masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWell, as Buck Showalter might say, our curiousity was satisfied. When the lineup came out yesterday, we found out that new Orioles outfielder Gerardo Parra was batting second and Manny Machado first.
For one game, that sure worked fine in a 6-2 win over Detroit, and there may be no reason to change that for a while. Parra went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored.
Parra had good numbers for Milwaukee when batting both first and second:
Parra at leadoff: .384/.432/.632 in 31 games….

Well, as Buck Showalter might say, our curiousity was satisfied. When the lineup came out yesterday, we found out that new Orioles outfielder Gerardo Parra was batting second and Manny Machado first.

For one game, that sure worked fine in a 6-2 win over Detroit, and there may be no reason to change that for a while. Parra went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored.

Parra had good numbers for Milwaukee when batting both first and second:

Parra at leadoff: .384/.432/.632 in 31 games.
Parra batting second: .284/.320/.432 in 23 games

With the Brewers, Parra batted first, second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Yep, in every spot but cleanup. He had his most at-bats at the leadoff spot with 125, with 95 when batting second and 47 batting sixth for his third most.

Looking at those numbers, you might say to bat Parra in the leadoff spot since he hit nearly .400 there this year. But for the Orioles, the bigger key may be where Machado is most comfortable hitting right now, and that sure looks like leadoff.

Machado-On-Deck-Orange-Sidebar.jpgHe’s been there most of this year, and in 77 games when batting first, Machado has a slash line of .310/.380/.558 with an OPS of .938. Machado went just 2-for-15 when batting third.

Also, with Machado followed by Parra and then Adam Jones and Chris Davis, it gives manager Buck Showalter his preferred mix of consecutive hitters from different sides of the plate. In this case they start out right, left, right and left through the first four batters in the lineup. That could create some late-game matchup issues for an opponent’s bullpen.

No doubt Machado is eventually going to a be a middle of the order bat for the Orioles and probably be that for many years to come. But for now, he’s having a great season and I see no reason to take him out of the leadoff spot. In the brief trial with him hitting third recently, Machado appeared to overswing a few times and he’s just so locked in at leadoff. I say just keep him there, and a veteran like Parra will be just fine batting in between Machado and Jones in the order.