Yeah... after the top 3-4 hitters I would probably just order the rest of the lineup from best to worst overall hitter rather than looking for specific skills in specific spots.

Asher's right about power in the 5 spot.

the lineup matters throughout the game, not just the first time through. Having certain players protected matters every time through.

F
B
E
I
H
G
C
D

That's... different.

It's something I would try, whether it would work is another matter.

I'm open to different ideas, but F and D are head and shoulders above everyone else in the lineup with regards to not getting out. Aren't those the kinds of players you want coming to the plate as often as possible? As opposed to someone like B, who's a below average hitter based on the information we know.

I like D bringing up the bottom of the order, I've always thought teams should at least try something like that instead of just having their 3 worst hitters hit 7-8-9.

OK Tony La Russa.

But that means you're giving an extra at bat almost every single game to a worse hitter. Over the course of a season that's 100+ ABs to a decent hitter instead of a really, really good hitter (in this example, we're talking about the difference between Hanley Ramirez and Austin Jackson).

And the best way to score runs is to group your hits together in bunches rather than spreading them out. Hitters can't control when they do that, but you increase the chances of it happening by keeping your best hitters together, don't you?

I feel like I'm lengthening the lineup by having some strength in the back, and that it's worth the sacrifice of having the lesser guy in the 2 hole. Listen, it's just something a little off the wall that I would try to see if it worked. I fully understand that it's not conventional and could blow up in a team's face.

D: .366/10/13
F: .366/8/8
H: .338/21/20
I: .328/30/0
E: .328/21/5
G: .328/10/5
B: .328/8/13
C: .291/13/45
A: .304/3/20

I can't wait to find out who these people are.

Just to clarify: these are not real players. I took the 252 players with the most plate appearances in 2013 and made three charts, one for each relevant stat. I took the top 7 players on each chart (the top 1/36th), averaged their stats and created a Tier 1. I use two dice to randomize the stats, so Tier 1 corresponds to rolling a 1,1. Rolling a 3 is a little easier, so more players go in that tier, (14 or 2/36ths). The most common roll is some kind of seven, so that's the biggest group, and the most average players. Each stat for each player is determined separately, so you could conceivably have a guy hit .255OBP with 39 homers and 0 stolen bases, or any combination whatever.
The best possible player would hit .420/39/45
The worst would hit .255/1/0
The average player hits .328/13/5

New group of 9. How would you assemble this line-up?

A: .351/30/1
B: .351/10/1
C: .328/13/0
D: .366/21/20
E: .291/39/5
F: .304/30/2
G: .351/10/2
H: .351/5/13
I: .338/17/2

D: .366/21/20
B: .351/10/1
A: .351/30/1
F: .304/30/2
E: .291/39/5
G: .351/10/2
I: .338/17/2
H: .351/5/13
C: .328/13/0

I thought this was going to end up being an elaborate version of when people post Pedroia's stats without telling you they are his to show how overrated he is.

This one is a bit tougher.

First impression leaves me with this:

H: .351/5/13
B: .351/10/1
D: .366/21/20
A: .351/30/1
F: .304/30/2
I: .338/17/2
E: .291/39/5
G: .351/10/2
C: .328/13/0

Good luck with your fan base keeping a guy with 40HRs in the 7 slot.

It's that fucking .291 OBP.