Comments on: Does A Good Bat Make Up For Bad Defense?

By: Tie Dyed

Tie Dyed — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:47:01 +0000

Good question, Joe.
I think it becomes a question of this: Does the player in question basically produce more runs then he allows? Ok, Murphy has 48 RBI’s. But how many runs have his errors/mistakes/gaffes cost?

This madkes me think of Rey Ordoenez. The guy was a great glove and saves countless runs. But he couldnt even hit 230!

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:46:04 +0000

Now, now Omarfan. Please stop applying common sense to this subject before the Murphy lovers hit back at you. I got beat up over the winter when everyone assumed that Murphy would play second for saying the following…other than having no defensive skills, no position, no baserunning skills, no power, no speed, and no baseball I.Q., Murphy’s a hell of a player!

By: OmarFan

OmarFan — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:50:08 +0000

Murphy is a very bad baseball player. There is more to baseball than simply striking a baseball. There’s a very good reason why he was not drafted earlier. He’s slow. He doesn’t possess great power. He’s limited defensively. And the worst part of Daniel’s game is he doesn’t know how the game is supposed to be played. That’s the sad part. His decision making is way below average. If he were a smarter player, the kid would find a permanent home. No one sat him down and taught him the simple things on defense. No one taught him the basics of baserunning. It’s very unfortunate, because the man knows how to hit a baseball.

By: sarge

sarge — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:40:16 +0000

When Mets are scoring lots of runs then those mistakes are not painful but when team goes back to not hitting with RISP doing the little things then the mental gaffes stand out as last night did.

Izzy was just as responsible for loss cause he allowed two hits and had two strikes on Stanton who despite his mamouth HR still strikes out a lot.

What is it with Mets and Fish since that Glavine game way back?

By: Donal

Donal — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:02:03 +0000

We’re not going to war, we’re playing baseball. And yes, I would be perfectly fine with Murphy playing everyday.

and I also heard he is a nifty mortar-man.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:01:32 +0000

I have one question for all you Murphy Lovers out there. HOW MANY games does he have to LOSE for us, before you get it?

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:58:29 +0000

What then? Trade him to a team that needs an everyday DH.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:55:20 +0000

Are you willing to go to war with Murphy as an everyday player? Even in the post season?

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:53:01 +0000

What are you saying? That Murphy is a better fielder than Tejada?

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:38:15 +0000

who?

By: Des

Des — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:50:56 +0000

So then why do you keep pushing for a guy who can’t hit and has about twice as many errors as Murphy? Ruben is the quintessential high minor leaguer. I suspect Ruben will turn his hitting around some, but he’ll have to. He recently is flirting with an average that is close to .100.

By: Mr1213

Mr1213 — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:22:16 +0000

They shouldnt trade him because the mets offense struggles and he is one of the bests hitters and the team. I remember last year Keith Hernandez worked with him on defense in spring training last year before he was hurt!!!!!!!!!

By: Des

Des — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:05:35 +0000

So, let’s bring in Ruben Tejada for his fielding brilliance. He’s got style, if not substance.

In 2011, Tejada has made 6 errors with the Mets and 11 errors with the Bisons.
So Tejada has made a total of 17 errors.
In 2011, Murphy has made a total of 9 errors at all positions combined.

Hmmm. Tejada, 17 errors. Murphy 9 errors.

By: 86mets

86mets — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:49:49 +0000

I think if the Mets had a healthy, productive lineup Murphy’s defense wouldn’t be such an issue. As it is, this team is very streaky, going 4 or 5 games scoring 6 or more a game then another 5 or 6 scoring 3 or fewer. If they were more consistent maybe the Mets are up going into the 9th inning in these games that Murphy has helped lose and the gaffes mean nothing. As for Murphy actually losing the games himself, well, yes he contributed considerably, but even after the mistakes it’s still up to the pitcher to get outs. You win as a team, you lose as a team.

Think back to Game 6, WS, 1986–the Red Sox had plenty of opportunities to put the game away but didn’t, so Bill Buckner isn’t completely responsible for the Sox losing that game. Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley helped get them to that fateful ending. Point being, if the Mets had gotten to Vasquez earlier (not exactly a Cy Young contender) maybe the Mets win in regulation instead of being forced to rally in their final at-bat once again. So there are other factors in play in these loses, not just Daniel Murphy’s defensive liabilites.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:38:21 +0000

It is easy to look at last night and say the Mets lost because of Daniel Murphy. If not for Murphy’s mental lapse the Mets would of most likely had room to pitch more carefully around Stanton with 1st base open and 2 outs and Stanton may of never hit the Grand slam.

Still it did not mean that Izzy was going to get Stanton or the next guy out either.

The Marlins did not take the lead when Murphy made his mental lapse. Izzy still had a chance at getting out of the inning agreed a harder chance but a chance nonetheless.

Had Izzy not given up singles to Sanchez & Ramirez, Stanton would not been able to hit a Grand Slam either. Just saying.

By: calimetsfan

calimetsfan — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:36:24 +0000

The baseball instincts just aren’t there. He’s a good kid with a great bat Trading him won’t net us anything worth while. And 2nd base will be good for him like it is for Uggla. He is just in a bad spot on the field right now

By: The Coop

The Coop — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:21:09 +0000

There was a game earlier this season against the Nats that he won with his bat – a HR to go ahead in a game I would attest that this team would not have won if Castillo or Emaus or anyone else was on the team. Of course, there is no way we can know that, but how many times in the last few years could you just not pay attention to an inning because you knew there were no chance of scoring runs or anything offensive going on.

BTW I like your assessment on the 2B thing and completely agree.

By: NJstuckinTX

NJstuckinTX — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:17:10 +0000

We know that Murphy supposedly “lost” these last two games (though I would point to Izzy sucking as the guilty party for last night), but has anyone compiled the games the Murphy has won with his bat?

If Murphy was the everyday 2B, I think his overall D liability would be decreased, especially with a healthy Ike patrolling the 1B bag. He’s probably better hidden there than at 1B, and getting that type of offensive production from 2B would be acceptable considering the defensive skills, or lack thereof, he has. Just my opinion on that.

By: Russell Zanca

Russell Zanca — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:15:43 +0000

Your title is inaccurate, Joe. It isn’t that Murph’s defense is so bad per se. He makes mental mistakes both offensively and defensively. In part, I think that experience and training (tutorials in part) can help him as we head to next season.

I also think you and others are downplaying some of the wonderful defensive plays he’s made, which would include saving us runs.

Reyes still makes mental mistakes and Pagan certainly has had his share of brain farts, too.

As far as I know, Murph didn’t serve up the gopher ball to Stanton last night, so I think it’s pretty unfair to lay last night’s loss at his feet.

Lifelong makes a good point about his work ethic and potential trade value, but I for one think Murph would be a terrific Lifelong Met.

Another question to ask is: has Murph made defensive progress since last year? And in the same vein, how many bench guys do you ask to play various infield positions on any given day and still get a fairly successful outcome?

Lastly, in reference to your title question, I agree with Coop. At any rate, it is an axiom in baseball.

By: Bayonne Mets Fan

Bayonne Mets Fan — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:57:55 +0000

Absolutely NOT,

His defense is much more costly to the Mets than what his bat does to help. Much more costly so I would move him to an AL team for pitching or whatever we can get of value.

No way does bad defense like his make up for offense. The game of baseball is not built that way. There have been plenty of terrible teams with losing records in the past that have had good hitting lineups.