Again, this from "Optimizing Your Lineup" in Beyond the Boxscore back in 2012 (originally linked to us by Jon Abby after an exhaustive, five second google search:
"Another way to look at things is to order the batting slots by the leveraged value of the out. In plain English (sort of), we want to know how costly making an out is by each lineup position, based on the base-out situations they most often find themselves in, and then weighted by how often each lineup spot comes to the plate. Here's how the lineup spots rank in the importance of avoiding outs:
#1, #4, #2, #5, #3, #6, #7, #8, #9
So, you want your best three hitters to hit in the #1, #4, and #2 spots. Distribute them so OBP is higher in the order and SLG is lower. Then place your fourth and fifth best hitters, with the #5 spot usually seeing the better hitter, unless he's a high-homerun guy. Then place your four remaining hitters in decreasing order of overall hitting ability, with base stealers ahead of singles hitters. Finally, stop talking like the lineup is a make-or-break decision."
AGAINST RHP
Verdugo
X
Bennie
JD
Devers
Chavis
Moreland
Vasquez
JBJ
I'm fan of LRLRL...etc in case that's not clear. If/when Pillar spells JBJ in center, I'd just flip Vasquez and Pillar,
I could not get past my old school concept of a leadoff hitter and am not convinced the players can, either. Thus Raffie is not in the leadoff spot in spite of clearly being one of the team's 'three best hitters'.
Agains LHP I'm not so sure as there are several possible platoons that might come into play. Pillar in the OF and others on the right side of the IF. Chavis prob plays against both, until he doesn't