Seeing GGOW, Youkilis batting 4th last night vs. LAA just make Tito Francona look even a worse manager. After asking Youk to BUNT in a critical bottom of the 9th inn. with runners on 1st & 2nd with no outs, the "bunter" is batting clean-up with the regular slugger, Manny Ramirez out of the lineup. It's difficult to imagine any other hitters who could bat 4th in the lineup would be asked to bunt in similar situations. Would Jim Thome be asked to bunt with runners on 1st & 2nd? Would Albert Pujols be asked to bunt in that situation (Pujlos usually bats 3rd, but you can't argue that he can't be a great #4 hitter)?
If Francona believed that Youkilis is not a guy who can get a hit in the critical situation or even hit the ball to the right-side, why should he be trusted as a #4 hitter in the lineup? GGOW deserves better than this. He has the 11th best OBP @ .390, btw.
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