Murton Very Available

by J.D. on Mar 26, 2008 10:12 PM EDT Comment 49 comments

Per the Chicago Sun-Times, Matt Murton is officially not a part of the Cubs' plans. Today Lou Piniella named Mike Fontenot as the final player on the five man bench, ruling out the possibility of Murton making the roster and going on to say that the Cubs will try to get him a spot on a major league team.

The Rays, being in the market for an outfielder, would be doing themselves a big favor by acquiring Murton. He flat out hits and gets on base, with a career line of .296/.365/.455, developing power and good speed on the bases. Matt was originally drafted in 2003 in the first round by the Red Sox, and saw himself dealt to the Cubs during the four-team blockbuster in 2003 which sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs and Orlando Cabrera to the Red Sox, among others.

Granted, the Rays were specifically looking for a switch-hitting center fielder, but I can't imagine that they could land one nearly as valuable as Murton.

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Re: Murton Very Available

Works for me. He still has one more season at the minimum, correct?

by ttnorm on Mar 26, 2008 10:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

That's right.

by J.D. on Mar 26, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Man, that red hair would really accent our navy blue....we really need to get this guy, he is the perfect fit for our puzzle

by Matt Bishoff on Mar 26, 2008 11:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

As I said before, Murton would immediately become our everyday RF with a Gomes/Floyd DH platoon. What would the Cubs want for him?

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Mar 26, 2008 11:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

They're being run pretty poorly, perhaps a low level arm or two?

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 26, 2008 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

The Rays have gotta be at least in the conversation when it comes to a potential Murton deal so long as the asking price isn't absurd. Where's Al Martin when you need him?

by RATW on Mar 26, 2008 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For What It's Worth...

I put the question up on the Cubs blog.

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2008/3/27/351083/so-who-do-you-want-for-mur

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Mar 26, 2008 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome

I was typing a response to the Sonnanstine reply, and all of the sudden a new comment popped up. Talk about nifty.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 26, 2008 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Awesome

Yeah, when are we upgrading over on this dinosaur?

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Mar 26, 2008 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Awesome

Saturday night apparently and BTB follows Sunday morning. How am I supposed to get out pre-season jitters without this place for three hours?

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 26, 2008 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Awesome

Also, with the auto refresh I have a feeling a Jonny Gomes picture appreciation thread will be needed.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 27, 2008 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Awesome

Gomes is baseball's version of Chuck Norris!

www.lbacentral.com

by SeanDubbs on Mar 27, 2008 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

I've got to think you're not the only team in on this guy, and the Cubs don't have to trade him (he has options), so they're not going to just give him away. Not sure of the rationale for carrying Fontenot instead of him either.

And you may think they're poorly run, but they did go from last to first last year and are the favorites in their division. Sometimes spending money isn't wrong.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 27, 2008 5:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

But I am guessing that if the Rays really want him, we have at least as much to trade as anyone else, depending of course on what the Cubs are looking for.

by bobr on Mar 27, 2008 7:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry to burst your bubble

But you guys obviously have never seen Murton play. Yes, he carries a decent AVG and has shown patience but the "power is developing" thing is laughable, he has average to below average speed and is a horrible base runner and to top it off, he is incredibly poor in the OF. If he plays RF, start the merry-go-round. He's MLB average in LF.

Point is, he's just an average MLB OF'er. The Cubs don't have plans for him because he's just not that good. Nothing more, nothing less. But is sure is funny how the grass is always greener. In this case, Murton and his red hair and not such.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Mar 29, 2008 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Murton would be a great fit in a Rays uniform! I'm sure there will be a lot of teams interested in his services, though.

Drew

Eduardo Morlan = God.

by Devilray187 on Mar 26, 2008 11:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

I have a hard time understanding why the Cubs chose to Reed Johnson, Daryle Ward, and Felix Pie were more deserving of roster spots. They are going to regret letting him go.

Whoever acquires him will have scored a coup.

by GomesSweetGomes on Mar 26, 2008 11:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

R. Johnson-above avg vs. lefty hitter who will be able to give Pie days off vs tough lefties, plays like wiggy (blue-collar) and can play an above avg center with a plus arm, Ward-one of the best LH bats off the bench hitting over .400 this spring, Pie-c'mon is this a real question Murton doesn't play center along with anyone else on their roster (Please don't say fu**dome or soriano)

Murton will be a steal , but do our Rays have any win-now player the Cubs would desire? Or do the Rays need a player with splits (OPS wise) subpar to gomes, who can't play CF AT ALL and has about the same abilities as Gomes on corner D (subpar). I'd say this is a choice between giving Gomes 500+ ab's to prove himself or not.

by CubsFanRaysAddict on Mar 27, 2008 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

I won't say Murton will have a better season than Fukudome this year. However, I think that giving Murton the fulltime job and spending the Fukudome dollars elsewhere would have made a lot more sense than creating the need to get rid of an above-average player.

by GomesSweetGomes on Mar 27, 2008 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Thank you, I agree completely. why spend 12mil per when 400k would due on Murton. But the only defense I can give Hendry is that they needed a LH bat. And please don't mistake me as a faux rays fan, I was born and raised in St Pete, love the rays 10x more than the cubs, but their a childhood disease I picked up early.

by CubsFanRaysAddict on Mar 27, 2008 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Don't feel bad, I'm the same way. The Rays are by far my favorite team but I can't abandon the Cubbies (unless they play the Rays in the World Series of course).

by usfraysfan on Mar 27, 2008 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

You got that right! Are we the only ones thinking straight? Murton is by far an above-average ball player,and deserves to start! I think will regret trading him!

by gtown on Mar 27, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Laughable

Now that comment is absurd. Murton is MLB-average or worse. Clearly he isn't above-average in anything he does on the baseball field. Cubs fans like him because he doesn't complain but quite frankly, he's not very good.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Mar 29, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

I like Murton. I would feel a twinge of regret for Gomes because in a platoon he will probably not get more than 300 ABs or so (facing just lefties), and he seems to need steady work to stay sharp. On the other hand, I think Maddon has a knack for giving everyone plenty of playing time, so I am guessing he would be ok.

I'm sure the Rays have enough to get him. The question is how much are we willing to sacrifice.

by bobr on Mar 26, 2008 11:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

What if the Cubbies want Helliot? Would you give him up? I would, definitely. Will the fans riot!?

by gerzowitz on Mar 26, 2008 11:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 26, 2008 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Absolutely

Absolutely = give Helliot up or fans will riot?

by gerzowitz on Mar 27, 2008 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Absolutely

We have Cannizaro, he'd restore the peace.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 27, 2008 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Absolutely

Cannizaro is the MAN!!! What are the odds that they keep Cannizaro and Johnson with Baldelli out, knowing that Johnson can play center if needed?

by blackcat06 on Mar 27, 2008 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Absolutely

Johnson can play CF, huh? That he's gone out there doesn't mean he can do it - 2 E's there in hs last effort - and wasn't that his first.

I see Johnson as a 2B temporarily masquerading as a utility guy until Zobrist gets healthy. He has virtually no experience at the other positions. And his offensive numbers in Durham were ugly. Might be his only shot so he'll take it - I just don't think he can be counted on aside from 2B in the crunch.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 27, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Absolutely

In theory we shouldn't need him much.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 27, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

the Cubs have three very good 2nd base prospects (Tony Thomas Jr (FSU baby), Cedeno, and Eric Patterson), and another one on their roster in Mike Fontenot. Besides who will provide us with the most satisfing boo'ing this year if Helliot doesn't make the trip to NY?

by CubsFanRaysAddict on Mar 27, 2008 12:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Well, Hellboy is beyond positions now like Figgins.

by gerzowitz on Mar 27, 2008 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Maybe we should just make him SR. Exec of baseball operations and give him a glove and some football pads... Maybe the Bucs need another LB'er? No keep elliot b/c the only thing Zobrist give us is a reason to post pics of christian pop artists.

by CubsFanRaysAddict on Mar 27, 2008 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Is it true that Murton is a rather poor outfielder? And that he is better suited to LF than to RF, and nearly useless in CF?

Is there any significance to the fact that all his offensive numbers have declined each year he has been in the majors?

by bobr on Mar 27, 2008 1:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

UZR has him as +14 runs per 150 games in LF and +9 in RF. Not definitive with the sample size issue, but I think it at least indicates that he's not a poor fielder at all.

by gerzowitz on Mar 27, 2008 6:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Put the stats down and watch him play OF. He's just plain brutal. Terrible arm, terrible angles to the ball...all in all...a terrible OF. But since games are apparently played by using some ridiculous formula created by UZR, why even take the field?

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Mar 29, 2008 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

From what I understand he is much more suited to the corner positions, and that is why the Cubs aren't too fond of him. However, corners are what we need right now.

by Matt Bishoff on Mar 27, 2008 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Maybe it is the fact that he's played wrigley's RF the toughest in the league... but he is fast and known as a hard worker. His offensive #'s are probably due to his lack of at bats recently and being considered an afterthought in Chi-town. As Joe Morgan would say his concetration and consitency haven't been what they were since '05-'06.

by CubsFanRaysAddict on Mar 27, 2008 3:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

When I watched him 2-3 years ago he reminded me of Jason Michaels the LF for the Indians or maybe former Ray/Current Brave LF Matt Diaz? Both offensively and defensively

by blazinrayz on Mar 27, 2008 3:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

"We like Matt a lot, and I think, on a lot of clubs, he's an every-day player in left field," Hendry said. "We're just in a spot where on the corners we have two outstanding players, and we needed somebody like Reed Johnson who could play some in center."

That surprises me that the Cubs don't think Murton has the defensive tools to fill in at CF but Johnson does. I would have thought that Murton would have been the better CFer.

by ttnorm on Mar 27, 2008 8:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Murton supposedly isn't a very good defensive OFer at all. Keith Law said he didn't know what he was currently, but when he was in Toronto, Johnson was slightly above-average defensively in CF.

by Tyler on Mar 27, 2008 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Murton cannot play CF at all - which is why the Cubs can't keep him around for now.

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by UCFKnights on Mar 27, 2008 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

I think it would be a big mistake to let Murton go. Soriono does have some previous injuries to still worry about,and Murton does a great job filling his shoes! It's bitter sweet though,because Matt is a good player and not a bench warmer. Matt is my favorite cub player, so saying that, I will follow him wherever he goes!

by gtown on Mar 27, 2008 2:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Since Seth McClung departed there's been a void on this team that can only be filled with the glowing red locks of Matt Murton.

by floridaroar on Mar 27, 2008 4:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Niemann?

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 27, 2008 8:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

Although I like Murton, I am not sure why he would be such a wonderful addition to the Rays. If the UZR ratings represent his true defensive value, I can see it, but if the perception that he is a sub-par defensive player is true, then I question why he is a better option than Gomes, or Gomes/Hinske.

I will grant that his OBP is significantly higher than Jonny's, and that is a very important consideration. But unlike Gomes, the bulk of his OBP is reliant on BA as he walks a decent % of the time, but not particularly often. Gomes on the other hand owes much of his OBP to his willingness to take a walk and he has significantly more power than Murton, an important consideration for a corner player. Should Murton come on board, Gomes's playing time would be cut back somewhat, and while Murton has been a part-time player so far, I think he might be wasted in that role-or that Gomes would be.

Essentially the question is how much better is Murton than Gomes.

by bobr on Mar 27, 2008 7:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Murton Very Available

In addition to the UZR rating, Murton is 5th overall in the league over the past three years as a left fielder according to Fielding Bible.

Also, although he doesn't walk quite as much as Gomes, (about 1.4% less) he doesn't strike out nearly as much as Jonny. .37 K/BB for Gomes while Murton's sitting at .71. Those are career numbers.

He's not really that comparable to Gomes because he's not a slugging type, but in the interest of our current outfield situation (Hinske starting in right makes me cringe a little) I think it's best to grab another talented outfielder for depth purposes, especially when it's someone who can start full-time like Murton.

Like Friedman has touched on, it's good to assemble as many quality players as possible regardless of need. This does happen to be an area of need, and I don't think we'd have to give up that much to get him.

by J.D. on Mar 27, 2008 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crazy

Whatever the "Fielding Bible" is, it just lost 100% of its credibility as anything other than frivolity by listing Murton in the top 50 of MLB LF'ers. Put the books down and watch baseball. He's horrible in the OF.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Mar 29, 2008 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs