Good question Cadaver. The simple answer is if you have average to great bats through most of your order you can hide 1-2 weak hitters. Any more than that though you really have to stack your line up and play match up even more. Even with that, your 3 top hitters should still be 1-3 in the lineup unless none of them can give you a lead off type of production in the analytics. Doesn’t have to a base stealer but a smart base runner, someone who can work the counts, has splits that are somewhat even (it may have to be 2 guys with splits that are more lopsided) and get on base with walks as well as being a good hitter. Then you may have to find someone that is outside of your top 3 hitters to fill the lead off role.

But trying to hide Hatcher, Skinner, and Debrule, who are all also LH bats, man I think over the course of a season that will limit rallies and runs more than those dead innings that they incur. When you have a limited offense, stacking 1, 2, 3, works better throughout a season and gives you your best chance to optimize run production. The stronger your line up is overall, the more you can lean toward a more traditional line-up but I think the numbers are proving more and more that your 2 hole hitter is your 3 hole traditional hitter in today’s game. Freddie Freeman just won MVP hitting a lot from the 2 hole last year.