How a lineup works....

Yesterday (4/12/2016), in the eighth inning, we saw how a line up works.  Steven Drew came in to bat with no one on and one out.  Score was 0-0.  Drew has some Pop, and traditionally a .250 hitter who does not walk a lot.  However, he got a "bloop" hit.

Now, the top of the order was up.  MAT came in, and (luckily) made contact, in what turned out to be a swinging bunt.  Drew is fast, so there was no play at second, but they got MAT out at first.

Anthony Rendon is up...a good hitter often known as Tony two-bags because of his propensity for hard line drives.  He is a good hitter, and after him is Bryce Harper, the reigning MVP and possibly the best hitter in baseball.  Man on second, two outs, they need to get Rendon out.  But, they can't risk contact because contact means a 1-0 lead for the Nats (probably).  So, they are playing for the strikeout by painting the corner.  In a 2-2 count, they throw the Curve ball, hoping for the swing an miss, but Anthony holds up.  Full count.  They need to get the strike.  A called strike is risky:  it has to be perfectly placed because Rendon is a good hitter, and he does not feel stress.  They try a two seam fast ball; Anthony starts his swing, sees the spin, and checks his swing.  It is called a ball...and First base umpire rules it is not a swing. Walking Anthony is not the end of the world.

Now, man on first and second.  And Bryce Harper is in the batter box.  Third base is open.  However, hitting behind Bryce is Ryan Zimmerman, who is also a very good hitter, and known as an RBI man.  An IBB on Bryce to load the bases would be a huge insult on Ryan, and historically, that does not end well for the opposing teams (walking if first was open would not be an insult).  So, because Ryan is protecting Bryce, Atlanta went right after Bryce with a outside pitch.  Bryce makes contact, hits it the other way, the left fielder lays out, but just misses it.  Two runs score, Bryce is on second.  Nats win 2-1.

If Steven Drew did not get the hit, if MAT did not advance the runner, Rendon does not come up.  If Rendon did not successfully check the swing, Bryce does not get up.  If Bryce was protected by a lessor batter, they walk him...But, the lineup worked as designed.