The Matt Murton Situation

[TB_11]

I'm with you Tree, he is about the luckiest player i've ever seen. That still doesn't change my opinion that he should be given a chance.

 

I'll agree with that. Besides, there's no way Dusty has a clue what any of this stuff is, so it's not like it could be used to defend his decision making. As far as Dusty knows, Matt's hitting .400 and doesn't deserve to start anyway.

 

Matt's real problem is that he only bats right-handed. He won't help the Cubs much until Baker is gone, nor will any other RH hitter in the farm system. If Hendry is considering resigning Baker he needs to start trading all RH hitters in the minors whenever he can get good value for them.

 

It's never a good sign when a GM needs to make his personnel decisions not based on who is most talented or who will help the team win the most, but instead on who the manager will play based on his illogical beliefs.

[OleMissCub]

Francoeur maybe playing over his head, but no right-handed batter has done much of anything against Carpenter this season. Of course, Francoeur has driven in 2 of the 3 Braves runs today with a HR and double off the wall against Carpenter.

 

the dude can flat out hit. There is a reason he was given the biggest signing bonus in braves history.

[CubfaninCA]

Baker should give Burnitz a few days off and start Murton in LF and Lawton in RF. Burnitz is really struggling.

[ConstableRabbit]

frostwyrm your sig is absolutely hillarious :lol:

[ConstableRabbit]

He very may well be a lucky player as has been alluded to, but I've always felt that you don't bench a player unless he's done something wrong, and you try to play the best guys. I just don't see what Murton has done to deserve being benched, other than being born in the 1980s.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

And now Burnitz gets the night off so that Dusty can play Hollandsworth. The situation has reached the point where it's infuriating. I don't think I'll be attending any Cub games next year, but if Dusty is back next season, I won't boo the players, but I will boo Dusty at every game I attend from his walking out to take out the line-up to every move he makes.

 

He has no clue how to put his team in the best position to succeed.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

And now Burnitz gets the night off so that Dusty can play Hollandsworth. The situation has reached the point where it's infuriating. I don't think I'll be attending any Cub games next year, but if Dusty is back next season, I won't boo the players, but I will boo Dusty at every game I attend from his walking out to take out the line-up to every move he makes.

 

He has no clue how to put his team in the best position to succeed.

 

I get the feeling Baker will be booed in Chicago this week everytime he steps out of the dugout. I think even the sidewalk Cub fan has had it with Baker.

[fearthecubs]

I'm not even beginning to justify murton's non-usage, but I think Murton might be due for a fall. I was thinking to my self that it seemed like he had an awful lot of infield singles and bloopers, so I looked up his babip/ld% numbers.

 

ld% = 20.7

 

babip = .536

 

sometimes your memory is right.

 

To be fair, he had a high BABIP at West Tenn and has been legging out tons of IF hits there too.

 

didn't most people agree that he was irrationally lucky there as well?

 

i suppose it's possible that a guy with moderately above average speed has learned the secret of the crap single, but id be pretty surprised.

 

If its all luck why can't Corey do it with superior speed?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm not even beginning to justify murton's non-usage, but I think Murton might be due for a fall. I was thinking to my self that it seemed like he had an awful lot of infield singles and bloopers, so I looked up his babip/ld% numbers.

 

ld% = 20.7

 

babip = .536

 

sometimes your memory is right.

 

To be fair, he had a high BABIP at West Tenn and has been legging out tons of IF hits there too.

 

didn't most people agree that he was irrationally lucky there as well?

 

i suppose it's possible that a guy with moderately above average speed has learned the secret of the crap single, but id be pretty surprised.

 

If its all luck why can't Corey do it with superior speed?

 

Uh, because it's luck.

[fearthecubs]

And thats why Ichiro as well can do it? Sorry, but its because Murton puts the ball in play and hence opens the door for opportunity.

[treebird]

And thats why Ichiro as well can do it? Sorry, but its because Murton puts the ball in play and hence opens the door for opportunity.

 

ichiro hits a lot of line drives. he's 9th in the AL this year in ld%, and this has been a pretty down year for him.

[nilodnayr]

And thats why Ichiro as well can do it? Sorry, but its because Murton puts the ball in play and hence opens the door for opportunity.

 

ichiro hits a lot of line drives. he's 9th in the AL this year in ld%, and this has been a pretty down year for him.

 

Exactly, Neifi puts the ball into play all the time too, he just sucks. its not that hes unlucky, its that he just sticks the bat out there and usually hits a weak grounder. Sometimes it bloops over the third basemans head. At the beginning of the season his numbers were great because he was getting lucky, now hes not and his true numbers are shining through. Francouer might be getting lucky, but its really tough for an outfielder to catch a ball that is half way into the first deck :D

[Iceblink]

Maybe Murton's just been lucky. Maybe Murton isn't nearly the prospect Francouer is (few are). Maybe there's an age minimum to play regularly for the Cubs (unless, of course, you're a pitcher - in which case we experiment with how many pitches you can throw before you're 25.).

 

And so, an outfield rotation of Burnitz, Macias, Hollandsworth, and Lawton continues to get the bulk of the AB's to prove that they're average (at best) major leaguers for two months. Come next spring, we'll still be wondering if Murton or Cedeno can hit well enough to be counted on. Greenberg might be a useful OF'er the rest of the way and next year, but we won't know that, either.

 

Sweetness.

[10man]

i suppose it's possible that a guy with moderately above average speed has learned the secret of the crap single, but id be pretty surprised.

Don't look now but you just described Ichiro Suzuki to a tee.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

i suppose it's possible that a guy with moderately above average speed has learned the secret of the crap single, but id be pretty surprised.

Don't look now but you just described Ichiro Suzuki to a tee.

 

Look up a couple posts.

[10man]

And now Burnitz gets the night off so that Dusty can play Hollandsworth. The situation has reached the point where it's infuriating. I don't think I'll be attending any Cub games next year, but if Dusty is back next season, I won't boo the players, but I will boo Dusty at every game I attend from his walking out to take out the line-up to every move he makes.

 

He has no clue how to put his team in the best position to succeed.

I get the feeling Baker will be booed in Chicago this week everytime he steps out of the dugout. I think even the sidewalk Cub fan has had it with Baker.

I would be willing to put money on that happening.

[YearofDaCubs]

And now Burnitz gets the night off so that Dusty can play Hollandsworth. The situation has reached the point where it's infuriating. I don't think I'll be attending any Cub games next year, but if Dusty is back next season, I won't boo the players, but I will boo Dusty at every game I attend from his walking out to take out the line-up to every move he makes.

 

He has no clue how to put his team in the best position to succeed.

Wow Vance, your stance has really changed recently. I cant really say that I blame ya our situation has been for quite some time bad and very unbearable.

[gus_dog]

Maybe Murton's just been lucky. Maybe Murton isn't nearly the prospect Francouer is (few are). Maybe there's an age minimum to play regularly for the Cubs (unless, of course, you're a pitcher - in which case we experiment with how many pitches you can throw before you're 25.).

 

And so, an outfield rotation of Burnitz, Macias, Hollandsworth, and Lawton continues to get the bulk of the AB's to prove that they're average (at best) major leaguers for two months. Come next spring, we'll still be wondering if Murton or Cedeno can hit well enough to be counted on. Greenberg might be a useful OF'er the rest of the way and next year, but we won't know that, either.

 

Sweetness.

 

=D>

 

Excellent post. Just enough truth to make the sarcasm bite hard enough to cause pain and pleasure simultaneously. Ahhh, the life of a Cub fan. :D

[Derwood]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

[muntjack]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

 

Hmmm, I guess Steve Stone and the Red Sox probably wouldn't have much use for Tony Gwynn.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

 

Hmmm, I guess Steve Stone and the Red Sox probably wouldn't have much use for Tony Gwynn.

 

A hitter with Murton's skills can be useful if you build the proper team around him. They also said Wade Boggs would never make it to the majors because he didn't have enough power to play a corner infield position, and I watched him be inducted into the HOF 8 days ago.

 

Murton is a good pure hitter. Sure, he lacks power but this team has guys with power. What it needs is patient hitters who can put the ball in play and get base hits. Will Murton be a successful major leaguer? I have no idea, but his numbers thus far indicate he can.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

A hitter with Murton's skills can be useful if you build the proper team around him. They also said Wade Boggs would never make it to the majors because he didn't have enough power to play a corner infield position, and I watched him be inducted into the HOF 8 days ago.

 

Wade Boggs was also able to hit nearly .330 with a .090 IsoD and very few K's.

[CubfaninCA]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

 

Hmmm, I guess Steve Stone and the Red Sox probably wouldn't have much use for Tony Gwynn.

 

Ah Tony Gwynn comparisons now. :D Wasn't Gwynn a really good defender?? Also, it didn't hurt that he batted left-handed. One thing is for sure, Murton can hit lefties. I hope this board doesn't crash w/ excitement after Murton's single up the middle in the 2nd. :o

[halplm]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

 

Hmmm, I guess Steve Stone and the Red Sox probably wouldn't have much use for Tony Gwynn.

 

Ah Tony Gwynn comparisons now. :D Wasn't Gwynn a really good defender?? Also, it didn't hurt that he batted left-handed. One thing is for sure, Murton can hit lefties. I hope this board doesn't crash w/ excitement after Murton's single up the middle in the 2nd. :o

 

No worries, Dusty will probably bench him for not working the count better or something...

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Steve Stone was on Boers and Bernstein today and he didn't think Murton had much of a future. He said he doesn't have enough speed to play CF and not enough power to play the corners. He thought Boston gave up on him for this reason.

 

Hmmm, I guess Steve Stone and the Red Sox probably wouldn't have much use for Tony Gwynn.

 

Ah Tony Gwynn comparisons now. :D Wasn't Gwynn a really good defender?? Also, it didn't hurt that he batted left-handed. One thing is for sure, Murton can hit lefties. I hope this board doesn't crash w/ excitement after Murton's single up the middle in the 2nd. :o

 

Murton is pretty good defender.

 

Can Murton hit righties? He surely did in the minors. We can blame the manager for not knowing if he can in the majors.