Starlin Castro’s Lineup Spot

Contest reminder: Don't forget to enter our contest to win The Essential Games of the Chicago Cubs DVD set. It runs through Sunday. This has nothing to do with talent, as Castro has as much of it as anyone in baseball. This comes down too mind frame and plate approach. In my mind, Starlin Castro is as good a 2 hitter around. He’s going to make solid contact, can drive a ball into the gaps, will hit a few homers, and is the perfect hit and run candidate because he doesn’t strike out much. There’s a mindframe and specific approach for a 2 hitter and it’s just that. When you move from that spot to 5, you’re now a run producer. Your swing is going to be longer, bigger, and more powerful, making you prone to strike outs, pop outs, and weak ground balls. It also can make you prone to opening up the strike zone more. Obviously, you have to be a certain kind of hitter to hit 3-4-5 in the big leagues, but can you honestly say Starlin Castro is a 5 hitter? I can’t. — Random article I sa...