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Reports: Murton up, Patterson down

H_tiny by northsider on

Star-divide

Per Paul Sullivan at the Trib:

Manager Lou Piniella said Saturday the Cubs have lacked a corner outfielder and another right-handed hitter since Alfonso Soriano went on the disabled list last week. Murton fills the bill, and major-league sources said he received word on Sunday he'd be called up. Murton, a .296 career hitter in the majors in 830 at-bats, was batting .298 at Iowa with one home run and 15 RBIs since being demoted from the Cubs in April. After getting his average into the .360s in late May, Murton has slumped of late, hitting .143 in 49 at-bats in June with no homers and three RBIs.
HT: Geo4MVP
Poll
Do you agree with the move?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Neither would get enough playing time for this to matter.

  215 votes | Results

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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well...

tell that head of fire
tell that big tooth smiler
tell the patterson, the cotts and the hoffpauir
sooner or later Lou’s gonna send you down
sooner or later Lou’s gonna send you down…

by Short4Fanatic on Jun 16, 2008 11:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yup

The Man Comes Around. Johnny Cash was awesome.

Santo Forever!

by BeerCub on Jun 17, 2008 7:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1000

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 7:21 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+ a trillion

i have a portrait of mr. cash tattooed to my chest. no i’m not kidding

by philadelphiacub on Jun 17, 2008 10:16 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ay Yi Yi

My apologies. The lyrics from above are from a traditional song called “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” which Johnny Cash did on his American V: A Hundred Highways album. It was not on The Man Comes Around.

Santo Forever!

by BeerCub on Jun 17, 2008 2:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That would look awesome on the side of a 1980s van

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jun 17, 2008 8:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lol

Whoever said you couldn't mix business and pleasure never owned a putt putt course. --Andy Bernard

by carmen_fanzone on Jun 17, 2008 10:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

RESPECT THE UNICORN!

(And, uh, perhaps Matt Murton.)

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jun 17, 2008 8:46 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Kinda makes sense to call him up before facing Kazmir

Hoff and Patterson were both LH, so it would have been hard to construct a lineup without a right-handed bat, especially since they’d have to find a DH also.

by jbau on Jun 16, 2008 11:22 PM CDT   0 recs

I meant without a left-handed bat

W/O Murton, they can’t assemble an all right-handed lineup, which they might be trying to do for Kazmir.

Pre-Murton:
LF: DeRosa
CF: Johnson
RF: ?
1B: Lee
2B: Cedeno
SS: Theriot
3B: Ramirez
C: Soto
DH: Blanco

Bench: Hoff, Dome, Fontenot, Patterson, Edmonds

So they’d be short 1 RH bat.

by jbau on Jun 16, 2008 11:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Fukudome vs LHP

only 57 AB: .263 / .380 / .368 / .748

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jun 16, 2008 11:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

True, but also:

Kazmir vs. LHB, 41 AB:
.171 / .190 / .244 / .434

Of course his stats vs. RHB are just about as ridiculous, and I’m not sayin’ Murton would do any better than any of the left-handed hitters. I’m just speculating as to the Cubs’ rationale for this move.

by jbau on Jun 16, 2008 11:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why sit Dome?

You need his defense anyway…

So, he’d be the only lefty in the line-up. Big woop.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Jun 17, 2008 1:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh... and if you're gonna put two catchers in the line-up

Make Soto the DH… and put Blanco behind the plate.

I'm not going to even bother trying to update this sig everyday anymore... that's what the standings column on ESPN is for.
Updated on May 25, 2008

by SackMan on Jun 17, 2008 1:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

sounds to me like maybe some teams wanted to see what Murton could do in the big leagues

So we call him up for some ABs.

Missouri Tigers 2008 Cotton Bowl Champs

by nji232 on Jun 16, 2008 11:22 PM CDT   0 recs

That's probably part of it.

The other part is so that Reed Johnson doesn’t play every day, because playing every day vs RHP would quickly expose his weaknesses. Murton can hit RHP.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jun 17, 2008 6:50 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

precisely.....taking down two birds with one stone

It is getting close to trading season and Murton needs to be seen by some scouts, hope he has a good couple of weeks.

Also I wonder if E Patterson was the last one in the clubhouse this week.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Jun 17, 2008 10:04 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Patterson

got 8 AB’s? I mean, really, why bother?

"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun

by Bump Bailey on Jun 16, 2008 11:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Yup

I was so excited about him a few years ago, but theyre jerking him around just like Pie, granted theres no real spot for either of them, but this cant be good for their confidence

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Jun 17, 2008 8:07 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Lou is one of the few baseball managers left

with enough, er, skill, yeah, skill, at player evaluation to make decisions is such small sample sizes.

by DGU on Jun 17, 2008 11:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

How about call up Murton

and send Fontenot down?

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Jun 17, 2008 12:36 AM CDT   0 recs

Probably about a week overdue...

I admire Lou’s flexibility though. He could have stayed firm on his initial decision, but quickly saw a problem with both Patterson and Hoffpauir on the bench, and corrected it.

by Damen Jackson on Jun 17, 2008 12:43 AM CDT   0 recs

Sweet

I’ll be looking forward to those weak grounders to second base.

by salparadise23 on Jun 17, 2008 7:09 AM CDT   0 recs

I like what someone else said somewhere....

.... and I apologize to the poster, whoever it was, but the Patterson brothers should look into another line of work. I thought calling up Murton and installing him in left until Soriano returned was a no brainer when Soriano was first injured. Then, if he IS being showcased, there’s something to go by.

I don’t know what to make of Eric Patterson. Limited ABs or not, in this lineup, you’ve got to make the most of your chances when you get them. No one expects a hit every time up, but it doesn’t look as if he has an idea up there, that he’s thinking at the plate. It’s still somewhat early for a definitive decision on him, but he smells like his brother so far.

Santo Forever!

by BeerCub on Jun 17, 2008 7:20 AM CDT   0 recs

LSA

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jun 17, 2008 7:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

He is young though

I think he has talent and could possibly squash the Patterson curse someday. I think it should be somewhere else so perhaps he will be part of a deal that brings the Cubs a major chip.

He did drive in a run last week. Let us not forget!

How does that make you feel?

by Kinky Reggae on Jun 17, 2008 8:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

word.

Matt Murton be FREE!

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jun 17, 2008 2:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ugh.

I don’t know what to say ….

I got it now … I disagree. I mean to say he smells like his brother, and to say the “Patterson brothers” need to look for a line of work is insane. While Corey Patterson is Eric’s brother, they both have different skill sets. Corey Patterson has MLB talent, but he is too stubborn to correct the obvious flaws in his swing and so forth.

And you simply can’t know if a kid is going to be good or not if you have 8 ABs. Simply put, Mike Fontenot should of been sent down and Patterson should of stayed.

Basically, you don’t know if Patterson will be good, I don’t know if he’s gonna be good, but dammit, he might suck his way back to AAA, but give the kid a week full of starts and let him show what he has.

My new life, my new world, and my beautiful daughter:
Kayla Davis: Due date (8-11-08)!

by Unique on Jun 18, 2008 3:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cool another redhead. Redheads rule!

We are all waiting for that glorious October night when we finally win it all. Until then we will continue to cheer, never do the wave and hope.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Jun 17, 2008 7:35 AM CDT   0 recs

My only problem with this...

(and bear in mind that I AM a fan of bringing Murton up), is that it seems like our farm hands keep getting jerked around by the big club. You’re up, you’re down… no consistent, sustained opportunity to settle in and prove themselves. That’s got to be tough on the psyche.

We all know LouPa is a tinkerer, but at some point, you’ve got to let these guys work through their issues and prove themselves, or prove that they don’t have what it takes. So far, they just don’t seem to be getting that chance…

by Slim1256 on Jun 17, 2008 7:44 AM CDT   1 recs

That's how I feel.

While I love it from this end with Lou managing to win, I worry about the long term effects on our players when they get “jerked around”.

How does that make you feel?

by Kinky Reggae on Jun 17, 2008 8:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmmmm...

Unless Murton’s being shopped, he’s only up for a couple weeks. I’d say he’s sent back down on July 6.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 7:56 AM CDT   0 recs

Murton

is really going to have to play out of his mind in this call-up to have a chance sticking with the big-club. Even then, once Soriano comes back and Ward too, I don’t think there is room for Murton on the team, unless Lou finally figures out that Fontenot could/should be sent down.

Even then, that would give us 6 outfielders (soriano, johnson, edmonds, ward, murton, and Dome) and only Cedeno as a reserve infielder. I don’t think Lou or Hendry would do that. It seems that there are two options for Murton, play out of his mind and increase his trade value or end up back in the minors once Soriano and Ward return. Its too bad, I like Big Red.

"Very adroit in the outfield." - Lou, on Dome

by gwood on Jun 17, 2008 8:30 AM CDT   0 recs

I they can't move Murton,

he’s going back down before July 7.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 8:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

What is the deal with July 6-7?

You’ve posted the same sentence twice. Is there a specific reason for this date?

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 8:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's Murton's 3-year mark, when he'll have been on

the major league roster for a third season. If they want to send him down, he’ll have to clear revocable waivers. AZPhil’s got a neat explanation here.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 8:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ah, then that makes sense...

I wouldn’t be surprised either way, though I tend to believe the Cubs will be looking to move Murton.

But I don’t think the move makes a dramatic difference. Both Patterson and Murton would be played sparingly anyway. At least Murton is a RH bat, joining Cedeno as the only non-catcher RH bats off the bench.

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 8:55 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah.

Whether it’s Sabathia or Burnett, I’d be shocked if Murton and Patterson aren’t part of any deal going forward.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The nice thing is

I wouldn’t be upset about seeing either of those players in a deal.

"Very adroit in the outfield." - Lou, on Dome

by gwood on Jun 17, 2008 9:07 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I won't be upset about anyone short of

Pie and Gallagher going in a deal for Sabathia.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:10 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

To me

the only player/prospect I would be upset about losing for Sabathia is Gallagher. Don’t get me wrong, I like Pie, but if we were able to trade for and sign Sabathia long term. I think it would be worth it.

Now, if it were just a short term rental for this season, I wouldn’t want to give up Pie

"Very adroit in the outfield." - Lou, on Dome

by gwood on Jun 17, 2008 9:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank God.

Only a week late. Can I vote twice for the poll?

Cubs cocktail: Add equal amounts of devotion and stubbornness over ice, stir and serve.

by Fukumania on Jun 17, 2008 8:38 AM CDT   0 recs

Well, it is Chicago after all....

n/t

"I have not failed. I have merely identified seven hundred twenty three ideas that didn't work"

by redivycubs on Jun 17, 2008 8:44 AM CDT to parent up   1 recs

LOL

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Jun 17, 2008 8:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That comment struck me as funny, too.

And it’s so typical of the Chicago sportswriting crowd that no one picked up on it and asked Lou about it.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 8:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You wouldn't either if you were one of them

They can only afford to bust Lou’s chops once in awhile, if they want to be able to do their jobs. I think they used up their 1st half chance when they hassled him over the line-up during Opening Week™.

Besides, who really wants to challenge Lou? I made eye contact with him at the game on Sunday when he was walking to the dugout after a mound visit—it was scary!!

"Let's not get too giggly." ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jun 17, 2008 9:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That's their job.

I don’t know why the media in this town allows Pinella to bully them so much.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's not just Piniella

And they aren’t exactly investigative reporters. They are allowed to fly on the Cubs plane, hang around when they’re in their underwear…..they are part of the team’s furniture. They couldn’t do their jobs if they challenged management as much as fans do.

"Let's not get too giggly." ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jun 17, 2008 9:35 AM CDT to parent up   1 recs

Maybe so.

That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:46 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah me too

Does he ever make up his mind?

"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti

by wrigleyrocker12 on Jun 17, 2008 9:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No,

he apparently tinkers with that too ;)

"Very adroit in the outfield." - Lou, on Dome

by gwood on Jun 17, 2008 9:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

His mind has a mind of its own.....

Every time he thinks, he’s really thinking twice…

Thanks to Jimmie Dale Gilmour…

by crazymountain on Jun 17, 2008 3:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, in Lou's defense...

...I think he got his “left-handed banger” in Jim Edmonds. Sure, it’s still probably a little early to call Jimmy Ballgame an unmitigated success, but he’s probably performed well enough to ease Lou’s mind about this issue.

So now that the Cubs are going to face a nasty lefty like Kazmir, he’s looking for a right-handed bat that hits lefties well. Thus, I give you Matt Murton, whose career splits against lefties are .317/.391/.497 (.888 OPS, 118 OPS+), By the way, is Kazmir’s WHIP really .97? I mean, come on, that’s gotta be a misprint.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jun 17, 2008 9:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

One more reason the Randolph firing looks silly.

Willie Randolph didn’t trade Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, neither did Minaya...

In terms of accountability, I think the Mets got that one right. They demoted Duquette largely because of that trade, and then hired Minaya to replace him. Randolph and Minaya both came in AFTER the Kazmir trade.

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 9:47 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, I wasn't going after Minaya, per se,

just after the Mets’ management. And they only demote Duquette, while they fire Randolph?

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 9:50 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Eh, I'm fine with the firing...

There’s no reason the Mets should be this bad. The team’s performance has gotten progressively worse despite upgrading the talent. That’s a recipe for a firing if you ask me.

As for Duquette, he was only kept on for a season in a “different front office position” before being let go. He was essentially relieved of his duties after 2004, and officially let go after 2005.

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 10:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't see it that way.

Beltran, Alou, and Delgado all showed obvious signs of aging last season, and no moves were really made to bolster those positions. Milledge and Gomez, the best OF prospects, were traded. Santana was an obvious upgrade, but the staff from the beginning was resting on an erratic Perez, a hurt Martinez and an inconsistent prospect in Pelfrey. Castillo and Easley are not exactly prize-winners at 2B, either offensively or defensively. The bullpen, outside of Wagner, Feliciano, and Schoenweis, is pretty bad. It’s not as talented a team as you might think.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 10:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I disagree...

Beltran is 31 – he’s not aging, he’s in his prime. He had an .872 OPS last year and an .850 OPS so far this year. Alou and Delgado are aging, yes. HOWEVER, the team won over 80 games last year, and they upgraded RF (Church in place of Green), and they upgraded their rotation with Santana. They have as good a 2B as they did last year.

The bullpen is as good as last year too. So compared to last year’s team, they should have been better this year. The rotation is the same as last year (remember – Martinez pitched only five games), but with Santana replacing Glavine. That is, on paper, an upgrade.

I’m not saying that team should be great, but they should be better than their current record. The dropoff by Heilman and Perez have been a big part of it. They were both terrific last year and have struggled this year.

This team is an above-.500 team talent-wise. They have one of the top pitchers in the game and a very solid #2 starter. They have a top closer. They have two good setup guys. Coming into the season, Heilman should have been a third good setup guy. They have four regulars with OPS of .830 or better. They shouldn’t be this bad.

And on top of the performance issues, there have been clubhouse incidents. Wagner blew up and called out the team on camera. It just seems that Randolph has no control. I don’t agree with HOW they did it, but I’m fine with why they did it.

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 11:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Point taken.

I think it was the clubhouse incidents that did him in. A manager never looks good when that stuff happens. But I also think it’s silly to hold a manager responsible when players underperform.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 11:16 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It probably was a combination of the two...

Right or wrong, I think the record over the past year has a lot to do with the firing. Minaya clearly wasn’t happy with how the team collapsed last year. And this season’s poor start didn’t turn the tide. But I agree that the clubhouse incidents sealed the deal.

There are two reasons managers get fired – underperformance and losing the team. The first is largely a function of the idea that something has to happen to get guys going. The second is a sign that the manager doesn’t have any control. Teams can struggle with making that decision (as it usually isn’t the manager’s fault for underperformance). But when you have both occurring, it’s pretty easy to pull the trigger.

by SouthernCub on Jun 17, 2008 11:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agreed.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 11:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I haven't checked this in a while

but the last time I looked, Church was outperforming Milledge by a fair bit. Milledge may be more valuable long-term, but Church is no slouch.

The only off-season move of Minaya’s I question is the Castillo long-term contract.

by DGU on Jun 17, 2008 12:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Church is having a much better season, thus far.

Milledge seems to be heating up, though.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Jun 17, 2008 12:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Also in Lou's defense,

we lost a big RH-bat in Soriano.

But now in criticism of Lou – having two big LH-bats in the lineup was supposed to help Derrek Lee who gets handled by constant pitching into the LH batter’s box. But Lee’s massive slump coincided with the emergence of Jim Edmonds as a second lefty bat. I think the LH-bat idea was a clever one, but we’re facing ML pitchers and they (mostly) know how to pitch to opponents’ weaknesses whether there’s 1 LH bat in the lineup or a half dozen.

by DGU on Jun 17, 2008 12:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs