But I would still modify your top lineup to be:

Figgins – 3b

Abreu – RF

Guerrero – DH

Hunter – CF

Morales – 1b

Napoli – C

Rivera – LF

Wood – ss

Kendrick – 2b

I think Howie is still better in the bottom third at this point in his career. He just presses too much at the top and needs lay off the outside cheese.

Plus I know Soth loves some speed at the top and bottom.

…at least at this time. The starting pitching has been excellent so far. So – unless SP deteriorates over the next 2-3 weeks – there won’t be much net gain in the return of Lackey, Santana, and Escobar.
The 2 most glaring weaknesses to date have been hitting generally (clutch hitting specifically) and the bullpen. The hitting situation likely will not be helped by the injury to Vald (although he hasn’t hit much to date either).
So…regardless of the return of the other SP’s we need more offense! Is Wood the answer? I am not convinced. Woody would likely suffer the same “growth pains” as Morales. And I definitely wouldn’t start Willits in an offensive or defensive line-up.

Figgins – 3B
Abreu – DH/RF
Hunter- CF
Guerrero – RF/DH
Napoli – C
Morales – 1B
Rivera – LF
Kendrick – 2B
Wood/Aybar/Izturis – SS

I prefer Abreu as DH whenever possible. I think it’s dumb to have a set lineup for more than one or two games, but this is what I’d go with right now.

I also think it’s dumb that we’re not alternating between Aybar and Wood.

“What type of lineup do you want??”

Uh, I want one that SCORES DOZENS OF RUNS PER GAME!

1. Figgins
2. Abreu
3. Hunter
4. Vlad
5. Morales
6. Napoli
7. Aybar
8. Rivera
9. Howie

I like the lefty righty balance of this lineup.

Gotta go with speed at the top. Love how Abreu works the count—what a difference huh?! I love Howie, but he looks like he’s pressing right now. When (not if) he starts hitting more, I’d move him back up.

Torii hitting third might give him more fastballs to hit with Vlad hitting behind him. The only reason I went with Morales instead of Naps hitting 5th is because he’s a switch hitter.

Aybar has to go somewhere and I think the only other spot I would put him in my construed lineup is ninth. He’s seventh not ninth because he’s a switch hitter too.

With HGH in the lineup instead of Rivera I would like this:

1. Figgins
2. Abreu
3. Hunter
4. Vlad
5. Morales
6. Napoli
7. HGH
8. Howie
9. Aybar

Just checking to see if anybody had heard anything about his visit with Yocum yet. Haven’t been on the intranets much today.

Substitute F-bomb in the above title. Vlad is out “at least” a month. So maybe that means we’ll see a lot of more Naps at DH, I hope. But still, we’re a little screwed. What next plague will you visit upon us, O Baseball Gods?

1. Figgins LF
2. rivera Kendrick 2b
3. Abreu RF
4.Hunter CF
5. Rivera DH
6. NapsC
7. Morales 1b
8. Wood 3b
9. Aybar SS

1. Figgins – 3B
2. Kendrick – 2B
3. Abreu – RF
4. Hunter – CF
5. Napoli – DH
6. Rivera – LF
7. Morales – 1B
8. Mathis – C
9. Iztruis / Aybar – SS