What is the best way to build a lineup?

[Dadawg_77]

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/20021122daily.shtml

In the article above it talks about whether or not it is better to build a lineup that has solid players all around or just get a group of key studs and throw people around them. And since we know under current management, and maybe the new reality with the new salary structure that the Sox will never just get studs at every position, this is good topic to look at. The author sides with Studs and duds approach since it would take less resources to replace duds, and you don't end up overpaying for avg talent. I am not sure which way I favor, but Oakland seems to have the Stud and Duds approach.

[duke of dorwood]

If your Studs are pitchers, yes. Otherwise thats silly. The best Yankee teams never seem to have a league leader in any offensive category.

[Dadawg_77]

Originally posted by duke of dorwood
If your Studs are pitchers, yes. Otherwise thats silly. The best Yankee teams never seem to have a league leader in any offensive category.

Currently Yankees are built on Studs, but Yankees keep trying to acquire studs at every position so they may not be the best example on how to build the team unless you are willing to break the bank every year.

Last year's Yankees, without Jason Giambi and with a less productive Soriano ranked 13th in the league in OPS and ninth in run scored. The Yankee were first in both cats this year. Last year Zona was ninth in OPS and seventh in runs scored and this year's World Series teams were Anaheim sixth in Ops and fifth in Runs, and San Fran which was 5th in OPS and 11th in Runs. The White Sox were third and fourth respectfully this year and seventh and eighth last year.

We all know you need pitching to win it all, Sox 21st in team ERA while San Fran was second and Anaheim was fourth. The question isn't how to build a winning team necessarily, just how to build a better offense.