Williamson sounds off?

[Cubfanintheknow]

Ever read a quote and think to yourself, "Boy is this going to get the posters at NSBB all riled up!" Scott Williamson apparently had this to say on the Score the other day:

 

"They have their guys they like for certain reasons,'' Williamson told the Score. "I don't know why. They go to them, go to them, go to them. It's good to be that guy. If you mess up, you get back out there. But the bad part is if you're not one of their boys and he doesn't have confidence in you, then you wear it.

 

"For me and some other people, we don't get opportunities to get in there and stay fresh and keep it going. It's been hard. If you are just one of the players on the outside, it's hard because you feel like you're under a microscope and walking on eggshells. If you have a bad outing, you don't feel like you're going to get back in there for a while. They've got a Bob Howry, so there's no need for me. Hopefully I do get traded.

 

"I feel terrible for Murton. I feel a lot of stuff is not going the right way with him. This kid is going to be a superstar, a franchise player. He's a kid with a great work ethic. They didn't let him play and get his at-bats and fight through struggles.''

 

He later backed off these statements. Here's the whole story in today's Sun-Times:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cub03.html

[Guest]

Bah, beat me by a couple minutes. Feel free to merge/lock my thread at your discretion, mods.

 

EDIT: Nevermind... I guess I could do that all by myself.

 

Anyway, as I said earlier, if he hadn't backed off those statements later in the day he'd be my new favorite Cub.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Anonymous

[Too Tall]

He said this on the SCORE yesterday before the game, I couldnt' believe he started saying them. Good for him, although he's done pitching as a cub..

[wvcbxl]

Finally someone from inside the clubhouse confirms what a lot of people have been thinking.

Not that it'll make any difference :evil:

[Vinestal]

Good for him, I hope he gets traded as well so he can go to a team that is run by people with brains. I hope they get Murton out of here to so he can go on to dominate for someone else and be the player he should be. To bad we are a team run by complete morons and people who shouldnt be bat boys let alone managers and GMs. Im sick to h*** of it all, sick sick sick.

[Soul]

Good for him, I hope he gets traded as well so he can go to a team that is run by people with brains. I hope they get Murton out of here to so he can go on to dominate for someone else and be the player he should be. To bad we are a team run by complete morons and people who shouldnt be bat boys let alone managers and GMs. Im sick to h*** of it all, sick sick sick.

 

Here's a better idea: keep the players who are decent, and get rid of the morons who don't know how to develop/play them.

[Banedon]

I love when people deny things they said on the radio, like someone doesn't have a transcript word for word.

 

He was dead on with his initial comments...I wish he'd stuck to his guns.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I love the comments. I wish he hadn't backed off of them.

[bleedcubbieblue]

I love the comments. I wish he hadn't backed off of them.

 

Johnny B told him after those comments, that if he did not take them back, if he thought he was buried now, it would be avalanche bad!

 

BCB

[abuck1220]

I love when people deny things they said on the radio, like someone doesn't have a transcript word for word.

 

 

yeah, it's great.

 

Hopefully I do get traded.

 

"I never said I hoped to be traded."

 

he may as well stick to his guns...he's going to get traded anyway.

[Soul]

I'm sure the MacPhail thought police got to him right afterwards.

 

But they can't control US!! Power to the people!

[TB_11]

It was good to see Williamson call out the treatment of Murton in particular.

[Banedon]

It was good to see Williamson call out the treatment of Murton in particular.

 

That was my favorite part as well. It was kind of a validation of what a lot of folks here on the board have been saying.

[Wilson A2000]

I have to actually disagree with some of what Williamson said. Yes Murton is getting screwed, but I doubt he is going to be a franchise player. He just doesn't have the power to do so. Dusty plays Nevin cause he is on the hot seat and needs wins. For a while there I believed that Nevin gave the Cubs the best chance to win. But Dusty should see the writing on the wall and let Murton play everyday. Unless Hendry told Dusty to play Nevin to showcase him for a trade. But does Hendry actually tell Dusty who to play?

 

Howry was brought in here to be the right-handed stopper. Williamson had to realize this. Williamson's ERA was nowhere near Howry's until recently but even then, Williamson was hurt.

[srbin84]

The Cubs need to get Murton in the weight room. Even if he doesn't take anything, he'll have more power next year.

[Wilson A2000]

I thought he was pretty strong to begin with? He has some huge leg muscles. But getting stronger sure wouldnt hurt.

[BigbadB]

Hooray to Williamson. It will cost him his job and playing time, but someone with a microphone needed to say it.

[mg420]

The Cubs need to get Murton in the weight room. Even if he doesn't take anything, he'll have more power next year.

 

i guess you'venever seen murton up close. he's a big guy who looks like he spends alot of time in the weight room. he has already hit some long bombs in the majors so i dont think power is as much of an issue as people think. it's the mind games and bad coaching that's doing him in imo. if the cubs do trade him away they might have another patterson situtation on their hands. how long will it take them to see that dusty & his crew are not the answer (unless the quesion is how do the cubs stay in the cellar).

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Cubs need to get Murton in the weight room. Even if he doesn't take anything, he'll have more power next year.

 

i guess you'venever seen murton up close. he's a big guy who looks like he spends alot of time in the weight room. he has already hit some long bombs in the majors so i dont think power is as much of an issue as people think. it's the mind games and bad coaching that's doing him in imo. if the cubs do trade him away they might have another patterson situtation on their hands. how long will it take them to see that dusty & his crew are not the answer (unless the quesion is how do the cubs stay in the cellar).

 

Yeah, Murton doesn't hit for power because he's not strong enough, like Rey Ordonez or something, he just isn't able to do it in game situations as frequently as necessary.

[NewUserName]

I think if Murton was coached properly the power would come. It has obviously has become an issue with the coaching staff becuase he has been trying to "turn" on inside pitches the last couple of months. The problem is he is to slow on them. He is getting them early in his swing and hit grounders instead. The way to correct this would be to open his stance a little and may need to stand closer to the plate. He would probably not be as effective going to other way with outside pitches though. Would probably lose some average but gain some power. If he would keep his patience though with the added power more walks would come making the package better overall.

[srbin84]

I've never met Murton. He just looks smaller than guys like Z and Ramirez. It seems like he could get bigger, even eating more as well.

[cubweiser03]

Murton doesnt hit for power because he has a line drive swing. Look where he finishes his swing and there you will see the clue. He doesnt produce enough lift on the ball to generate enough deep flies to leave the park. Dude's only got 9 2bs. Its not like he's banging stuff off the walls and barely missing the homer. He needs to change his mechanics to hit for more power.

 

I like what Williamson said. Dusty has lost this team. Heck when DLee said they didnt show up in Minny, first thing Dusty said was, no we didnt show up defensively. Like players show up for half the game. He totally undermined DLee's comment to deflect criticism from himself. Williamson just added more fuel.

[CubinNY]

I hope they can at least get a decent prospect for him. But that might be asking for too much.

 

With guys like Slappy, Walker, Nevin, Hill, and Maddux potentially on the block I hope the Cubs can manage to get at least one guy who will contribute something toward the future. But I expect they'll get guys like Andy Pratt, Bo Flowers, or some other such talent in return.

[jjgman21]

Dusty plays Nevin cause he is on the hot seat and needs wins. For a while there I believed that Nevin gave the Cubs the best chance to win.

 

sorry to take this out of context, and divert the thread, but this, and his recent comments about 'playing to compete/win everyday...blah blah blah' summarizes in a nutshell why Dusty has got to go. he simply is not interested in the improvement of this team this year or in the future. he is interested in eeking out any win he can here or there to bolster his ego and create some grand illusion that he is holding things together.

 

 

 

on the topic of Williamson's comments, he signed his trade papers after making the initial comments. you have to wonder what management holds over players heads to keep making them back off their criticism/honesty.

[biittner77]

Baker benching Murton is all about saving his job, something that any manager would do. Take a look at this comparison:

 

M Murton CHC-ab- 231-2b- 9-3b- 1-HR- 4-rbi- 22-obp- .336 slg.368

N Perez CHC-ab- 152-2b- 8-3b- 1-HR- 2-rbi- 20-obp- .259 slg.349

 

Much as I like Matt Murton, much as I believe he has a lot of potential, Baker is not out of line for not playing him. It's easy for us as fans to say the season is over. People like Baker and Hendry don't have that luxury.

 

That being said, at this point I'd rather find out what, if anything, Pagan brings to the table than see Nevin out there the rest of the way.