I don't know what's more frustrating. The years when we had offense but no starting pitching to speak of (usually lose 8-5); or now that we have pitching and no offense (losing 4-2).

At least with pitching, you feel like you have a chance. There's been so many times we've had guys on 2nd and 3rd with no outs and didn't score. That rips your heart out. But I keep thinking that eventually these guys will hit. And at least we're only single digits out of first at the AS Break. Usually we're 10-12 games out and buried in last by July. So I do count our blessings that at least we're mediocre, and not God-Awful this far in. Baby steps...

Imagine... Optimism from George Blowfish. Somebody slap me!

Of the 2, I prefer good pitching and no offense. If we're going to lose, I'd rather it happen in less than 3 hours so I can get on to other things.

Yep, me too.
And I appreciate good pitching and defense. It just makes me nuts when we can't move a runner or sac fly. But it is what it is.

Is there a reason Lough can't hit in the 2-hole?

Good pitching will win you a lot more games. Remember how stacked we were earlier this decade with Beltran, Damon, Dye, Sweeney, Randa yet we still sucked. This is our best staff since 1994 with Appier, Cone, Gubs, and Gordon.

Ned would stroke out at the thought of 3 left handers in a row. His whole obsession with the L/R thing is probably why Escobar was at the two spot period.

Kind of like no offense (1990’s Chiefs) or no defense (2002-2004 Chiefs). We’ve been tortured every way possible in this city.

That's exactly it.

EDIT: Well, that and Ned thinks you need someone who can "handle the bat" at No. 2.

I wouldn't freak if he were in the 2 hole, but tonight's lineup gets our three best the most ABs, and this is all I really care about.

Yeah, Esky is a real wizard at that bat handling thing. F that. lough makes contact and has a knack for finding he big hit. Get him up there at the 2 spot, bat Belly 3 and Hos 4.

I just don't think I can trust Lough to bunt a runner over from 2nd to 3rd in the first inning.

HOMERS KILL RALLEYS!!!

I don't think Lough is patient enough yet to hit #2. Not that Hosmer isn't prone to jumping early, but he's growing into that.

Right now, I like Hosmer hitting 2nd.

Lough: .297/.315/.449
Hosmer: .287/.336/.432

Lough's OBP is too dependent upon the base hit, and thus it's not really much of an argument to say that Hosmer is the better hitter, therefore needing more ABs.

Much better lineup construction.

On days when Perez sits and you need to shuffle things, Gio can hit 2nd.