Hidalgo vs. Mench

[TB13]

Who has the better year? Is Hidalgo a lock to bat 5th? I actually think that Mench in the 5 spot with Hidalgo behind him could go 30/100. Too much of a stretch?
OTOH, if Hidalgo is batting 5th, might not a similar year await him? Both could be a nice source of power, but Hidalgo has been going much earlier than Mench.
Thoughts on who shall be the better?

[tuff_gong]

i think hidalgo's numbers will improve regardless. however, i think if he bats 5th, his numbers will improve more than if he bats 6th.

[TB13]

[quote="tuff_gong"]i think hidalgo's numbers will improve regardless. however, i think if he bats 5th, his numbers will improve more than if he bats 6th.[/quote]
Off course. But what I am asking is whom essentially is going to have the better season? More that likely it will be the person who bats 5th. However, who will it be? And will batting 5th really have such a meaningfull impact of these two?

[sockeye]

I am more confident in Mench than in Hidalgo. Hidalgo may have a bit more upside, but he's too flaky to me. So with that, I would rather take Mench later than Hidalgo earlier. Use that early pick on someone more reliable.

Texas was also supposed to do wonders for Carl Everett. Let's face it, sometimes a guy is just too untracked for the ballpark to matter.

[TB13]

[quote="sockeye"] Let's face it, sometimes a guy is just too untracked for the ballpark to matter.[/quote]

Now that I buy. Hidalgo could not get on-track hitting at Minute-Maid, which is a very good hitters part in it's own right.
I just have the feeling that it will be Hidalgo batting 5th, which will have a major impact on the RBI amount. Mench will still get his home runs, but I feel that in that particular lineup, batting 5th is a big difference than 6th. Or maybe I am overanalyzing it too much.

[slomo007]

I don't think 5th/6th will make a huge difference in that lineup. It's pretty much stacked from top to bottom, with the exception of Barajas/Laird and maybe Nix if he doesn't break out.

Regardless of who bats where, I like Hidalgo more this year. Based purely on his upside potential he showed in Houston. He might hit .250 with 25 HRs, or he might hit .300 with 35-40 HRs. I am leaning towards .285, 30 HRs, and a good amount of runs and RBIs.

[jeff926]

in a keeper, i like mench... i think he will continue to improve with the stick, where as the best days of hidalgo have already been seen

[wrveres]

Mench ...


Hidalgo couldn't get it done in Houston ...