Please trade Matt Murton

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If you normalize the difference in ABs, and shift about a dozen of Theriot's doubles to HRs, you close that OPS difference dramatically (I believe you can roughly equalize to under .10 difference by shifting 18 doubles to HR).

while we're at it, let's also shift about a dozen of Murton's strikeouts to triples

Not to specifically call you out, but I hate when people do this. And what I mean is that when one poster (The Dude in this instance) makes a very good, lengthy post, and then someone else takes a tiny portion of it and says something smartassed. Why don't you just respond to the actual post?

 

Seriously? The Dude says you can equate 2 guys by taking 12-18 doubles from one and making them HRs. In 2800 ABs in the minors and majors, Theriot has 12 total HRs. I think Bob Sanders' response was deserved. How would you suggest responding to "I'm going to create a fiction that supports my point and ignores reality...BAM. As you can see, I'm right."

 

The way I took it was that considering how much support Murton gets here compared to the abuse Theriot takes they are not that far off from each other in production.

 

I like Murton, but I think he either needs to learn to play off the bench or start developing more power, otherwise it is going to be hard for him to find ana regular job in the big leagues. If he was a middle infielder he probably would get some opportunities, but as a corner outfielder that is at best average defensively he would need to find a team with a lot of production other places in the line up to make up for his lack of slugging as a left fielder.

 

As for trading him because it is "best" for him, meh. Keep him around as insurance in AAA unless someone blows the Cubs away with an offer or they can use him as a key component in a multi player deal.

 

Insurance against what? Soriano, Fukudome, Johnson, and DeRosa hitting the DL at the same time? The Cubs made it clear when they didn't bring him up first and then never started him when they brought him up that he's not the insurance plan we thought he was. Sitting him on the bench in the majors and having him go 0/1 every few days in PH opportunities isn't good for anyone.

[biittner77]

As for trading him because it is "best" for him, meh. Keep him around as insurance in AAA unless someone blows the Cubs away with an offer or they can use him as a key component in a multi player deal.

Insurance against what? Soriano, Fukudome, Johnson, and DeRosa hitting the DL at the same time? The Cubs made it clear when they didn't bring him up first and then never started him when they brought him up that he's not the insurance plan we thought he was. Sitting him on the bench in the majors and having him go 0/1 every few days in PH opportunities isn't good for anyone.

 

Why give him away for nothing when he might be useful someday? Soriano seems like a guy that may get hurt again. Theriot and Cedeno could both stop hitting. In that scenario the Cubs would probably start both Murton and Derosa. Does that seem all that unlikely?

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As for trading him because it is "best" for him, meh. Keep him around as insurance in AAA unless someone blows the Cubs away with an offer or they can use him as a key component in a multi player deal.

Insurance against what? Soriano, Fukudome, Johnson, and DeRosa hitting the DL at the same time? The Cubs made it clear when they didn't bring him up first and then never started him when they brought him up that he's not the insurance plan we thought he was. Sitting him on the bench in the majors and having him go 0/1 every few days in PH opportunities isn't good for anyone.

 

Why give him away for nothing when he might be useful someday? Soriano seems like a guy that may get hurt again. Theriot and Cedeno could both stop hitting. In that scenario the Cubs would probably start both Murton and Derosa. Does that seem all that unlikely?

 

Yes. Theriot is going to play long before Murton. We're assuming Soriano is out for an extended time? If Theriot isn't hitting and Cedeno wins the SS job, either Fontenot will start at 2B or Theriot will (Theriot was really bad last year and kept his job). Either way, DeRosa or Reed Johnson is going to be in LF and Fontenot, Theriot and Cedeno will cover MIF. I don't see a scenario, absent significant injury to 3 of those players where Murton would play regularly.

 

And I'm not saying give him away. I think he should go back to AAA and play regularly. We can hope he goes back to putting up .900+ OPS like the last 2 times he was in AAA and maybe we can trade him for value.