So a big item of contention for many Dodger fans has been, what is the lineup going to look like? Certainly you know from my "Why the Dodgers Are Worth Watching in '07" what I think about the power on the squad, but even I was curious to know which of the sluggers would be snubbed for the cleanup spot. Manager Grady Little has shed a little more light on the order of the future Giant killers
Catcher Russell Martin is tentatively slated to hit sixth, "but don't hold me to that." That would leave a top six of Rafael Furcal, Juan Pierre, Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Luis Gonzalez and Martin. Little says he hasn't yet decided how to slot third baseman Wilson Betemit and right fielder Andre Ethier into the seventh and eighth spots.
Well that certainly solves things. In reality that is a top six as solid as Steve Lavin's slickback, with Furcal and Pierre causing havoc on the bases. But with all do respect, when you're down by two in the 8th with a few men on and two out, you're going to want a bonafide masher at the plate rather than a combination of line drive gaps and doubles hitters. Mark my words now -- the Dodgers are going to miss not having a 30-40 home run bat in the lineup.




