Murton knows what it's about (2 hole)

[A New Era]

"You have to be smart about what you're doing in the second hole and make sure, if Alfonso is stealing, you don't take away a stolen base," Murton said. "I feel comfortable doing it. You have to be able to hit behind the runners. Hitting second, hopefully, you'll get more pitches to see. Alfonso is a stolen-base threat, and you'll see more fastballs. At this point in time in my career, fastballs are my best pitch.

 

Not only does Murton have the OBP. But he knows exactly what his job is. God I got so peeved when Neifi was batting 2nd, and he would foul a ball off when Pierre had a great jump. What a refreshing change it will be from last year. Here's hoping he impresses.

 

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[bhogg]

I see a few similarities between Murton and Sandberg.

[Amazing_Grace]

If he played any position other than corner OF, he'd probably be considered one of the most valuable young position players in all of baseball. He doesn't have the power to match most corner OF, so when you have a guy like Murton, you need to get power from elsewhere. The Cubs will be an oddity this year in that they'll get less power from LF and RF than from CF and C. If Soriano hits 40 HR again, we may get more power from just CF alone.

[Guest]

If he played any position other than corner OF, he'd probably be considered one of the most valuable young position players in all of baseball. He doesn't have the power to match most corner OF, so when you have a guy like Murton, you need to get power from elsewhere. The Cubs will be an oddity this year in that they'll get less power from LF and RF than from CF and C. If Soriano hits 40 HR again, we may get more power from just CF alone.

 

This is why I think having "power" at "traditional power position", is sometimes overrated.

[Amazing_Grace]

If he played any position other than corner OF, he'd probably be considered one of the most valuable young position players in all of baseball. He doesn't have the power to match most corner OF, so when you have a guy like Murton, you need to get power from elsewhere. The Cubs will be an oddity this year in that they'll get less power from LF and RF than from CF and C. If Soriano hits 40 HR again, we may get more power from just CF alone.

 

This is why I think having "power" at "traditional power position", is sometimes overrated.

 

I agree, it's definitely overrated. You need power hitters on your team, that's certain, but what position it comes from is really irrelevant. I think that old baseball rule comes from the fact that there are more power hitting corner outfielders than shortstops and second basemen. However, that is itself a result of the emphasis of defense at other positions, so guys that are below average defensively but great hitters seem to invariably get moved to LF, RF, or if they're relatively surehanded and/or morbidly slow, 1B.

[CubColtPacer]

If he played any position other than corner OF, he'd probably be considered one of the most valuable young position players in all of baseball. He doesn't have the power to match most corner OF, so when you have a guy like Murton, you need to get power from elsewhere. The Cubs will be an oddity this year in that they'll get less power from LF and RF than from CF and C. If Soriano hits 40 HR again, we may get more power from just CF alone.

 

This is why I think having "power" at "traditional power position", is sometimes overrated.

 

I agree, it's definitely overrated. You need power hitters on your team, that's certain, but what position it comes from is really irrelevant. I think that old baseball rule comes from the fact that there are more power hitting corner outfielders than shortstops and second basemen. However, that is itself a result of the emphasis of defense at other positions, so guys that are below average defensively but great hitters seem to invariably get moved to LF, RF, or if they're relatively surehanded and/or morbidly slow, 1B.

 

That's what it really is-Murton happens to play a position where the offensive standards are much higher because all the top offensive people who struggle defensively get moved there. Normally you have to get a power threat from the corners because there is so few possible power threats from the middle. The Cubs though happen to have a couple of them, and that really allows them to have sufficient power without the need to replace Murton. It usually though is easier to find both a Murton type player up the middle and a power option in the corners then to try to procure power up the middle-the Cubs are fortunate to be in a situation where they can have flexibility at some of their other positions with their needs because of people like Barrett and Soriano.

[Wheelimus]

Sure going to be a fun spring. :D I like that Floyd is sitting out the first week of games. Lets hope Matt gets off to a hot start and forces the issue quick. Let the question be "who do you play more, Jacque or Cliff".