Bruce with advice for Cubs

[Tracer Bullet]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah, I was hoping playing Murton everyday was also going to be a part of the article.

[Soul]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah I guess that would be the one thing. I'd rather let Lou & Hendry pigeonhole Murton this season. Hopefully with the new owner they'll both be gone and then we can find out about Murton next year.

[cubfan1955]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah I guess that would be the one thing. I'd rather let Lou & Hendry pigeonhole Murton this season. Hopefully with the new owner they'll both be gone and then we can find out about Murton next year.

We already know what we have with Murton. A #2 hitter that Lou won't put there.

[jersey cubs fan]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah, I was hoping playing Murton everyday was also going to be a part of the article.

 

I disagree with trading him as well. But I think the point was, "if they aren't going to play him everyday".

 

If the Cubs aren’t going to play outfielder Matt Murton, they might as well trade him and get some bullpen help.

 

Murton has his OBP up to .350, but he has only 1 homer. He might blossom with regular playing time, but he might have to go elsewhere to get it.

 

I say trade him if they aren't going to play him. Because the longer he stays as a part-time player, the more baseball will think of him as a part-time player, and bring down his value.

 

But if you do trade him, don't do it for bullpen help.

[Abe Frohman]

Bruce is the voice of the people.

[biittner77]

I say trade him if they aren't going to play him. Because the longer he stays as a part-time player, the more baseball will think of him as a part-time player, and bring down his value.

 

But if you do trade him, don't do it for bullpen help.

 

I see the inevitability of that even if I don't particularly like it. If the Cubs had a 2nd baseman or SS that could hit for power they could live with Murton in LH but since they can't count on Pie hitting for a lot of power - at least right away- they can't live with Pie and Murton in the same OF.

[Bruce Miles]

I'd like to see them play Murton every day. That would be my first preference. I worry about the power, though. I had held out hope Murton would have a Sandberg-like transformation (and no, I'm not comparing him with Ryne Sandberg) and up the home run totals. But I still love his approach at the plate when he's going well. When he's going poorly, he's swinging at pitches out of the zone early and getting behind 0-2.

It's great discussing this game because we're not all always going to agree on everything. I appreciate the kind words. I also respect and appreciate the dissenting opinions.

[davearm]

Bruce is the voice of the people.

Bruce is the Cliffs Notes version of the NSBB Forums.

 

Not to take anything away from Bruce, but someone with his writing ability could simply hang out here and distill the most notable ideas and common themes into a solid newspaper column every few days.

[BigbadB]

Not to take anything away from Bruce....

 

Well, you just did.

[davearm]

Not to take anything away from Bruce....

 

Well, you just did.

Not really. I doubt Mr. Miles holds the view that his column is chock full of revolutionary concepts that nobody else has ever contemplated.

 

Most people here love him because his "why don't the #$%*@ Cubs just..." ideas are largely the same as the ones the rest of us also have, and discuss here ad nauseum.

[Abe Frohman]

I'd like to see them play Murton every day. That would be my first preference. I worry about the power, though. I had held out hope Murton would have a Sandberg-like transformation (and no, I'm not comparing him with Ryne Sandberg) and up the home run totals. But I still love his approach at the plate when he's going well. When he's going poorly, he's swinging at pitches out of the zone early and getting behind 0-2.

It's great discussing this game because we're not all always going to agree on everything. I appreciate the kind words. I also respect and appreciate the dissenting opinions.

 

I'm sure that with more playing time, Murton would definately show more power. Jones is another story. He has plenty of at-bats, and one HR? This team needs an infusion of power. The lack of production from the OF is puzzling.

[davearm]

FWIW, I agree with the notion of trading Murton, if the alternative is to continue underutilizing him.

 

While the Braves are in town, Hendry should be chatting up Schuerholz to determine who he'd have to add to Murton before he's got enough on the table to get Salty.

 

Murton would be a nice fit on a team with as big a hole in LF as the Braves have.

[Tracer Bullet]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah, I was hoping playing Murton everyday was also going to be a part of the article.

 

I disagree with trading him as well. But I think the point was, "if they aren't going to play him everyday".

 

If the Cubs aren’t going to play outfielder Matt Murton, they might as well trade him and get some bullpen help.

 

Murton has his OBP up to .350, but he has only 1 homer. He might blossom with regular playing time, but he might have to go elsewhere to get it.

 

I say trade him if they aren't going to play him. Because the longer he stays as a part-time player, the more baseball will think of him as a part-time player, and bring down his value.

 

But if you do trade him, don't do it for bullpen help.

 

Well, there is no reason not to play him everyday this year. There's no reason he should be a part time player, just like there's no reason Theriot shouldn't be playing every day, Pie shouldn't be in CF everyday, etc. I don't disagree with the idea of trading him if you're not going to play him. I just don't think there's any reason not to play him.

 

And I'm not attacking Bruce, I understood the point of the article. And if there was just no way Murton could start everyday b/c it would block some other important piece, I would fully agree with trading him (though, like others have said, not for relief pitching). But I see no reason why Soriano, Murton, and Pie couldn't start every game in the OF (except for the occasional day off).

[davearm]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah, I was hoping playing Murton everyday was also going to be a part of the article.

 

I disagree with trading him as well. But I think the point was, "if they aren't going to play him everyday".

 

If the Cubs aren’t going to play outfielder Matt Murton, they might as well trade him and get some bullpen help.

 

Murton has his OBP up to .350, but he has only 1 homer. He might blossom with regular playing time, but he might have to go elsewhere to get it.

 

I say trade him if they aren't going to play him. Because the longer he stays as a part-time player, the more baseball will think of him as a part-time player, and bring down his value.

 

But if you do trade him, don't do it for bullpen help.

 

Well, there is no reason not to play him everyday this year. There's no reason he should be a part time player, just like there's no reason Theriot shouldn't be playing every day, Pie shouldn't be in CF everyday, etc. I don't disagree with the idea of trading him if you're not going to play him. I just don't think there's any reason not to play him.

 

And I'm not attacking Bruce, I understood the point of the article. And if there was just no way Murton could start everyday b/c it would block some other important piece, I would fully agree with trading him (though, like others have said, not for relief pitching). But I see no reason why Soriano, Murton, and Pie couldn't start every game in the OF (except for the occasional day off).

The fact that Soriano and Murton are both LFs would be a reason.

[HoopsCubs]

You had me at

 

"Find a taker, any taker, for Jones"

 

then you lost me by suggesting trading Murton for relief pitching.

 

Yeah, I was hoping playing Murton everyday was also going to be a part of the article.

 

I disagree with trading him as well. But I think the point was, "if they aren't going to play him everyday".

 

If the Cubs aren’t going to play outfielder Matt Murton, they might as well trade him and get some bullpen help.

 

Murton has his OBP up to .350, but he has only 1 homer. He might blossom with regular playing time, but he might have to go elsewhere to get it.

 

I say trade him if they aren't going to play him. Because the longer he stays as a part-time player, the more baseball will think of him as a part-time player, and bring down his value.

 

But if you do trade him, don't do it for bullpen help.

 

Well, there is no reason not to play him everyday this year. There's no reason he should be a part time player, just like there's no reason Theriot shouldn't be playing every day, Pie shouldn't be in CF everyday, etc. I don't disagree with the idea of trading him if you're not going to play him. I just don't think there's any reason not to play him.

 

And I'm not attacking Bruce, I understood the point of the article. And if there was just no way Murton could start everyday b/c it would block some other important piece, I would fully agree with trading him (though, like others have said, not for relief pitching). But I see no reason why Soriano, Murton, and Pie couldn't start every game in the OF (except for the occasional day off).

The fact that Soriano and Murton are both LFs would be a reason.

 

One thought is to move Soriano to RF as Bruce was originally thinking when the signing occured. He certainly has the arm and speed to be effective. The Cubs can probably live with Murton full time in LF; I don't think anyone wants him in RF.