Ever have one of those days when there are two conflicting voices in your head? And no, not the normal voices that say 'if you started driving south you could be in Mexico in 4 days and no one would ever find you.' Oh? That's not a normal voice? I hear it a lot.
Anyway I've had the two voices in my head all day. The one voice is calm, sort of in the Jack Nicholson, the first few times he types "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" way. That voice is saying "it is the first spring training game, who cares about the batting order". It is a very reassuring voice, if you overlook foreshadowing.
The other voice is a little louder. Ok, a lot louder. Maybe slightly more hysterical. "How the hell do you bat Travis Snider 9th in the order?" He is hitting behind such great hitters as Alex Gonzalez, he of the .635 OPS last year, Jeremy Reed, lifetime .669 OPS and John Buck with the lifetime .705 OPS.
This morning the calmer voice was winning. This afternoon? Not so much.
I know, Cito doesn't like Snider. I know he wants to 'put him in his place' or however why you want to say it. We keep being told that Snider has to win his way on to the team. Travis Snider has to win his way on to the team? This is a team where Jose Bautista, a player who at 28 just had his best season ever at the plate, with a big .235 BA, is installed as leadoff hitter before spring starts.
Travis Snider, with no end of potential, has to win his way onto the team. Jose Bautista, with the career .316 OBP against lefties leads off. Jose Bautista who couldn't keep a job as a corner infielder, gets a corner outfielder job. Travis Snider has to win his way onto the team. And he has to win it starting at the 9th spot in the order, hitting behind 3 guys who if they get on base at a .300 pace it would be some sort of miracle.
Anyway, I'm sure the calmer voice will win out again tomorrow. It is just the first spring game.