An ideal baseball lineup

Two-and-a-half months into the 2001 season, we are seeing some phenomenal seasons. Barry Bonds leads the way with 34 home runs already, ten games ahead of Mark McGwire's pace when he set the record of 70 in 1998. Ichiro Suzuki is hitting far better than anyone could have ever expected, on pace to top the all-time record for hits in a season. Manny Ramirez continues to justify the $20 million a season the Red Sox are paying him.

These players are crucial cogs in their teams' lineups. If one were to choose the best 1-9 hitters in baseball, these three can each put up strong arguments for their inclusion. But would all three make the cut? What would be the ideal lineup that could be created right now in baseball? I'll attempt to put together what I think is the best lineup that could be constructed, and although I despise the designated hitter, I'll allow for the DH in this case in order to fit in that extra stud hitter.

To keep things from getting too complicated, I will base my decisions solely on statistics for this season. Using career numbers would obviously change my selections. And taking into account players from the past would open up an entirely new can of worms. A sabermetrician would probably tell you that a lineup of nine Barry Bonds (or, for the all-time team, nine Babe Ruths) would be the ideal lineup, but that arrangement is impossible, so I'll stick to the constraints mentioned previously. Using just this year's stats (through June 13), what is the best lineup one could put together?

As I expounded upon in a previous column, OPS (On-base percentage Plus Slugging percentage) is a good single-number measure of a player's overall hitting prowess. I'll use that figure as a starting point, but I will also take into consideration base running ability, defense, and more detailed hitting numbers.

In the outfield, it's no surprise that Bonds makes the cut. His 1.362 OPS is more than 150 points higher than the second best number. The next best performance by an outfielder is surprising, but Luis Gonzalez just seems to keep getting better. His OPS of 1.181 beats out the 1.153 of Manny Ramirez. Gonzalez will have to shift to right to accommodate Bonds, but he should be able to make the adjustment. I'll banish Ramirez to the bench between his DH at bats and, in need of a center fielder, go with another surprise performer to man the middle of the outfield. J.D. Drew is starting to fulfill all the expectations that have been heaped upon him over the last few years. His 1.104 OPS is edged out by Larry Walker's 1.136, but Walker's numbers are boosted by playing a mile above sea level.

Around the horn, another Rockie falls victim to Coors Field bias. First baseman Todd Helton has put together another monster season thus far, and his 1.186 OPS is slightly better than Jason Giambi's 1.169, but that difference disappears when you consider Giambi plays his home games in a park that favors the pitchers.

Second base is another tough call. Bret Boone is knocking in runs at a phenomenal pace, he plays great defense, and his OPS of 0.962 leads all second basemen. However, Roberto Alomar is a close second at 0.944, and he is an even better defender than Boone. Boone clears the table that the likes of Ichiro set, while Alomar's job is to get on base for the sluggers batting behind him. This lineup will have plenty of power, and I desperately need a leadoff hitter, so I'm choosing Alomar.

Shortstop is about as easy as it gets. Alex Rodriguez is a man among boys at his position, especially with the struggles of Derek Jeter and the absence of Nomar Garciaparra. Rodriguez's 1.052 OPS is the 10th best among all players. However, the runner up in this race might shock you. Rich Aurilia's 0.994 number is a very pleasant surprise for Giants fans.

At the hot corner, rookie sensation Albert Pujols gets the nod. Not only has Pujols put up a 1.095 OPS, but he has done so playing not just his customary position of third base, but first base, left field, and right field as well. The poise this youngster has demonstrated is incredible.

Behind the plate, Mike Piazza and Ivan Rodriguez are nowhere to be found. Their 0.873 and 0.853 values, respectively, fall short of the likes of Paul LoDuca (0.909) and Jorge Posada (0.908). At the top of the rankings for catchers, there is a tie at 0.933 between Charles Johnson and Robert Fick. However, Fick has only played about 2/3 as many games as Johnson, and half of his games have been at first. Throw in Johnson's superb defense, and this choice becomes easy.

So now that the players are set, where do they hit? As I stated earlier, I need a leadoff hitter with some speed, so Alomar and his .414 on-base percentage and eight steals will set the table for the boppers. A Rod bats behind him in the two-hole. Barry Bonds is set in his familiar third position, while Ramirez comfortably fills the cleanup spot. I'll put Gonzalez behind him at no. 5. Putting Pujols sixth in the order, followed by Giambi seventh and Johnson in the eighth spot, allows me to alternate lefty-righty throughout the order (with Alomar being a switch hitter). Drew at the bottom of the lineup provides some additional speed, not that this lineup really needs it.

I do want to mention one other player. My first hitter of the bench certainly would be Erubiel Durazo. He has five pinch hit home runs already, he can play first or the outfield, and he is one of only fifteen players with an OPS above 1.000 (1.032, to be exact). He will find a starting role somewhere, sometime, and he will flourish.

So there's my team. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Is my anti-Rockie bias unfair? Do teammates Ichico (0.859 OPS) and Boone make your lineup? Does Piazza or Pudge deserve to catch? Send me an e-mail and let me know what you would do differently.