Once Again, and This Time With Feeling: Russell Branyan Should Not Bat Second
When we argued that the so-called experiment of strikeout-prone slugger Russell Branyan batting second should come to an end, we'll admit we didn't have a great solution for who should hit there instead. But with the acquisition of contact-hitting shortstop Jack Wilson, we do now. And yet, Wilson remains slotted in the lower half (sixth or seventh) of the batting order while Branyan, whose average has slipped to .258 by virtue of a 3-for-35 (.085) slump in his last nine games, continues to strand Ichiro at first.
Here's how we see it: Wilson should hit second, Branyan cleanup, and Griffey Jr. or whoever's DHing should hit sixth. Simple as that -- and with Beltre soon to return, the DH should, at that point, drop to the seven-hole. End o' story.
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