Sullivan on various questions heading into the season:

[UK1679666180]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060211cubsspringpreview,1,1083493.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

Barrett on the current composition:

 

"We've gone out and gotten guys who can come in and manage themselves. We're sort of leaning more toward the veteran players than the young players, and that will give them the opportunity to focus more on guys like Matt Murton and Ronny Cedeno."

 

Baker on how he might play Murton:

 

"I'll probably still protect him against extreme righties, but this guy has shown the ability to hit tough pitchers too," Baker said. "I like his approach. Anybody that hits the ball to the middle-opposite field is going to hit. If he's hitting balls to right field, that means he has power."

 

Prior on how having Eyre and Howry will help the younger relievers:

 

"With [Howry and Eyre] in the bullpen, those other guys will be in more comfortable situations where they can thrive a little bit more," starter Mark Prior said. "They haven't done a bad job, but you have seen them go through some ups and downs."

 

Baker on who might be the #2 hitter:

 

"if [Walker] is playing."

 

Baker on Cedeno potentially becoming a #2 hitter:

 

"Right now he's a young kid, and that's probably the smartest hitting position in the lineup," Baker said.

 

Baker on vocal clubhouse leadership:

 

"That's one thing lacking on most teams," Baker said. "That's something really lacking everywhere. How many people are willing to take a leadership role?"

 

The article also discusses the situation w/Wood and the possibility of the Cubs declining the '07 option for Wood, making his a free agent.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Baker on how he might play Murton:

 

"I'll probably still protect him against extreme righties, but this guy has shown the ability to hit tough pitchers too," Baker said. "I like his approach. Anybody that hits the ball to the middle-opposite field is going to hit. If he's hitting balls to right field, that means he has power."

 

Who is Murton going to sit for? Hairston? Mabry?

 

Hairston 2005 against righties:

 

.263/.351/.366/.718

 

Mabry 2005 against righties:

 

.242/.301/.428/.729

 

Murton against righties:

 

261/.329/.478/.807

 

Murton will need days off throughout the season and those selected days off should only be against "extreme righties". Looking at who would be replacing him in the lineup, I can't see the Cubs benefitting from having Murton on the bench in those games. With such a weak OF bench, Murton will need to be in the lineup 140 games throughout the season.

[USSoccer]

Baker on how he might play Murton:

 

"I'll probably still protect him against extreme righties, but this guy has shown the ability to hit tough pitchers too," Baker said. "I like his approach. Anybody that hits the ball to the middle-opposite field is going to hit. If he's hitting balls to right field, that means he has power."

 

Who is Murton going to sit for? Hairston? Mabry?

 

Hairston 2005 against righties:

 

.263/.351/.366/.718

 

Mabry 2005 against righties:

 

.242/.301/.428/.729

 

Murton against righties:

 

261/.329/.478/.807

 

Murton will need days off throughout the season and those selected days off should only be against "extreme righties". Looking at who would be replacing him in the lineup, I can't see the Cubs benefitting from having Murton on the bench in those games. With such a weak OF bench, Murton will need to be in the lineup 140 games throughout the season.

 

I dunno. I thought that those comments by Baker about Murton were somewhat encouraging.

[Jon]

So Murton is going to sit when Limbaugh is on the mound?

 

I must say I'm a little more optimistic than I was last year about Baker playing a young outfielder, but not by much.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Baker on how he might play Murton:

 

"I'll probably still protect him against extreme righties, but this guy has shown the ability to hit tough pitchers too," Baker said. "I like his approach. Anybody that hits the ball to the middle-opposite field is going to hit. If he's hitting balls to right field, that means he has power."

 

Who is Murton going to sit for? Hairston? Mabry?

 

Hairston 2005 against righties:

 

.263/.351/.366/.718

 

Mabry 2005 against righties:

 

.242/.301/.428/.729

 

Murton against righties:

 

261/.329/.478/.807

 

Murton will need days off throughout the season and those selected days off should only be against "extreme righties". Looking at who would be replacing him in the lineup, I can't see the Cubs benefitting from having Murton on the bench in those games. With such a weak OF bench, Murton will need to be in the lineup 140 games throughout the season.

 

I dunno. I thought that those comments by Baker about Murton were somewhat encouraging.

 

I'm just concerned about what would be considered an "extreme righty". Dusty has taken credit for bringing Murton along slowly in '05 and Murton has mentioned that it helped him progress. If the Cubs are serious about Murton being their everyday LF for the next 5 years, then I think it should be time to take the reigns off and let him play nearly everyday. Especially considering the other options to spell Murton, Dusty should have Murton penciled in the lineup nearly everyday.

[Jon]

cubs.com[/url]"]"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone," Baker said of Murton. "He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly against lefties [last year] and then, bam, bam, bam, let him play."

If he bam, bam, bam, let him play at the end of last season, maybe the breaking in period is mostly over.

[sethuel1]

Marquis Grissom is a fiery clubhouse presence.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

It doesn't matter what comments Baker makes. It matters what happens when Murton struggles, which he will at some point in a 162 game season. What happens when Cedeno slumps? We'll see. It's easy to be optimistic about the kids at this stage, with the limited success they've had. That isn't going to count for much when they pull a CPat reappearing act for a month.

[USSoccer]

It doesn't matter what comments Baker makes. It matters what happens when Murton struggles, which he will at some point in a 162 game season. What happens when Cedeno slumps? We'll see. It's easy to be optimistic about the kids at this stage, with the limited success they've had. That isn't going to count for much when they pull a CPat reappearing act for a month.

 

That's a really good point. It's very important for both to not struggle out of the gate. If they have a really solid first 6 weeks, Baker will probably feel more comfortable when they do hit that 1-16 slump.

[Neuby]

Did anyone else notice Sullvian has the payroll at 87 million allowing them room for trades at the deadline.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm encouraged that it looks like Baker will play Walker if Hendry fails to trade him.

[frostwyrm]

cubs.com[/url]"]"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone," Baker said of Murton. "He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly against lefties [last year] and then, bam, bam, bam, let him play."

If he bam, bam, bam, let him play at the end of last season, maybe the breaking in period is mostly over.

 

Dusty let Hollandsworth, Dubois, Hairston, Gerut, and Lawton all have a chance before bam, bam, bam, giving LF to Murton. That makes Murton 6th in line, or 'Plan F' in Dusty's scheme. Only a giant ego like Dusty Baker would pat himself on the back when his Plan F succeeds in the dying moments of a failed campaign.

[Neuby]

cubs.com[/url]"]"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone," Baker said of Murton. "He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly against lefties [last year] and then, bam, bam, bam, let him play."

If he bam, bam, bam, let him play at the end of last season, maybe the breaking in period is mostly over.

 

Dusty let Hollandsworth, Dubois, Hairston, Gerut, and Lawton all have a chance before bam, bam, bam, giving LF to Murton. That makes Murton 6th in line, or 'Plan F' in Dusty's scheme. Only a giant ego like Dusty Baker would pat himself on the back when his Plan F succeeds in the dying moments of a failed campaign.

 

Didn't Murton move fast in the Cubs system last year?

[hawkcub]

I am thinking he jumped from WT to Chicago.

[EightyTwo]

You think correctly! :)

[Mark Priors Calves]

West Tenn to Chicago is not as big a jump as it used to be.

[Illini Iceman]

cubs.com[/url]"]"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone," Baker said of Murton. "He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly against lefties [last year] and then, bam, bam, bam, let him play."

If he bam, bam, bam, let him play at the end of last season, maybe the breaking in period is mostly over.

 

Dusty let Hollandsworth, Dubois, Hairston, Gerut, and Lawton all have a chance before bam, bam, bam, giving LF to Murton. That makes Murton 6th in line, or 'Plan F' in Dusty's scheme. Only a giant ego like Dusty Baker would pat himself on the back when his Plan F succeeds in the dying moments of a failed campaign.

 

Gerut? He of 14 AB's in 11 games? That was a quite a "chance" Dusty gave him. Also, unless he has authority to bring guys up from AA I don't think he can be blamed for using Hollandsworth and Dubois first since Murton was not even on the team until about midseason.

[Abe Frohman]

Personally, I think Dusty's BIGGEST blunder in 2005 was his undying faith in Corey Patterson. This guy needed to sit in the WORST way, but just couldn't figure out how to lose his job.

[Drew Doughty]

There was nothing to do but play him. By the time he got back to the majors, we were pretty much out (minus that late surge early in September) and there was no reason NOT to play him. See if he can find some form of his game.

[TheDude]

cubs.com[/url]"]"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone," Baker said of Murton. "He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly against lefties [last year] and then, bam, bam, bam, let him play."

If he bam, bam, bam, let him play at the end of last season, maybe the breaking in period is mostly over.

 

Dusty let Hollandsworth, Dubois, Hairston, Gerut, and Lawton all have a chance before bam, bam, bam, giving LF to Murton. That makes Murton 6th in line, or 'Plan F' in Dusty's scheme. Only a giant ego like Dusty Baker would pat himself on the back when his Plan F succeeds in the dying moments of a failed campaign.

 

There are legitimate reasons to dislike Baker. You don't have fictionalize the truth to make your point. None of Hairston, Gerut, or Lawton were permanently ahead of Murton (who came up in what, July?), and Murton had more ABs in LF them all of them combined.

 

Anybody who walked into last ST saying Murton was the plan A or even B was an extreme longshot.