MLB analyst CJ Nitkowski joined Dukes & Bell to talk about our Braves and would lineup manipulation help get veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna going offensively?
When asked if the Braves should move Ozuna out of the three hole in the lineup.
“Lineup manipulation is an interesting one and it’s a conversation we talk a lot about in the game, are you trying to protect somebody or are you trying to get somebody extra pitches to hit,” Nitkowski said. “I think in the case of Marcell Ozuna I don’t know if it’s going to matter where you put him in the order, opposing pitchers will look at where he’s struggling regardless and probably be able to exploit that to some degree.”
“He definitely has to get going here no doubt, he’s done a good job against certain pitches, he’s hit two seam fastballs pretty well but off-speed pitches have been a real problem for him. When you start to struggle on certain pitches, information travels so fast in this game that it is nearly impossible to try to keep up so it’s just going to take a while.”