Jayson Stark:Cubs Open Check Book, Raise Expectations

[goonys evil twin]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

I'd rather win.

 

Me too. Just win bay-bay.

 

Obviously I'd rather win. And if not playing Murton somehow increased their chances of winning, then I'd be all for it. I just don't see the correlation.

[CuseCubFan69]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

I'd rather win.

 

Me too. Just win bay-bay.

 

Obviously I'd rather win. And if not playing Murton somehow increased their chances of winning, then I'd be all for it. I just don't see the correlation.

 

The other 3 OF's having career years. I see what you're saying but if Murton is getting 350 AB's and hitting 330 too this team could win a lot of games. No matter what you'd have a banger on the bench too.

[USSoccer]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

What's your point? I'm not sure where you're going with this. How does playing Murton=losing?

[RynoRules]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

I'd rather win.

 

Me too. Just win bay-bay.

 

Obviously I'd rather win. And if not playing Murton somehow increased their chances of winning, then I'd be all for it. I just don't see the correlation.

 

And I am not certain that there is a correlation between Murton and winning. I like Murton more than I like Floyd and would prefer he get the lion's share of ABs, but I am not certain he holds the key to the season.

[CubinNY]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

That's a false choice. No one would want that and playing Murton does not mean the Cubs will automatically lose. The Cubs need guys to get on base and Murton can do that.

[goonys evil twin]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

I'd rather win.

 

Me too. Just win bay-bay.

 

Obviously I'd rather win. And if not playing Murton somehow increased their chances of winning, then I'd be all for it. I just don't see the correlation.

 

And I am not certain that there is a correlation between Murton and winning. I like Murton more than I like Floyd and would prefer he get the lion's share of ABs, but I am not certain he holds the key to the season.

 

No one player holds the key to the season. People always like to come up with their "this has to happen" scenario for winning and losing, but it's never up to one guy. But Murton is pretty good and could be very good. Plus, he provides something that most other Cubs hitters can't.

[CuseCubFan69]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

I'd rather win.

 

Me too. Just win bay-bay.

 

Obviously I'd rather win. And if not playing Murton somehow increased their chances of winning, then I'd be all for it. I just don't see the correlation.

 

And I am not certain that there is a correlation between Murton and winning. I like Murton more than I like Floyd and would prefer he get the lion's share of ABs, but I am not certain he holds the key to the season.

 

No one player holds the key to the season. People always like to come up with their "this has to happen" scenario for winning and losing, but it's never up to one guy. But Murton is pretty good and could be very good. Plus, he provides something that most other Cubs hitters can't.

 

If the Cubs are confident that Floyd could play a decent amount this year that would help in moving Jones. His still being there is throwing me off until Mr. Hendry makes a decision on what to do with him.

[Banedon]

so, would you all rather play murton than win?

 

Those two events aren't mutually exclusive.

[Derwood]

Would you rather eat or breathe?

[hardcorecubfan]

[quote name="baseball7897"

 

The NL as a whole is not very good. There is not one team in the NL that scares me. Mets are going to have rotation problems' date=' the Cards took a step back in their efforts to repeat, Houston lost Andy and Roger, the Padres have a hole at 3b and at the back end of the rotation. I don't see why the Cubs could not represent the NL in the World Series this year. Obviously health is going to play a major factor for them, but I still think they have the most depth in their bullpen and rotation than any other team in the NL this season.[/quote]

 

remember when they said that last year and the NL won the WS.

 

why do think Prior has the key over someone like Miller who was once a Cy Yong candidate?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

why do think Prior has the key over someone like Miller who was once a Cy Yong candidate?

 

When was Miller a Cy Young candidate?

[Drew Doughty]

prior wasn't a cy young candidate in 03?

[Rob]

why do think Prior has the key over someone like Miller who was once a Cy Yong candidate?

 

When was Miller a Cy Young candidate?

 

I'd have to say 2001 was a pretty good year.

[baseball7897]

why do think Prior has the key over someone like Miller who was once a Cy Yong candidate?

 

When was Miller a Cy Young candidate?

 

Maybe in 2001.

[imb]

Wade Miller was never a cy young candidate. If Miller's 2001 was worthy of getting him in the CY Young discussion, then so was Kerry Woods.

[A New Era]

Hey where's that video from? I want to see that, it looks like one of those spin-off shows "america's got talent". .

[Rob]

Wade Miller was never a cy young candidate. If Miller's 2001 was worthy of getting him in the CY Young discussion, then so was Kerry Woods.

 

Almost.

 

Kerry did have a nice year, but only threw 176 innings. Miller threw 212. If the Big Unit and Curt Schilling hadn't gone loco that season, Miller would have been just as deserving as anyone else.

[imb]

Wade Miller was never a cy young candidate. If Miller's 2001 was worthy of getting him in the CY Young discussion, then so was Kerry Woods.

 

Almost.

 

Kerry did have a nice year, but only threw 176 innings. Miller threw 212. If the Big Unit and Curt Schilling hadn't gone loco that season, Miller would have been just as deserving as anyone else.

 

But Schilling and Johnson did go loco that season. Kerry threw less innings, but he also had a far better K rate while maintaining an equal WHIP.

 

Even minus Schilling and Johnson, Maddux, Kile, Morris, Vasquez, maybe even Burkett, Chan Ho and Russ Ortiz were all better than Miller.

 

So he basically had no chance to win, which is a weird definition of a candidate.

Edited February 7, 2007 by Bunts Lick Butts

[nilodnayr]

Wade Miller has never received a CY vote...Prior placed 3rd in 2003.

[baseball7897]

Wade Miller has never received a CY vote...Prior placed 3rd in 2003.

 

uhhh, who?

[Guest]

ok, shouldn't have posted that and disappeared. My point is this, Floyd is a better hitter than Murton against righties when healthy. If Cliff is healthy, playing him in left against righties gives the cubs a better chance to win than playing Murton. Matt has a lot of potential but we need a left fielder to slug more than .423 against righties.

 

I know that sounded like a smart-alec remark but sometimes a lot of people seem to get too hung up on playing Murton no matter what. Seeing as Floyd will likely get hurt anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing a straight platoon in LF. If we only had another partner for Jones, we might have something.

[Drew Doughty]

ok, shouldn't have posted that and disappeared. My point is this, Floyd is a better hitter than Murton against righties when healthy. If Cliff is healthy, playing him in left against righties gives the cubs a better chance to win than playing Murton. Matt has a lot of potential but we need a left fielder to slug more than .423 against righties.

 

I know that sounded like a smart-alec remark but sometimes a lot of people seem to get too hung up on playing Murton no matter what. Seeing as Floyd will likely get hurt anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing a straight platoon in LF. If we only had another partner for Jones, we might have something.

 

I would mind it because of the progress Murt showed in the second half. When's he going to learn to hit righties if not right now? I think Floyd should get some starts against some of the better righties (Carpenter, Oswalt, etc), but I would definitely be opposed to a strict platoon. A righty that never learns to hit righties -- esp. one that can only play one position that isn't altogether that important defensively -- is pretty much useless.

 

Split the starts 60/40 in Murts favor unless Murt explodes in either direction.

[BigSlick]

 

The NL as a whole is not very good. There is not one team in the NL that scares me. Mets are going to have rotation problems, the Cards took a step back in their efforts to repeat, Houston lost Andy and Roger, the Padres have a hole at 3b and at the back end of the rotation. I don't see why the Cubs could not represent the NL in the World Series this year. Obviously health is going to play a major factor for them, but I still think they have the most depth in their bullpen and rotation than any other team in the NL this season.

 

remember when they said that last year and the NL won the WS.

why do think Prior has the key over someone like Miller who was once a Cy Yong candidate?

 

How does a World Series win negate what he said? The Cardinals were an average team last year, and got on a hot streak in the playoffs. 83 wins is impressive to you?

 

If anything, the Cardinals winning the World Series just proves how much of a wide open NL it truly is.

[BigSlick]

Wade Miller has never received a CY vote...Prior placed 3rd in 2003.

 

Oh I see, we are starting players based on their Cy Young voting.

 

Lets pick up David Eckstein while we're at it, he's got a World Series MVP so I can't see how he can fail.

[goonys evil twin]

ok, shouldn't have posted that and disappeared. My point is this, Floyd is a better hitter than Murton against righties when healthy. If Cliff is healthy, playing him in left against righties gives the cubs a better chance to win than playing Murton. Matt has a lot of potential but we need a left fielder to slug more than .423 against righties.

 

I know that sounded like a smart-alec remark but sometimes a lot of people seem to get too hung up on playing Murton no matter what. Seeing as Floyd will likely get hurt anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing a straight platoon in LF. If we only had another partner for Jones, we might have something.

 

That's reasonable. I said throughout the whole will they or won't they situation with Floyd that it could turn out to be best for the team. The problem I'd have with a straight platoon is how few ABs Murton will get, and how much more likely it will be for Floyd to get hurt if he plays that often. I'd much rather go 50/50, or 70/30 in Murton's favor, than give Floyd almost every AB against RHP. And as you point out, they are still handicapped by having Jones in there against any LHP. They'd be much better off with a guy like Michaels as their 5th OF.