Murton getting benched again for lesser player

[Transmogrified Tiger]

How are so many people saying Murton can't take a walk anymore? That is ridiculous. He's had 16 ABs and had 1 BB. Lee has 33 ABs and 2 BBs. I can understand being frustrated with the way a team starts a season, but acting like a young playing has lost his game because of 16 ABs when he's not playing regularly is a bit much.

This is one situation where the old adage "stats don't show you everything" is actually true. Lee has only 2 walks but clearly has shown patience at the plate and a willingness to work the count and wait for his pitch. It just happens he's getting "his pitch" more often than not (hence his .424 batting average).

 

Murton on the other hand is swinging at the first pitch more often than not. He's beating the ball into the ground (.267 SLG? You kidding?). He's not waiting for his pitch at all like we know he's capable of doing. Chalk that up to feeling pressure from Floyd's PT if you want, but he's not the Murton of 05 or 06 right now.

 

To reiterate...

 

Murton's current line: .267/.313/.267/.580

 

Murton's line if he hits a double in his next AB: .313/.353/.400/.753

[VanceJergins]

How are so many people saying Murton can't take a walk anymore? That is ridiculous. He's had 16 ABs and had 1 BB. Lee has 33 ABs and 2 BBs. I can understand being frustrated with the way a team starts a season, but acting like a young playing has lost his game because of 16 ABs when he's not playing regularly is a bit much.

This is one situation where the old adage "stats don't show you everything" is actually true. Lee has only 2 walks but clearly has shown patience at the plate and a willingness to work the count and wait for his pitch. It just happens he's getting "his pitch" more often than not (hence his .424 batting average).

 

Murton on the other hand is swinging at the first pitch more often than not. He's beating the ball into the ground (.267 SLG? You kidding?). He's not waiting for his pitch at all like we know he's capable of doing. Chalk that up to feeling pressure from Floyd's PT if you want, but he's not the Murton of 05 or 06 right now.

 

To reiterate...

 

Murton's current line: .267/.313/.267/.580

 

Murton's line if he hits a double in his next AB: .313/.353/.400/.753

 

Yeah, well, Murton with the game on the line = 0/1 = .000/.000/.000/.000

 

Seriously, if Murton were 0 for the season right now it wouldn't be a huge deal. Its 16 PA's with irregular playing time.

[Fred Hornkohl]

(.267 SLG? You kidding?)

 

Seriously? You're commenting on his SLG right now? That's the same as Jacque Jones, who has started everyday and doesn't appear to be anywhere close to losing his job. That's basically one single worse than Soriano right now.

 

 

The absurdity in the Murton critiques is just beyond ridiculous right now. The guy hasn't played. He's been given the least amount of opportunities of any supposed regular, and is basically being used similar to how Ryan Theriot has been used. He's had one instance where he's started back to back games, and was substituted out after 2 at bats in that 2nd game.

 

Point of information..... Ryan Theriot did start in Jones' place on Sunday in Milwaukee.

[moorecg]

How are so many people saying Murton can't take a walk anymore? That is ridiculous. He's had 16 ABs and had 1 BB. Lee has 33 ABs and 2 BBs. I can understand being frustrated with the way a team starts a season, but acting like a young playing has lost his game because of 16 ABs when he's not playing regularly is a bit much.

This is one situation where the old adage "stats don't show you everything" is actually true. Lee has only 2 walks but clearly has shown patience at the plate and a willingness to work the count and wait for his pitch. It just happens he's getting "his pitch" more often than not (hence his .424 batting average).

 

Murton on the other hand is swinging at the first pitch more often than not. He's beating the ball into the ground (.267 SLG? You kidding?). He's not waiting for his pitch at all like we know he's capable of doing. Chalk that up to feeling pressure from Floyd's PT if you want, but he's not the Murton of 05 or 06 right now.

 

To reiterate...

 

Murton's current line: .267/.313/.267/.580

 

Murton's line if he hits a double in his next AB: .313/.353/.400/.753

 

Just imagine if he'd hit a Home Run...He's an All Star at that point :D

[CUBZ99]

All they are doing is responding to the people who are very upset that Murton is not starting every game-they are just saying that Floyd is deserving of plenty of playing time as well, and to do that, they have to point out Murton's struggles so far this year.

 

No they aren't. They are justifying that he's barely playing at all. Again, complaining about a lack of playing time isn't complaining about a not getting all the playing time. Just like complaining about a poor pitching performance isn't complaing about a lack of a perfect game.

 

There were at least 8-10 people complaining Friday night about Murton not playing in only his 2nd game that he didn't start. This thread was started when Murton had started 4 out of the 6 games decrying his lack of playing time.

 

Has anyone explained who the "lesser player" is that Murton is getting benched for? Floyd may be older, but if he continues to produce like this for the rest of the season I don't see a problem with him getting half of the playing time.

[Soul]

What is the reason we can't simply wait for a little longer before acting like the team is in trouble? We're 3-5, not 0-8.

 

Yes, we're playing badly right now. It's not even mid April yet.

 

That goes for individual players, too. It's 8 games; it doesn't even tell you if a guy will wind up with a strong APRIL, much less whether he'll have a good/bad year.

[Banedon]

Murton-o-meter: 3rd straight game not started.

[tkenm356]

Murton-o-meter: 3rd straight game not started.

 

Even though Floyd is playing well enough to warrant starts, I have to admit, I'm pissed Murton isn't out there.

[BigSlick]

:?

 

Murton should be out there.

[Tracer Bullet]

You guys are crazy. This team is so full of guys with great OBP's that Murton would just be duplicative...

 

[/sarcasm]

[RegulusBlue]

This is ridiculous.

 

Theriot is Neifi 2.0. He gets to play anywhere on the field over more deserving players consistently. He isn't as bad, but dislike him because he is the new coach's kid.

 

Today he's playing SS when Cedeno is at 2B? Is this a joke?

 

Glad to see Murton is a non-entity in the lineup now. Glad I believed the smoke signals of him batting 2nd and starting. I hate Lou Piniella so far. We're playing like crap and putting strain on Floyd's weak achilles needlessly while another inferior player always gets valuable innings.

[Keener98]

This is ridiculous.

 

Theriot is Neifi 2.0. He gets to play anywhere on the field over more deserving players consistently. He isn't as bad, but dislike him because he is the new coach's kid.

 

Today he's playing SS when Cedeno is at 2B? Is this a joke?

 

Glad to see Murton is a non-entity in the lineup now. Glad I believed the smoke signals of him batting 2nd and starting. I hate Lou Piniella so far. We're playing like crap and putting strain on Floyd's weak achilles needlessly while another inferior player always gets valuable innings.

 

Umm Theriot is a hell of alot better than Neifi. And you might want to check your facts before ranting. Cedeno is at 2nd Theriot is at 3rd. Aram is hurt.

[CubColtPacer]

This is ridiculous.

 

Theriot is Neifi 2.0. He gets to play anywhere on the field over more deserving players consistently. He isn't as bad, but dislike him because he is the new coach's kid.

 

Today he's playing SS when Cedeno is at 2B? Is this a joke?

 

Glad to see Murton is a non-entity in the lineup now. Glad I believed the smoke signals of him batting 2nd and starting. I hate Lou Piniella so far. We're playing like crap and putting strain on Floyd's weak achilles needlessly while another inferior player always gets valuable innings.

 

Ryan Theriot is playing 3B today because he is the only player on the entire roster with Aram and DeRosa hurt that can play 3B.

[RegulusBlue]

Good call. My fault. The riot is in for Aram.

 

I like Theriot the player, just not when it hurts Murton.

[Jazz]

Good call. My fault. The riot is in for Aram.

 

I like Theriot the player, just not when it hurts Murton.

 

how is it hurting murton? He's not starting over him.

[CubColtPacer]

Good call. My fault. The riot is in for Aram.

 

I like Theriot the player, just not when it hurts Murton.

 

In the 4 games Murton started, Theriot came in for him only once. The other game that Murton came out of the game, it was so Jones could come in during the later innings. I don't get how Theriot is hurting Murton much whatsoever.

[BigSlick]

Theriot = Infielder

 

Murton = Outfielder

 

I'm not sure where the competition begins, except for like...Pinch Running?

[RegulusBlue]

Theriot came in to pinch run for Murton in a game where Matt was 1/3 with a BB and a run scored. He then got thrown out stealing.

[Geech]

Theriot came in to pinch run for Murton in a game where Matt was 1/3 with a BB and a run scored. He then got thrown out stealing.

 

I also specifically recall at least one game in which Theriot started in right and moved to left for Jones while Murton sat on the bench. He's also replaced Floyd in LF on more than one occasion.

[BigbadB]

Theriot came in to pinch run for Murton in a game where Matt was 1/3 with a BB and a run scored. He then got thrown out stealing.

 

If it makes you feel any better, Murton probably would have been out stealing, too.

[RegulusBlue]

You're right, but I am not fan of stealing bags.

 

We will continue to lose as long as players with bad OBP bat ahead of Lee and Ramirez, especially while they try to figure out how to hit a HR.

[UMFan83]

I knew the Floyd signing was a bad thing from day 1. Please anyone who thinks Floyd should be starting look at Murton's second half stats last year. This team is not going to win the World Series, so why clog up our positions with veterans that have no future with the team while up and coming players rot away on the bench.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Cliff Floyd is good for the team IF he's healthy and stays healthy. He's a lefty who still has a lot of pop and isn't a complete butcher in the outfield.

 

That said, I'm fully in the Murton camp. He looks be one to have an OPS similar to Floyd's, with a higher OBP and a slightly lower SLG.

[RegulusBlue]

Initially hiring Lou scared the hell out of me. Then he said all the right things in the offseason and the spring and I felt better.

 

He was lying.

 

We're done for.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Here's the latest batting lines on these 2 guys. Please don't flame me about sample sizes..... I really do get it.

 

04/02 - 04/11      AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   TB  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS
Murton             15    3    4    0    0    0    4    0    1    4  0.267  0.313  0.267  0.579
Floyd              21    2    7    2    0    0    9    2    1    2  0.333  0.364  0.429  0.792