Comments on: Daniel Murphy Can Flat Out Rake

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:51:18 +0000

With all due respect, I think many people get caught up in the hype of particular players and for lack of a better term, the negative hype of players. Murph was not a second baseman before this year and all we heard during spring training was that he was horrible at second and had no chance of playing there. Lo and behold he did a pretty good job there and is already better than Dan Uggla. Sure he has room to improve defensively, but Turner, Tejada and Wright have contributed more to losses this year than Murphy has. He has a handful of errors and has made a number of spectacular plays in the field.

Example, 2 nights ago he knocked the ball down and scrambled to get the out at first. The Met announcers (who I love) were sort of mocking him for making it interesting. If you watch the replay, which I did many times, that ball was headed down the line and it either hit something or the spin of the ball kicked it towards second. He made a tremendous play to stop that ball. If you don’t believe that, go to Mets.com and find the replay and watch the trajectory the ball was on half-way towards first and watch it kick towards second a few feet before it hit the bad.

Just my opinion, but he has not hurt the team defensively and let’s be honest, he is one of the best clutch hitters they have had in years and without him offensively, they wouldn’t be where they are today.

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:44:28 +0000

Yeah. Your opinion has tons of facts attached? I’d like to think that Keith Hernandez and his umpteen gold gloves knows a thing or two about defense.

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:29:17 +0000

Coming from a guy that if Wright hit 3 grand slams in one game and had one strike out, all you would talk about is how he had a strike out.

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:28:10 +0000

When, where, how is anyone excused for screwing up? This is just a sensational comment that sounds very juvenile. People have selective hearing around here.

No one, including Wright is getting a free pass.

By: Justin Silberman

Justin Silberman — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:21:12 +0000

How is this verbose? That makes no sense I back up the argument very logically.

By: Des

Des — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:08:37 +0000

All opinion but no facts. LOL

By: Justin Silberman

Justin Silberman — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:06:46 +0000

I believe Murphy is going to play 3-4 times next year at 2ND Base and then will get a spot start once a week at 1st and 3rd, so Collins will I believe will look to get his bat in the lineup 5 times a week. Plus I’ve heard the Mets have no intentions of trading Murph and they see him as big part of their future.

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:22:02 +0000

Can’t argue that. Somewhere there is a happy medium.

By: vtmet

vtmet — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:21:45 +0000

same could be said about Mike Piazza…couldn’t play defense standing up and with balls hit at him…and even as a catcher, couldn’t throw out an old lady with a cane trying to steal a base (and called a very predictable game)…yet, like Jeff Kent at 2nd base, he outhit his defensive flaws…

What is Josh Thole? A weak first baseman converted to catcher because he was never going to be good enough to play first base at the MLB level…but he’s acceptable as a catcher…

By: Kranepool7

Kranepool7 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:13:52 +0000

I’m all for finding a solution to keep Murphy beyond this season in the lineup, but catcher? No way that happens and it shouldn’t. The guy couldn’t even handle leftfield, what makes you think he can learn to catch in a crash course?

By: Sloatsburg Met Fan

Sloatsburg Met Fan — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:10:46 +0000

Make him a catcher. I know that sounds easier said than done but it can be done. He was mainly a 3rd baseman in the minors so he has to have a decent arm, and apparently he’s very much a student of the game. His intensity is perfect for the position. Just a thought.

By: alex68

alex68 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:03:59 +0000

yet if Wright does the same thing it’s excused…”

welcome to MMO, or any other mets blog for that matter..

By: vtmet

vtmet — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:58:01 +0000

and what does Ike Davis have to do with Murphy’s hitting? I never said that Murphy plays defense like Keith…People make a huge deal about Murphy’s defense, while forgetting that guys like Justin Turner, David Wright and Angel Pagan make just as many mistakes; every time Murph screws up you hear about it, yet if Wright does the same thing it’s excused…

Obviously, Ike IS the Mets first baseman…but at the same time, Murphy is our Ty Wigginton: a guy that can give you solid offense while bouncing between several different defensive positions…while never going to be strong defensively at any position, will out-hit his mistakes for the most part…

By: alex68

alex68 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:53:48 +0000

agree, i rather have tejada if you ask me.. but again, with this pitching staff, is good to have as much offense as we can have.. example yest’s game, niese pitches 5 innings, allowed 5 runs, AND WIN!! why? because we got offense.. having defense and pitching helps you wins championship, but what good is defense if you DON’T have good pitchers??

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:41:50 +0000

Of course I would, but that’s assuming that said guy can field his position which Murphy can’t. Baseball is about pitching and defense. More importantly defense up the middle.

By: alex68

alex68 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:29:27 +0000

fair enough, but then again, with our pitching we need as much offense as we can, therefore you sacrifice defense with offense, that’s why a guy like turner, becomes more expandable if murphy keeps hitting this way.. wouldn’t you wanna have a guy whp can hit for 300 with 150+ hits, 40+ doubles, 80 rbi’s in your lineup??

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:15:47 +0000

I see Murphy as an 80 RBI guy on an american league team. Not the Mets. He has no chance of unseating anyone on the field. Again, love that he hits, but he has no spot defensivley and you can’t hide him anywhere. Take a chance and unload him. Met fans tend to fall in love with “their own”, however common sense must dictate what the Mets do going forward. 1)They’re a .500 team right now. 2)They’re not going to win a wild card this year. 3)Ike will be back next year. I’d say three strikes against Murphy. I have faith in Sandy. He is smart enough to know that Murphy has some value to an AL team right now! What the heck…the Indians are looking for a bat.

By: alex68

alex68 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:01:12 +0000

ike davis is our first baseman.. that’s the only problem i got with your comment. but i can see murphy being a 80 rbi guy in the lineup..

By: alex68

alex68 — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:00:02 +0000

lmao, i take it you don’t like murphy.. his defense is shady at best, but he’s an agressive baseball player, that’s what makes him good, is a luxury to have a player that can hit and play 3 or more position.. be happy SR1, he is on fire since mid may!

By: vtmet

vtmet — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:58:37 +0000

Murph may never be a big power source and may never draw a lot of walks, but his hitting prowess this season is starting to develop into a Keith Hernandez type of middle of the order bat…Keith didn’t have a lot of power, but combined with his clutch hitting, he had enough power to be an effective 80+ RBI guy…