Now That’s A Lineup

August 31, 2009 at 5:15 pm | Posted in Jonathan Meloan, Russell Martin | 2 Comments

Not wasting any time with the “let’s give the infield a breather” initiative, are we?

DODGERS

Martin C
Ethier RF
Ramirez LF
Kemp CF
Blake 3B
Belliard 2B
Loretta 1B
Castro SS
Wolf P

This is Martin’s first time batting leadoff since September 21 of last year when… the Dodgers scored 0 runs in an 11 inning 1-0 loss to the Giants. D’oh. Fun fact: the middle infield that day consisted of Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa. My, how far we’ve come. Actually, hitting Martin leadoff isn’t a terrible idea. Though his power has completely disappeared this year, his .358 OBP is 37 points higher than usual leadoff man Rafael Furcal and is actually better than any Dodger infielder. So even if he’s not hitting for extra bases anymore, perhaps he can at least get on for the big bats 2-5 to move him around. This is, of course, also the Dodger debut of Ronnie Belliard.

On another note, I know I’m a sucker for former Dodgers, but the Pirates DFA’d Jonathan Meloan today, making them the third team he’s been on since leaving the Dodgers in last year’s Casey Blake deal. It wasn’t that long ago that he was a highly-touted reliever in the Dodgers system (don’t forget his ridiculous 2007, in which he struck out 91 in 66.2 IP with a 2.02 ERA between AA and AAA) and he’s only just turned 25. He’s struggled a bit with his control since leaving the Dodgers, but he still looks to have good stuff (striking out 60 in 65 IP this year). If he goes unclaimed and it doesn’t cost a 40-man roster spot, why not bring him back and see if familiar surroundings can reclaim what he had going?