Top'a Da Ordah

Dustin Pedroia is batting .218 in the lead-off spot this season. Hitting coach Dave Magadan thought Pedroia was trying to hit for power too much:

He’s pressing a little bit and just like everybody else he’s trying to get two or three hits in every at bat. He’s just got to slow everything down, let the ball come to him and hit the ball where it’s pitched rather than trying to do too much with it.

It was looking like Francona was going to make a switch soon but Pedey is starting to heat up. He had multiple hits in his last two games and may stay at the top spot a little longer. With Ells finding his grove again and getting on base it seems like a good time to put him back up top but Lou Merloni of CSNNE likes Jacoby batting 7th:

Which brings me to my next point, I like Jacoby in the 7 hole. I realize that all hitters want to hit at the top of the order. Its a pride thing, I get it. But like i just said, the middle of the order isn’t where i want this team to "manufacture" runs, its the bottom third where they should and with Jacoby hitting 7th that’s exactly what can happen. He no longer has the big boppers hitting behind him so every time he gets on base he thinking one thing……steal this base.

Pedroia put up huge numbers last year batting second and it seems like the place he belongs. Youk is in a mini slump of his own so batting Pedey in front of him may not be the right move now but Francona needs to get Ells back at the top and move Pedroia to batting second before the All-Star break.