Padres interested in Murton?

[Drew Doughty]

Murton played sporadically for 24 games in RF before being sent down. For any of you to be making these comments is just plain shortsighted and frankly pretty stupid. Twenty-four freaking games. In the last 30 days (May 12 to June 12) he was up he started 13 games and never started two games in a row after May 26. From that date he made exactly 4 starts in 14 days. He pinch hitted 7 times. His batting average as a PH was .188. Can any of you imagine what kind of pressure he was playing under when he has to know that any day the worst fear for a you ball player could be realized, and in fact was (being sent down). Murton was set up for failure.

 

It's ridicilous to base an opinon on such scant evidence. And then to assume that becuase he was playing RF instead of LF he all of the sudden forgot how to play baseball is asinine. But if it makes you happy....

 

Another Murton excuse on this site? No way...

 

This isn't little Johnny trying to make the varsity roster so let's please do away with the pressure argument. This is professional sports....I would sure hope there's pressure. Murton was given every opportunity to be a starting corner outfielder and he didn't produce. If you don't produce, it's Lou's job to insert someone else who will - which is exactly what he is trying to find.

 

Murton is a light hitting corner outfielder with a poor arm, average speed and a major defensive liability every time he steps on the field. Just because he knows how to take a pitch and has "upside" he should be given the benefit of the doubt and let him play out of this prolonged slump? I thought the fans wanted this team to win now?? It's one or the other.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murtoma01.shtml

 

Don't know where to begin.

 

well, he could begin at the splits page of the link you posted. he would then go to 2006, and then to the second half.

[Lockes Eye Scar]

It seems that in the second half, Murton had a .912 OPS

 

To thank him, Hendry signed Floyd to platoon with him

[bring stone back]

Murton played sporadically for 24 games in RF before being sent down. For any of you to be making these comments is just plain shortsighted and frankly pretty stupid. Twenty-four freaking games. In the last 30 days (May 12 to June 12) he was up he started 13 games and never started two games in a row after May 26. From that date he made exactly 4 starts in 14 days. He pinch hitted 7 times. His batting average as a PH was .188. Can any of you imagine what kind of pressure he was playing under when he has to know that any day the worst fear for a you ball player could be realized, and in fact was (being sent down). Murton was set up for failure.

 

It's ridicilous to base an opinon on such scant evidence. And then to assume that becuase he was playing RF instead of LF he all of the sudden forgot how to play baseball is asinine. But if it makes you happy....

 

Another Murton excuse on this site? No way...

 

This isn't little Johnny trying to make the varsity roster so let's please do away with the pressure argument. This is professional sports....I would sure hope there's pressure. Murton was given every opportunity to be a starting corner outfielder and he didn't produce. If you don't produce, it's Lou's job to insert someone else who will - which is exactly what he is trying to find.

 

Murton is a light hitting corner outfielder with a poor arm, average speed and a major defensive liability every time he steps on the field. Just because he knows how to take a pitch and has "upside" he should be given the benefit of the doubt and let him play out of this prolonged slump? I thought the fans wanted this team to win now?? It's one or the other.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murtoma01.shtml

 

Don't know where to begin.

 

Either do I. He had a nice year last year for a team going nowhere under a lame duck manager. He is a horrible defender anywhere you put him and hasn't hit at all this year. Should Lou overlook those two glaring facts and continue to put him in the lineup because he has upside? He is exactly where he should be right now....AAA.

 

I'd like to see the Cubs package him with Marshall and see what they can get.

[Tracer Bullet]

Murton played sporadically for 24 games in RF before being sent down. For any of you to be making these comments is just plain shortsighted and frankly pretty stupid. Twenty-four freaking games. In the last 30 days (May 12 to June 12) he was up he started 13 games and never started two games in a row after May 26. From that date he made exactly 4 starts in 14 days. He pinch hitted 7 times. His batting average as a PH was .188. Can any of you imagine what kind of pressure he was playing under when he has to know that any day the worst fear for a you ball player could be realized, and in fact was (being sent down). Murton was set up for failure.

 

It's ridicilous to base an opinon on such scant evidence. And then to assume that becuase he was playing RF instead of LF he all of the sudden forgot how to play baseball is asinine. But if it makes you happy....

 

Another Murton excuse on this site? No way...

 

This isn't little Johnny trying to make the varsity roster so let's please do away with the pressure argument. This is professional sports....I would sure hope there's pressure. Murton was given every opportunity to be a starting corner outfielder and he didn't produce. If you don't produce, it's Lou's job to insert someone else who will - which is exactly what he is trying to find.

 

Murton is a light hitting corner outfielder with a poor arm, average speed and a major defensive liability every time he steps on the field. Just because he knows how to take a pitch and has "upside" he should be given the benefit of the doubt and let him play out of this prolonged slump? I thought the fans wanted this team to win now?? It's one or the other.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murtoma01.shtml

 

Don't know where to begin.

 

Either do I. He had a nice year last year for a team going nowhere under a lame duck manager. He is a horrible defender anywhere you put him and hasn't hit at all this year. Should Lou overlook those two glaring facts and continue to put him in the lineup because he has upside? He is exactly where he should be right now....AAA.

 

I'd like to see the Cubs package him with Marshall and see what they can get.

 

So 455 ABs as a 24-year-old, posting better than league-average numbers, doesn't count for anything b/c the team sucked as the manager was a "lame duck." But the sporadic ABs he had scattered over 2 months this year have convinced you that he should be benched in favor of a 35-year-old with an injury history and 0 power?

 

Murton's exactly the kind of player good teams use to be successful - young, cheap, better than average production. Some grow to be studs, some don't, but as long as you get solid production out of them, you can concentrate you limited funds on more glaring needs. I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

[bring stone back]

Murton played sporadically for 24 games in RF before being sent down. For any of you to be making these comments is just plain shortsighted and frankly pretty stupid. Twenty-four freaking games. In the last 30 days (May 12 to June 12) he was up he started 13 games and never started two games in a row after May 26. From that date he made exactly 4 starts in 14 days. He pinch hitted 7 times. His batting average as a PH was .188. Can any of you imagine what kind of pressure he was playing under when he has to know that any day the worst fear for a you ball player could be realized, and in fact was (being sent down). Murton was set up for failure.

 

It's ridicilous to base an opinon on such scant evidence. And then to assume that becuase he was playing RF instead of LF he all of the sudden forgot how to play baseball is asinine. But if it makes you happy....

 

Another Murton excuse on this site? No way...

 

This isn't little Johnny trying to make the varsity roster so let's please do away with the pressure argument. This is professional sports....I would sure hope there's pressure. Murton was given every opportunity to be a starting corner outfielder and he didn't produce. If you don't produce, it's Lou's job to insert someone else who will - which is exactly what he is trying to find.

 

Murton is a light hitting corner outfielder with a poor arm, average speed and a major defensive liability every time he steps on the field. Just because he knows how to take a pitch and has "upside" he should be given the benefit of the doubt and let him play out of this prolonged slump? I thought the fans wanted this team to win now?? It's one or the other.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murtoma01.shtml

 

Don't know where to begin.

 

Either do I. He had a nice year last year for a team going nowhere under a lame duck manager. He is a horrible defender anywhere you put him and hasn't hit at all this year. Should Lou overlook those two glaring facts and continue to put him in the lineup because he has upside? He is exactly where he should be right now....AAA.

 

I'd like to see the Cubs package him with Marshall and see what they can get.

 

So 455 ABs as a 24-year-old, posting better than league-average numbers, doesn't count for anything b/c the team sucked as the manager was a "lame duck." But the sporadic ABs he had scattered over 2 months this year have convinced you that he should be benched in favor of a 35-year-old with an injury history and 0 power?

 

Murton's exactly the kind of player good teams use to be successful - young, cheap, better than average production. Some grow to be studs, some don't, but as long as you get solid production out of them, you can concentrate you limited funds on more glaring needs. I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

 

Yes, to a certain extent I do think it's easier for personal success on a bad team. I don't think it's a huge factor but I do think there is a correlation.

 

I'm not trying to fight with you about this but he is a defensive liability every time he steps on the field and has not hit the ball at all this year. His production does not warrant playing time. I don't know why that is so hard to understand.

 

I could care less how much he makes and how old/young he is. I would put guys on the field who produce. If they don't, I look for someone else which is exactly what they did with Murton. You honestly feel the Cubs should call him back up and play him every day because he's young, cheap and played above average last year? Pagan and Floyd are better options right now.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

[Guest]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

Murton's career line is 294/363/441. He's 25 and likely to improve.

 

Floyd's career line is 279/359/485. That's only marginally better if any than Murton. He's 34 and likely to decline.

 

This season, Floyd is hitting 292/363/398 which is lower than Murton's career line.

 

Now in his first 119 AB's, I'll admit Murton struggled. I still think if given equal playing time over the course of a season, Murton would outproduce Floyd both offensively and defensively.

 

Murton may or may not be the answer in rightfield for the Cubs, but he's as good if not better than what we've been using in that spot.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

[Skyballer]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

Murton's career line is 294/363/441. He's 25 and likely to improve.

 

Floyd's career line is 279/359/485. That's only marginally better if any than Murton. He's 34 and likely to decline.

 

This season, Floyd is hitting 292/363/398 which is lower than Murton's career line.

 

Now in his first 119 AB's, I'll admit Murton struggled. I still think if given equal playing time over the course of a season, Murton would outproduce Floyd both offensively and defensively.

 

Murton may or may not be the answer in rightfield for the Cubs, but he's as good if not better than what we've been using in that spot.

 

I like Pagan more right now. He's been hitting the ball fairly well this year and covers ground in the outfield.

 

One thing I don't understand is why some on this site are so impatient and want a winner now yet feel they should continue to let Murton play himself out of this horrible slump he's in. If he's not hitting the ball and getting on base (which he hasn't done this year) he brings absolutely nothing to the team.

[sporrer17]

The only thing now that could hurt Murton's chances of getting the RF job again would be the emergence of Fontenot...the Cubs may want DeRosa in RF a little more often to get Fontenot on the field.

 

I like Floyd off the bench, Pagan isn't an everyday starter to me, and Pie hasn't produced as well as we'd like. If Murton figures out his stroke at AAA, I don't see why he wouldn't get another shot in RF to be a 5-6 hitter in this lineup.

[Skyballer]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

Murton's career line is 294/363/441. He's 25 and likely to improve.

 

Floyd's career line is 279/359/485. That's only marginally better if any than Murton. He's 34 and likely to decline.

 

This season, Floyd is hitting 292/363/398 which is lower than Murton's career line.

 

Now in his first 119 AB's, I'll admit Murton struggled. I still think if given equal playing time over the course of a season, Murton would outproduce Floyd both offensively and defensively.

 

Murton may or may not be the answer in rightfield for the Cubs, but he's as good if not better than what we've been using in that spot.

 

I like Pagan more right now. He's been hitting the ball fairly well this year and covers ground in the outfield.

 

One thing I don't understand is why some on this site are so impatient and want a winner now yet feel they should continue to let Murton play himself out of this horrible slump he's in. If he's not hitting the ball and getting on base (which he hasn't done this year) he brings absolutely nothing to the team.

See my above post and rethink your idea on Pagan, you've got the speed right though.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

[Skyballer]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yes because Pagan will never put up .320 he'll do .280, he's only hitting .275 this whole year, over 100 at bats and a .761 OPS. He looked good for about two seconds then went to his usual self, which isn't bad but not a starter.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yes because Pagan will never put up .320 he'll do .280

 

You go out of your way to point out Pagan is hitting .231 the last 10 games but fail to mention that Murton was hitting .252 in his first 50. Pagan gives you options at all the outfield positions, is a switch hitter, can actually field his position and can run.

 

To sum it up, I'm not saying Pagan's an All-Star or a reliable every day player but he has not done anything to deserve a demotion and Murton has done nothing to prove he's worthy of a promotion or more at bats when he was in Chicago.

 

I'm guessing by your name that your not all at pro-Murton or a little biased.

[Skyballer]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yes because Pagan will never put up .320 he'll do .280

 

You go out of your way to point out Pagan is hitting .231 the last 10 games but fail to mention that Murton was hitting .252 in his first 50. Pagan gives you options at all the outfield positions, is a switch hitter, can actually field his position and can run.

 

To sum it up, I'm not saying Pagan's an All-Star or a reliable every day player but he has not done anything to deserve a demotion and Murton has done nothing to prove he's worthy of a promotion or more at bats when he was in Chicago.

 

I'm guessing by your name that your not all at pro-Murton or a little biased.

He's my favorite player but I care more about the Cubs then I do Murton or anyone else. The cubs have plenty of OF then they need, we don't need a versatile one. As for speed, obviously Pagan has more, Offense is what we need and Murton gives it to us.

[bring stone back]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yes because Pagan will never put up .320 he'll do .280

 

You go out of your way to point out Pagan is hitting .231 the last 10 games but fail to mention that Murton was hitting .252 in his first 50. Pagan gives you options at all the outfield positions, is a switch hitter, can actually field his position and can run.

 

To sum it up, I'm not saying Pagan's an All-Star or a reliable every day player but he has not done anything to deserve a demotion and Murton has done nothing to prove he's worthy of a promotion or more at bats when he was in Chicago.

 

I'm guessing by your name that your not all at pro-Murton or a little biased.

He's my favorite player but I care more about the Cubs then I do Murton or anyone else. The cubs have plenty of OF then they need, we don't need a versatile one. As for speed, obviously Pagan has more, Offense is what we need and Murton gives it to us.

 

When/if Murton starts to hit the ball in AAA then promote him and put him in the lineup. I'm all for it....what I'm saying is he needs to prove he's worthy of that promotion and deserves at bats at the major league level. He's done nothing his first 50 games in Chicago this year and nothing in Iowa to say that will be coming any time soon.

 

In the meanwhile, continue to play Pagan and hope to God you can milk as much production from him as possible.

[bring stone back]

The only thing now that could hurt Murton's chances of getting the RF job again would be the emergence of Fontenot...the Cubs may want DeRosa in RF a little more often to get Fontenot on the field.

 

I like Floyd off the bench, Pagan isn't an everyday starter to me, and Pie hasn't produced as well as we'd like. If Murton figures out his stroke at AAA, I don't see why he wouldn't get another shot in RF to be a 5-6 hitter in this lineup.

 

Which brings up a great question. If Murton goes on a tear and deserves to be called up do you then take DeRosa/Fontenot out of the lineup or put him at shortstop and hope for the best?

 

I hope Murton starts to hit the ball in Iowa and we see just that.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Angel Pagan in 98 AB- 276/327/439

Matt Murton in 119 AB- .252/331/336

 

Pagan has been marginally more productive in about the same amount of time. However, given the way Pagan is slumping my guess is that in a week or so, the numbers will come even closer as Pagan reverts to his norms.

 

Now, let's compare the two hitters' career numbers.

 

Pagan: 257/314/410.

Murton: 294/363/441

 

I think it is evident who the better hitter is.

 

I don't have a problem with the Cubs wanting to upgrade in RF. But of the hitters at our disposal, Murton needs to be given more of a chance than he's been given. Given more AB, he's likely better than Floyd and is surely better than Pagan.

[slieb85]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yes because Pagan will never put up .320 he'll do .280

 

You go out of your way to point out Pagan is hitting .231 the last 10 games but fail to mention that Murton was hitting .252 in his first 50. Pagan gives you options at all the outfield positions, is a switch hitter, can actually field his position and can run.

 

To sum it up, I'm not saying Pagan's an All-Star or a reliable every day player but he has not done anything to deserve a demotion and Murton has done nothing to prove he's worthy of a promotion or more at bats when he was in Chicago.

 

I'm guessing by your name that your not all at pro-Murton or a little biased.

 

Ok I think most of us have let you have your fair share of calling our Murton for his defense but this is just absolutely ridiculous. Pagan has speed but takes HORRIBLE lines to balls, misplays balls in center way too often, has never been some sort of prospect, simply a AAAA player that makes a nice cheap bench player for a good team. Murton is a good prospect and WAS A VERY VERY GOOD PLAYER LAST YEAR. It's not like he went a couple months of producing out of his pattern like Theriot (who i like to be a great utility guy) he was hitting along his career line and did it for a full year as a 24 year old. He was not bad at all in LF and could probably get decent at RF with work and hopefully that's what he's doing in DSM.

 

But let's get serious, saying he doesn't deserve to play on this team is absolutely ridiculous. This is a team that has carried Jock Jones on the bench this year, Cesar Izturis starting way way too many games at SS, and a starting right fielder with an OPS of .761 (who's OPS last year was .731). Like someone previously said, Murton had an .809 OPS last year and his second half was .911 with an OBP of .390 (compared to Floyds stellar .291 OBP and .681 OPS in the second half of last year) and was a 24 year old 2nd year player, and JIM HENDRY went out and signed floyd (who is also repetitive since Ward was already signed) just because he was a Chicago guy that Hendry had a previous relationship with. Pretty sorry way to run a franchise, and Murton should be furious about it. At the very very least they need to platoon Murton and Floyd since Floyd has an OPS of .583 against lefties and Murton's career OPS vs. lefties is .877 . They need to give him another shot and DFA jones.

[CubinNY]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

What does that have to do with defense?

 

It has a lot to do with my entire post why Murton should not be playing. He elected to take one small part to disagree with instead of the entire post as a whole.

 

I said Floyd and Pagan are better options right now...which they are.

Floyd is a better option, temporarily true. Pagan, not true.

 

Note: Pagan is hitting .231 is last ten games. And Floyd is at .250, I,ll take Murton.

 

Do you think it's fair to judge Pagan in his last 10 games? I don't...he's exceeded my expectations this year and has hit the ball pretty well this year.

Yet it is fair to judge Murton by 24 games? What is the cut off games to judge a player so we can have your brilliant ability too. Edited July 7, 2007 by CubinNY

[Tracer Bullet]

Yes, to a certain extent I do think it's easier for personal success on a bad team. I don't think it's a huge factor but I do think there is a correlation.

 

I'm not trying to fight with you about this but he is a defensive liability every time he steps on the field and has not hit the ball at all this year. His production does not warrant playing time. I don't know why that is so hard to understand.

 

I could care less how much he makes and how old/young he is. I would put guys on the field who produce. If they don't, I look for someone else which is exactly what they did with Murton. You honestly feel the Cubs should call him back up and play him every day because he's young, cheap and played above average last year? Pagan and Floyd are better options right now.

 

If that's true, it's crazy. You'd rather have a 35-year-old with an injury history who's likely to top out at what he's doing now (sub .800 OPS) than a 25-year-old who put up better than league average in his first full season? You think Pagan is better? Seriously, you're just playing with me, right? That makes no sense. Absolutely none whatsoever.

 

He wasn't a defensive liability in LF so I don't know where you're coming up with that comment. Defenisve liability in RF? He was so far this year. But in LF he's fine.

 

And I have no idea where you find a correlation b/t bad team and good stats. Maybe that's true in a game like basketball where an average player can just keep jacking it up and put up good point totals on a bad team. But in baseball, with very few exceptions, each player's goal in each AB is the same - not making outs and the team is more likely to succeed if each player reaches that goal in each AB more often.

[Tracer Bullet]

To suggest Murton is more of a defensive liability than Floyd is ridiculous.

 

Floyd is/was more productive and hitting the ball much better than Murton.

 

Murton's career line is 294/363/441. He's 25 and likely to improve.

 

Floyd's career line is 279/359/485. That's only marginally better if any than Murton. He's 34 and likely to decline.

 

This season, Floyd is hitting 292/363/398 which is lower than Murton's career line.

 

Now in his first 119 AB's, I'll admit Murton struggled. I still think if given equal playing time over the course of a season, Murton would outproduce Floyd both offensively and defensively.

 

Murton may or may not be the answer in rightfield for the Cubs, but he's as good if not better than what we've been using in that spot.

 

I like Pagan more right now. He's been hitting the ball fairly well this year and covers ground in the outfield.

 

One thing I don't understand is why some on this site are so impatient and want a winner now yet feel they should continue to let Murton play himself out of this horrible slump he's in. If he's not hitting the ball and getting on base (which he hasn't done this year) he brings absolutely nothing to the team.

 

Might be, and I'm just guessing, the fact that Murton is 25 (i.e., about to enter his prime) and put up a better than league average OPS last season. Could be the red hair though. Or maybe he's got a real nice car. Really, who knows.

 

No, actually I think it's the 800 OPS in his first full year in the majors thing. That and the guys we're replacing him with range from "average" to "suck."

Edited July 7, 2007 by yanrslatr