Hauffpauir to Be Called Up For DH

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Link

 

Manager Lou Piniella said Ward will head to Arizona today to continue his recovery from a bulging disc in his lower back. If that goes OK, Ward will join Class AAA Iowa to begin a minor-league rehab assignment, perhaps beginning with the weekend.

 

After mentioning the names of Matt Murton and Micah Hoffpauir last week for possible call-ups, Piniella settled on Hoffpauir.

 

"What I can do in these six games is use Micah a little bit at first base and DH Derrek Lee," said Piniella, referring to the Cubs' first baseman. "I could use Micah a little bit in left field and DH Alfonso Soriano. I can even put (Mark) DeRosa at third a couple times and DH (Aramis) Ramirez if we want to.

 

"We can rotate our team around a little bit and rest some of our key players."

[Post Count Padder]

Good for Micah but you have to wonder how pissed off Murton is.

[anabiono]

who cares about matt...micah's bat is nasty!!!

 

=P~

[Backtobanks]

Murton has two strikes against him: he's not left-handed and he doesn't hit for power.

[Little Slide Rooter]

May as well do it now. I dont see Hart being put in much between now and then, and Id rather have a power bat on the bench than a guy who will give up a bunch of runs.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Hauffpauir can't rejoin the team until Friday when his ten days are up.

[javy knows my name]

Good for Micah but you have to wonder how pissed off Murton is.

I didn't think he was doing especially well in AAA this year. I think this is an easy one for Lou.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Hauffpauir can't rejoin the team until Friday when his ten days are up.

 

I totally forgot and was about to edit, but you beat me to it.

[Banedon]

I can't imagine Murton makes it through the whole year in the Cubs organization.

[Tracer Bullet]

I can't imagine Murton makes it through the whole year in the Cubs organization.

 

I hope not. It would make no sense for either party.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

crazy thought -- Murton and Hoffpauir, send Cotts and Hart back down

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

joins the Matt Murton Pity Party

[Choonch]

I'd like to see Geo get DH at least one (preferably two) game to give him some extra rest.

[rawaction]

crazy thought -- Murton and Hoffpauir, send Cotts and Hart back down

 

That is crazy talk. 11 pitchers! Are you kidding? 12 is pushing it as it is! I was hoping for a 14th, so the guys that don't play would have even more company.

[Little Slide Rooter]

crazy thought -- Murton and Hoffpauir, send Cotts and Hart back down

 

Yes, that is a crazy thought.

[CubColtPacer]

crazy thought -- Murton and Hoffpauir, send Cotts and Hart back down

 

I always thought that 12 pitchers was just crazy Lou and one of his fascinations. I knew that it was a trend that a few teams did around the league, but I really thought that standard practice was still 11 pitchers. I looked it up...and was I ever mistaken. In fact, the Cubs would be in rarer company with 11 than with 13.

 

Right now:

 

11- Angels

13- Minnesota, Atlanta, Florida, Cubs

12- everyone else (Note. Detroit and St. Louis currently have 11 on the roster, but they also only have 24 on the roster. Since both teams have announced that they are 100% adding a pitcher in the next 24 hours to fill that currently empty spot, they really belong in the 12 category).

 

The 6 man bench is close to dead.

[9YRPLAN]

with soriano heading to the DL, murton might get his chance after all. im guessing hart goes down to get back in the rotation in DSM and Hoffpauir and Murton are brought up...although murton is slumping lately down here.

[E.J.]

with soriano heading to the DL, murton might get his chance after all. im guessing hart goes down to get back in the rotation in DSM and Hoffpauir and Murton are brought up...although murton is slumping lately down here.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see Eric Patterson called up instead of Murton.

[9YRPLAN]

or kroeger, dubois, hell even torres... just because lou hates murton.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Even if Murton and Hoff are called up, which is likely unless a trade happens, one of the 2 is going back down when Ward returns. How many options does Murton have left anyway? It seems hes been up and down 37 times in the last 3 years.

[NCCubFan]

How many options does Murton have left anyway? It seems hes been up and down 37 times in the last 3 years.

Each year he gets sent down counts as one option regardless of how many times he goes up and down during the year.

[9YRPLAN]

i believe murton is in his extra option year this year, so this is it. this is his 5th year in pro ball.

[Tyrant]

joins the Matt Murton Pity Party

 

If Matt could slug above .400 against AAA pitching, I'd be more willing.

[jersey cubs fan]

The easy answer right now is Hoff and Murton coming up and splitting most of the time in left.

[CUBZ99]

According to ESPN 1000 it will be Hoffpauir and EPatt.