Raygu asked late last week whether the move of Hanley Ramirez from lead-off to third in the order would negatively effect his fantasy value. My position is Hanley would be no worse than ARod, and SS-eligibility keeps him at #1. HRs play and batting third he'd have more RBI opportunities.
The bigger question is the decision by New York Mets' manager Jerry Manual to move SS Jose Reyes to the 3rd spot. I don't think it will be a good move because Reyes does not possess HR power and moving him down in the order at the same time the team has moved back its fences seems to rob him of one of his better skills - hitting triples.
With Luis Castillo and Carlos Beltran ahead of him in the order, I can't help thinking Reyes will be slowed down thanks to players on the base paths ahead of him. I wish I could quantify that, but I can't.
The worst of it is quantifiable, though. Jose Reyes will be robbed of 162 opportunites to hit with no one on base and another 50 or so to steal bases with no one clogging the basepaths ahead of him. Very simply, that is what a lead-off hitter receives in the first inning of every game.