Game #8: Royals at Blue Jays
Kansas City (3-5) at Toronto (4-3)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre
Today’s lineups:
ROYALS
David DeJesus, CF
Esteban German, 2B
Mark Teahen, RF
Reggie Sanders, DH
Emil Brown, LF
Alex Gordon, 3B
Ryan Shealy, 1B
Jason LaRue, C
Tony Pena Jr., SS
PITCHING: LHP Jorge De La Rosa
BLUE JAYS
Reed Johnson, LF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Vernon Wells, CF
Frank Thomas, DH
Troy Glaus, 3B
Alex Rios, RF
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
Royce Clayton, SS
PITCHING: LHP Gustavo Chacin
Major League Bastian 
One growing concern for me is the top of the order right now. I know its early but something just doesnt seem right.
To me Hill and Rios would look so much better at the top than Johnson and Overbay.
Johnson is a pretty good leadoff man, but I just think both Hill and Rios are much better hitters. And Overbay could slide very nicely into the #6 spot. I dont care about the back to back lefties or whatever..if you want bat Johnson 7th, Zaun 8th, then Clayton (very impressed with so far) 9th
I can see your point, and Rios might make a better leadoff hitter with the way he’s going right now (not flashing the same type of power stroke as the start of last year), but it’s hard to argue with how the lineup has been doing. Through 8 games, the Jays are averaging 6.5 runs. And it’s only 8 games. You can’t put a lot of stock into Overbay’s .222 average in the same way you can’t put too much stock into Hill’s .387 average just yet. Sure, it’s a slow start versus a hot start, but by the end of the year, both of those guys should be around .300. Give the lineup some time before passing too much judgement. With the way the back of the order guys have been producing, I don’t know that Toronto should break it up just yet.
With the back of the order the way it is, I would leave it for now. Tons of time in the season to make adjustments and changes. Personally, I don’t think Hill should be put in the top of the order just yet, might damage the confidence he has right now. And Johnson is a great leadoff guy.
Reed Johnson just happens to be one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball, and the best Jay since Shannon Stewart. How many other Jays can bunt their way on? Plus, there was only one Jay that led the AL in OBP last year, and there is no reason that he won’t be up there this September too. Rios would be a fine #2, but once Johnson gets on track a bit, and Overbay learns to pull the ball into the gap, the combination is going to be deadly (a la Tony Fernandez/Darren Fletcher). And Rios/Hill are doing a fine job protecting Glaus.