Soriano to DL; Patterson to Chicago

[chuckywang]

all this to have a cpatt-epatt matchup. then we can bring murton up when the reds leave town

 

I really don't think the Cubs have intriguing storylines on the mind right now.

[UMFan83]

So much Matt Murton love, it's really pretty simple. His SLG so far in Iowa is below 300. THREE HUNDRED. Jose Macias could beat that number.

 

A guy that (a) can only play corner OF, (b) can't play it well, and © hits groundballs with no power, has (d) little value at the major league level. He can take a walk. Terrific. Trade him to Oakland, Beane will love him.

 

Are you serious? A guy with a .455 career MLB slg% in over 800 ABs is to be judged on 34 minor league ABs?

[Geech]

So much Matt Murton love, it's really pretty simple. His SLG so far in Iowa is below 300. THREE HUNDRED. Jose Macias could beat that number.

 

A guy that (a) can only play corner OF, (b) can't play it well, and © hits groundballs with no power, has (d) little value at the major league level. He can take a walk. Terrific. Trade him to Oakland, Beane will love him.

 

Are you serious? A guy with a .455 career MLB slg% in over 800 ABs is to be judged on 34 minor league ABs?

 

This is DKWG you're talking about here. Of course he's serious.

[soonercub]

Matt Murton has perfected the swinging bunt!! You got to make room on the roster for that skill set!

 

If they bring up Patterson it just gives them more flexibility. They have Johnson who can play left and they obviously feel Dero and Fontenot are better hitters than the Big Murt. Well at least they both have more power.

[UMFan83]

So much Matt Murton love, it's really pretty simple. His SLG so far in Iowa is below 300. THREE HUNDRED. Jose Macias could beat that number.

 

A guy that (a) can only play corner OF, (b) can't play it well, and © hits groundballs with no power, has (d) little value at the major league level. He can take a walk. Terrific. Trade him to Oakland, Beane will love him.

 

Are you serious? A guy with a .455 career MLB slg% in over 800 ABs is to be judged on 34 minor league ABs?

 

This is DKWG you're talking about here. Of course he's serious.

 

Me and DKWG have different views, but usually he presents a better argument than a 34 AB sample of his SLG %

[MADD_DOG_31]

So much Matt Murton love, it's really pretty simple. His SLG so far in Iowa is below 300. THREE HUNDRED. Jose Macias could beat that number.

 

A guy that (a) can only play corner OF, (b) can't play it well, and © hits groundballs with no power, has (d) little value at the major league level. He can take a walk. Terrific. Trade him to Oakland, Beane will love him.

 

I have a friend!

 

make that 2 friends

[UMFan83]

Matt Murton has perfected the swinging bunt!! You got to make room on the roster for that skill set!

 

If they bring up Patterson it just gives them more flexibility. They have Johnson who can play left and they obviously feel Dero and Fontenot are better hitters than the Big Murt. Well at least they both have more power.

 

Johnson is a platoon player. Look at his L/R splits. One thing this injury should NOT do is parlay a platoon player into an everyday spot.

 

I think the real reason why Murton isn't called up is because he has very similar splits as Reed. Which begs the question, why did we sign Reed when we already have Murton?

 

For the record...Murton and Johnson's career splits:

 

Murton vs. RHP: .280/.346/.425/.771

Murton vs. LHP: .326/.399/.510/.909

Johnson vs. RHP: .267/.328/.382/.710

Johnson vs. LHP: .309/.373/.461/.834

 

So Murton is obviously the better player.

Edited April 16, 2008 by UMFan83

[Wilson A2000]

But looking at the stats, Patterson is having a poor spring too. I think I just lost a friend.

[Wilson A2000]

Matt Murton has perfected the swinging bunt!! You got to make room on the roster for that skill set!

 

If they bring up Patterson it just gives them more flexibility. They have Johnson who can play left and they obviously feel Dero and Fontenot are better hitters than the Big Murt. Well at least they both have more power.

 

Johnson is a platoon player. Look at his L/R splits. One thing this injury should NOT do is parlay a platoon player into an everyday spot.

 

I think the real reason why Murton isn't called up is because he has very similar splits as Reed. Which begs the question, why did we sign Reed when we already have Murton?

 

The Lou factor. I don't think Lou likes him. Reed has a little more pop than Murton.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Reed has a little more pop than Murton.

no he doesn't

[UMFan83]

Matt Murton has perfected the swinging bunt!! You got to make room on the roster for that skill set!

 

If they bring up Patterson it just gives them more flexibility. They have Johnson who can play left and they obviously feel Dero and Fontenot are better hitters than the Big Murt. Well at least they both have more power.

 

Johnson is a platoon player. Look at his L/R splits. One thing this injury should NOT do is parlay a platoon player into an everyday spot.

 

I think the real reason why Murton isn't called up is because he has very similar splits as Reed. Which begs the question, why did we sign Reed when we already have Murton?

 

The Lou factor. I don't think Lou likes him. Reed has a little more pop than Murton.

 

How do you figure? Reed has a .409 career SLG, Murton a .455

[David]

FWIW, Levine was just on ESPN1000 and thinks Lou will be using Patterson regularly at 2B and DeRosa in LF.

 

He also believes that (in Lou's eyes, not his own),with yet another leg injury, Soriano's days at leadoff are done for good.

 

The positive that I can take from this is that at least it looks like Lou won't be going back to Theriot at leadoff (if he is, indeed, trying to find a "leadoff man" in EPatt). Unfortunately, he has had him hitting 2nd, which is almost as bad.

[E.J.]

FWIW, Levine was just on ESPN1000 and thinks Lou will be using Patterson regularly at 2B and DeRosa in LF.

 

He also believes that (in Lou's eyes, not his own),with yet another leg injury, Soriano's days at leadoff are done for good.

 

The positive that I can take from this is that at least it looks like Lou won't be going back to Theriot at leadoff (if he is, indeed, trying to find a "leadoff man" in EPatt). Unfortunately, he has had him hitting 2nd, which is almost as bad.

 

I love that the Cubs are worried about having a leadoff hitter instead of just putting the best 8 players on the field. 100 years of misery, here we come.

[soonercub]

Johnson can play center, Murt can not play left very well.

[weis21]

I'm probably grasping at straws, but does anybody else think that maybe Murton is really close to being dealt to the Rays or another team? I'm trying to rationalize a stupid decision I guess...and normally when it comes to the Cubs it's pointless.

[Wilson A2000]

Matt Murton has perfected the swinging bunt!! You got to make room on the roster for that skill set!

 

If they bring up Patterson it just gives them more flexibility. They have Johnson who can play left and they obviously feel Dero and Fontenot are better hitters than the Big Murt. Well at least they both have more power.

 

Johnson is a platoon player. Look at his L/R splits. One thing this injury should NOT do is parlay a platoon player into an everyday spot.

 

I think the real reason why Murton isn't called up is because he has very similar splits as Reed. Which begs the question, why did we sign Reed when we already have Murton?

 

The Lou factor. I don't think Lou likes him. Reed has a little more pop than Murton.

 

How do you figure? Reed has a .409 career SLG, Murton a .455

 

You are right. Murton homers once every 35 or so at bats. Johnson every 50.

 

Back to the platoon thing. There are only three everyday OF players. If one gets hurt, someone who is not an everyday player has to play. Usually it is a platoon player.

[Omar]

all this to have a cpatt-epatt matchup. then we can bring murton up when the reds leave town

 

Heh, that was my immediate reaction to this.

 

This was my thought too. I really doubt it matters much really. Sori will be back in 2 weeks and the club will continue to roll on the back of Lee. At least we can enjoy an much more balanced lineup while he is out

 

Does anyone know what the Cubs record was with Soriano on the DL last year?

[CoolHandLuke]

.296 .365 .455

 

That looks like a pretty good fill in player to me.

 

When you have a hitter like Murton in AAA, and the player who plays his position goes down, you START MURTON! This isn't rocket science, fellas.

[SouthSideRyan]

When Wally Pipp got benched, it shoulda been Howie Shanks that took his spot.

[rawaction]

I told you all in the gamethread that this would be the roster move. Thinking like the Cubs here. Patterson can hit lefty. He's versatile. And he has the ability to fill the leadoff position that Soriano vacated.

[Wilson A2000]

all this to have a cpatt-epatt matchup. then we can bring murton up when the reds leave town

 

Heh, that was my immediate reaction to this.

 

This was my thought too. I really doubt it matters much really. Sori will be back in 2 weeks and the club will continue to roll on the back of Lee. At least we can enjoy an much more balanced lineup while he is out

 

Does anyone know what the Cubs record was with Soriano on the DL last year?

 

10-13 I believe

[Little Slide Rooter]

all this to have a cpatt-epatt matchup. then we can bring murton up when the reds leave town

 

Heh, that was my immediate reaction to this.

 

This was my thought too. I really doubt it matters much really. Sori will be back in 2 weeks and the club will continue to roll on the back of Lee. At least we can enjoy an much more balanced lineup while he is out

 

Does anyone know what the Cubs record was with Soriano on the DL last year?

 

10-13 I believe

 

That is a different Cubs team. D-Lee is back to his superman form, Fukus come to town, Sotos ready to break out any minute, plus we've been playing without Sorianos so far this season anyway.

[Laura]

Murt must be on his last option by now, and with Soriano not expected to be gone any longer than the 15 day minimum, Murt would not get much time up, and theyd have to put him through waivers, and hed be grabbed up in a minute. Patterson has only been up and down once, and can be bounced around a few more rounds.

 

I don't think that's right.

 

It's not, Murton already burned an option year by getting sent down after spring training.

 

Apparently they said on the Score that Murton being out of options is behind this move. Was Murton on the 25-man at the start of the season? My recollection is that he was in AAA to start the season.

[SouthSideRyan]

Murt must be on his last option by now, and with Soriano not expected to be gone any longer than the 15 day minimum, Murt would not get much time up, and theyd have to put him through waivers, and hed be grabbed up in a minute. Patterson has only been up and down once, and can be bounced around a few more rounds.

 

I don't think that's right.

 

It's not, Murton already burned an option year by getting sent down after spring training.

 

Apparently they said on the Score that Murton being out of options is behind this move. Was Murton on the 25-man at the start of the season? My recollection is that he was in AAA to start the season.

 

The Score is full of idiots. If you're on the 40 man roster to begin the season and at any point are sent to the minors(be it to break camp or in the middle of the year, except injury rehabs) then you burn an option year. The rest of the year you can be bused up and down 20 times, and you still only use 1 option.

[Jon]

Who was it that made fun of the Cubs for having two A ball teams? North?

 

No need to even begin to get into what's wrong with that statement, of course.