Here are the regulars:
Player Avg. OBP HR SB
C Don Slaught 1984 . 264 .297 4 0
1B Wally Pipp 1916 . .262 .331 12 16
2B Lou Whitaker 1983 . 320 .380 12 17
3B Edgardo Alfonso 1998 .278 . 355 17 8
SS Luis Aparicio 1958 . 266 . 309 2 29
LF Carl Yastrzemski 1974 .301 .414 15 12
CF Mookie Wilson 1984 . .276 . 308 10 46
RF Ralph Garr 1972 .325 .359 12 25

The team plays in Shea Stadium.

I will explain more about the team later if anyone has questions. But I thought it was a great opportunity to learn about each other's thinking about lineups - I know there are some who argue that lineups make little or no difference, of course, though that is not my view (how many runs did the 1961 Yankees lose out on by batting Maris AHEAD of Mantle, despite one getting on base a lot and the other hitting 61 homers, probably a lot with few on base?).

Anyway, I think this is an interesting team. It has so many different talents and possible offensive approaches. I will tell you all what I settle on once I do so. And give more info about it. But I would like to know people's first reactions: who you would bat where. They all have good PA with only Slaught, being the catcher, having in the order of 450-ish.

I look forward to seeing what you all your different reasonings are. Would you have the same batting order vs. LH and RH pitchers? Would you move players around depending on what park they are playing in at the time? What would be your main criteria for the batting order? What signs would you look for to change it over time?

Thanks in advance.

I would go:

Yaz
Whitaker
Pipp
Alfonzo
Garr
Aparicio
Slaught
Pitcher
Wilson

Yaz is batting leadoff not only for his high OBP, but also because he will hit into a very high number of double plays if you bat him in the middle of the order, bad combo of slow feet and very few strikeouts.

Then Whitaker is the best remaining hitter and has the most PAs so he bats second and plays all 9 innings of all 162.

The next three I don't have a strong opinion on the order but I did want to avoid four lefties in a row, I just went in descending order of PA.

Now you have your defensive specialists where you want to maximize their innings in the field so they are the last three in the order. Aparicio should have enough PAs where you can bat him sixth and he can play just about all 162. Then I am batting Wilson ninth so he can play all 162 in center field and so he can steal bases without being in front of a pitcher who will just be bunting him over anyway. This leaves Slaught batting seventh.

Fascinating. Unexpected, but a brilliant logic. Thanks. Anyone else?

How many PAs they have is so important. In a perfect world where they all have enough (or their replacements are just as good) , I'd probably go

Yaz
Whitaker
Alfonzo
Garr
Pipp
Mookie
Slaught
Aparicio

If Aparicio had any OBP at all I'd hit him 9th. Mookie is the last guy with any power at all so he goes in the 6 hole.

I do put a little bit of stock into the "low OBP slugger goes 3rd and then OBP again 4th" lineup construction if the players fit.

I might go Fonzie 3rd/Garr 4th against lefties and swap them against righties, but I'm not sure.

I go in order of PA during the regular season to get all my starters to play as many games as they can.

But in the playoffs, I’m all about putting your best OBP 1st and best overall hitter 2nd.

Screw the handedness of the pitcher, no one drafts LHPs anyways.

Yaz
Lou
Garr
Alfonso
Pipp
Mookie
Aparicio
Slaught