10
2009
Daniel Murphy Could Be The New Lou Gehrig
An article by Dave [Retire 31]
Disclaimer: I’m not talking statistically, but the story is the same.
Erudite baseball fans know Wally Pipp as the possessor of the most famous headache in baseball history. In his own words, “the most expensive asprins in history.” On June 2, 1925, Pipp told Yankee manager Miller Huggins he needed to sit that day out…
…Rookie Lou Gehrig took his place, Pipp lost the job he had held since 1915 and at season’s end was shunted off to Cincinnati.
Now think, how is Daniel Murphy’s story similar to this one?
When Carlos Delgado got injured early last season, the Mets were frantic about finding a first baseman as a short term substitute (as we all thought Delgado was coming back). The Mets tried Tatis, Evans and even Jeremy Reed. Eventually the Mets settled on former left fielder Daniel Murphy.
Murphy was a pretty good defensive first baseman. He was tied for the NL lead in most double plays started by first basemen at one point. And of course he is also known for his Top-10 play when he flipped the ball behind his back to the pitcher to get the runner out at first.
Now, Daniel Murphy’s story has led us to the present day. The question the Mets have been faced with is if Daniel Murphy is going to be the Mets starting first baseman in 2010. He certainly would do fine defensively, but Murphy doesn’t quite fit the first baseman stereotype offensively. First basemen are typically your power hitter types, and obviously Daniel Murphy is not that. The buzz now is that the Mets may have Murphy splitting time with another first baseman next season, and that they will look to add a righthanded hitting platoon partner.
What do you all think, Mets fans? Is Daniel Murphy the new Lou Gehrig? Is Carlos Delgado the new Wally Pipp?
About the Author: David Landon
6 Comments + Add Comment
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..and he wasn’t that good defensively. You need a skilled First Baseman to hold the infield together, not someone still learning the position at the major league level. Also, while Murphy is a very nice guy there’s not a whole lot going on upstairs. He’s a handy man who who can develop into a nice bat, that’s all.
The reason that your analogy is so way off base is that if Delgado had come back he wouldnt have lost his job to Murphy. Wally Pip was ready to play and was informed that he lost his job the very next day after he returned from his headache. Also Murphy is no Lou Gehrig statistically or any other way. Murphy didnt win and keep the first baseman job. He was about to get demoted to AAA when Delgado got hurt and because the Mets had no depth they made a desperate move and played Murphy there even though he wasnt a first baseman. If they could have, the Mets would have played a cadaver instead of Murphy, that’s how disenchanted they were with him. That was never the case with Gehrig.
If your view that Murphy was just learning the job, I think that by the end of 2010, Mets fans will forget Carlos Delgado.
Both Carlos and Daniel are nice guys. One is on the way out, the other is coming into his own. Right now, I’d prefer to see Murphy as the first baseman, because Carlos has neither the hands nor the range to play competitively. He hits some long balls, but frequently he is injured or in a slump.
Blame the Mets field management for their inconsistent use of Murphy defensively. Don’t blame Murphy. He had all of 11 putouts in the outfield during his entire minor league career. So of course he was inexperienced. He was doing OJT. Delgado has declining value. His lack of body flexibility hurts the Mets. At bat, Carlos is a moving freight train which often gets derailed. So consistency is not his strength.
DES, PLEASE TRY LOOKING AT ACTUAL STATS BEFORE USING YOUR OPINION AS FACTS NOT BACKED UP:
http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=nym&playerID=113232
EXCLUDING LAST SEASON’S ON FIELD INJURY TO HIS HIP WHILE SLIDING INTO 3B
DELGADO’S PLAYED 144,144,159G IN THE 3 PREVIOUS SEASONS. NONE OF HIS D/L STINTS HAVE BEEN DUE TO RECURRING ISSUES & MORE TO IN-GAME INJURIES. HE PLAYED WITH A BAD WRIST,CAPAL-TUNNEL, AT END OF ’07 AS WELL AS MISSING A BIT AT THE END OF ’07 DUE TO HAND BEING BROKEN BY WILLIS’ PITCH IN HBP SITUATION. IN FL HE SUSTAINED A KNEE INJURY GOING AFTER A FOUL POP. IN GAME INJURIES TYPICALLY ARE NON-RECURRING UNLESS LOWER-BODY(LEG/HAMMY) OR TRUNK RELATED. WE CAN ARGUE THE POINT ALL DAY; BUT I SIMPLY CHALLENGE YOU BY ASKING WHO YOU PROPOSE TO BE IN THE #4 THUMPER HOLE OF OUR LINEUP? MURPHY? BELTRAN? WRIGHT? ABSOLUTLY NONE OF OUR TARGETS OR CURRENT ROSTER QUALIFY FOR THAT BIG PRESENCE POSITION! BELTRAN, HAS BACK OF THE CARD PEDIGREE; BUT NOT THE DISPOSITION AS WAS THE SAME WITH WRIGHT PRE-’09. IF THE METS CAN’T ACQUIRE EITHER FIELDER OR GONZALEZ THE SOLE VIABILITY IS DELGADO, ALBEIT UNREMARKABLE HIS ’09 STATS IN 26G LAST YR STILL SUPPORTS THAT. THE BIGGEST QUESTION TO ME RE. DELGADO IS HIS BATSPEED. ONLY IF IT’S STILL VIABLE IS HE VIABLE IN MY OPINION. THOUGH HE’S STILL MY LAST CHOICE. DO U REMEMBER ’05? THE BIGGEST LINEUP DIFFERENCE BET ’05 FUTILITY & ’06 VOLATILITY WAS AN ACTUAL CLEANUP HITTER.
Murphy a good first baseman? Compared to who? Daniel was okay at best considering it was a new position for him. A good bat, maybe so. When he first arrived in 2008 he was in a groove and was slashing singles and doubles all over the field. Then the pitchers got a chance to see what if any weaknesses he had as a hitter and the party was over. If he learns not to chase the inside stuff and shows more patience he could again be a very tough out at the plate. The next Lou Gehrig?
A bit delusional ya think?
Sorry, but you have authored one of the worst pieces of all time. Comparing Dan Murphy to Lou Gehrig is beyond laughable. Murphy cannot sustain a career based on one play. He is not superior at anything, especially defense. Forget it… you’re being delusional. What the Mets need to do with Murphy is trade him in a package deal and get a real 1B on this team. Overbay would be a large improvement.
Also there is no way that Delgado equates to Wally Pipp. Delgado will most likely have a couple decent years ahead of him somewhere in MLB.