and I fully expect J-Rod to have an MVP -contention season.

[Donn Beach]

My issue is the defense, ichiro wàs a light hitter but he also had a heck of a glove. I've seen Arraez referred to as the worst second baseman in baseball. I don't know enough about him to have an opinion but it concerns me. I'd rather go with a heavy hitter with questionable defense than a light hitter. And for $14 mil, makes me nervous.

Ichiro couldn't survive in RF without the defense because his bat didn't carry him there. Even with his defense he was in the way of a better bat.

You guys are acting like Arraez is a weak bat, but he has the 3rd highest OPS among qualified 2B since 2022.

That's why I don't care- at all- about his defense. Defense shmefense.

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but tooty toot toot. I think he's the perfect leadoff hitter for this team. And like you, I don't give a rats **** about defense. We have had so little offense in the last four years (really 20)

I really don't see Arraez as that valuable a leadoff hitter. He's slow, doesn't steal bases, doesn't walk. And actually a single with nobody on base isn't that valuable. He's really got one outstanding tool, an ability to put the ball in play. I think that could work better as a two hitter than leadoff. Particularly with an ability to hit behind the runner

[bpj]

Ichiro couldn't survive in RF without the defense because his bat didn't carry him there. Even with his defense he was in the way of a better bat.

You guys are acting like Arraez is a weak bat, but he has the 3rd highest OPS among qualified 2B since 2022.

That's why I don't care- at all- about his defense. Defense shmefense.

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but tooty toot toot. I think he's the perfect leadoff hitter for this team. And like you, I don't give a rats **** about defense. We have had so little offense in the last four years (really 20)

I really don't see Arraez as that valuable a leadoff hitter. He's slow, doesn't steal bases, doesn't walk. And actually a single with nobody on base isn't that valuable. He's really got one outstanding tool, an ability to put the ball in play. I think that could work better as a two hitter than leadoff. Particularly with an ability to hit behind the runner

Sounds like a lot of double plays.

Guess it depends what you want from your leadoff hitter. I think stolen bases are incredibly overvalued because most of these guys get thrown out too much anyways.

Over the last three years Arraez has one of the best OBP's in baseball.

I just want my leadoff hitter getting on base, I don't care if he can steal or draw a walk personally.

[Seattle or Bust]

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but tooty toot toot. I think he's the perfect leadoff hitter for this team. And like you, I don't give a rats **** about defense. We have had so little offense in the last four years (really 20)

I really don't see Arraez as that valuable a leadoff hitter. He's slow, doesn't steal bases, doesn't walk. And actually a single with nobody on base isn't that valuable. He's really got one outstanding tool, an ability to put the ball in play. I think that could work better as a two hitter than leadoff. Particularly with an ability to hit behind the runner

Sounds like a lot of double plays.

Guess it depends what you want from your leadoff hitter. I think stolen bases are incredibly overvalued because most of these guys get thrown out too much anyways.

Over the last three years Arraez has one of the best OBP's in baseball.

I just want my leadoff hitter getting on base, I don't care if he can steal or draw a walk personally.

Disagree.

The M's offense took a big leap when Robles was leading off and causing chaos on the base paths. I think slow, OBP guys work at the top of lineups that have serious hitters behind them.

The M's are not that. I prefer the pitcher to have to think against an offense like ours.

[Donn Beach]

And there's the rule changes, the stolen base is back in vogue

There were 3,503 stolen bases across MLB in 2023, the most in a season since 1987 and over 40% more than we saw in 2022 (2,486).

[bpj]

I really don't see Arraez as that valuable a leadoff hitter. He's slow, doesn't steal bases, doesn't walk. And actually a single with nobody on base isn't that valuable. He's really got one outstanding tool, an ability to put the ball in play. I think that could work better as a two hitter than leadoff. Particularly with an ability to hit behind the runner

Sounds like a lot of double plays.

Guess it depends what you want from your leadoff hitter. I think stolen bases are incredibly overvalued because most of these guys get thrown out too much anyways.

Over the last three years Arraez has one of the best OBP's in baseball.

I just want my leadoff hitter getting on base, I don't care if he can steal or draw a walk personally.

Disagree.

The M's offense took a big leap when Robles was leading off and causing chaos on the base paths. I think slow, OBP guys work at the top of lineups that have serious hitters behind them.

The M's are not that. I prefer the pitcher to have to think against an offense like ours.

I'd be fine with a 1/2 of Robles and Arraez in either order.

Our problem is we don't have the guys that bat 3/4 to drive the runs in.

But there aren't many of those that play 2B, which is why Arraez is still a great fit imo.