What To Do With Daniel Murphy?

40 Comments + Add Comment

• darth minaya September 23, 2011 at 2:35 pm

  Outfield assists are no indicator of a player’s defensive prowess.

  Typically, it is a sign that the player either has a great arm (not in Bay’s case), or runners try to challenge them alot. Take a guess which it is.

  Bay isn’t bad in the field…he’s pretty average.

  Vince Coleman led the league in assists a couple of times…I don’t recall anybody thinking he was a great defender, either.

  Murphy’s best position is in the batter’s box. The only positions he can play halfway decent are 1B and 3B. He completely stinks everywhere else. Personally, I’d try to shop Murphy to an AL team.
  • NJstuckinTX September 23, 2011 at 4:31 pm

    Also, getting a lot of assists could mean you don’t have a good arm, so more people try to take the extra base on you. by default, you should get a couple of those guys trying to overstretch a single to a double, double to a triple, etc.
    • t agee September 23, 2011 at 6:54 pm

      I’d take a different tact with Murphy.

      I’d guarantee him 10 starts at each 2B, LF, 1B and 3B but I would do it in situations that mitigate the damage that could occur.

      For instance with Johan, a LH flyball pitcher I’d start him at 2B when we face a RHP). Gee a RH flyball pitcher start him at 3rd (when facing a RHP)

      I’d also start him at LF when Pelfrey, a RH GB pitcher throws and we’re facing a RHP.

      These situations should occur about 20 times a year at each of those three positions. I’d give Murphy half of those and get him out of there with a lead in the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.

      I’d also give him 10 starts at 1B when we’re facing a LHP since this is the one area there are still some questions about Ike. He didn’t hit LHP in the minors and his 2010 vs. LHP was skewed some by a few infield hits (probably against the shift) which is not part of his game. I’m not saying give Murphy ALL of Davis LHP AB’s, just 10 starts out of about the 35 or 40 times we’ll face a LHP. I have no concerns about Murphy hitting against LHP and I’m sure Ike will prove to hit them too but at the same time we know Murphy can so give him the tough LHP 1/3rd of the time Davis the other 2/3rds.

      The four players affected, Bay, Wright, Tejada (hopefully) and Ike need 10 days off every year anyway. Just give them their breather in those situations.

      Murphy does give us something in the line up that we can really use and we have to find a way to get it from him. Vinny makes the point about BABIP play being dependent on the hitter and I agree. Murphy always gets the barrel on the ball and his GB’s are more like one bounce shots through the infield that guys can’t make a play on. That’s huge in turning your line up over. First and third compared to a double play and 66 doubles in a year and a half. Shorter RF. I want some of that as often as I can. Mitigated of course.

      This assures him starting 25% of the games and not only rests the regulars, keeps his bat and eye sharp and him familiar, in a mitigated way with positions he could be called upon for a more extended role in case of injury.

      Pinch hitting though is where Murphy can really help us. I would have absolutely no qualms about pinch hitting him for Wright or Bay against a RHP in the late innings of a close game. If he were to put us ahead, put someone else in for D. Even if he were to put us ahead and then blow the game on the field I still wouldn’t care because we wouldn’t have even HAD the lead in the first place if he didn’t pinch hit.

      Then I’d play him in blow outs here and there in those same four positions. All together without any injuries that would give him about 200 AB’s or about 1/3rd of the season. With a couple of more minor type injuries he’s probably up to 50% of the games. Basically a part time starter and most importantly a sharp LH bat on the bench.

      I’m not worried about Murphy getting hurt at 2B. If he does, he does. Turner is a bigger risk IMO for that. He doesn’t even try to get out of the way. I can’t believe he hasn’t lost a few toenails the way he stands in there. Murphy got hurt on a clear takeout and by an exuberant rookie trying to make his mark who slid late, bounced his foot off the bag and straight into Murphy’s knee which had no way to flex. Murphy has to be inside the bag there but he can learn, he can adapt, he can even cheat. His range right now at 2B is no worse than Castillo’s was and while he doesn’t have the hands or turn the DP the way Castillo did (who does) he learned how to turn the DP in a way that worked for him. He can learn to take the throw at second on a SB too even if its for just 8 innings 10 times a year.

      I would also insist that the pitching staff police the base running around around 2B and not just to protect Murphy and Turner but especially Tejada, Valdespin and Havens if he ever makes it up here.

      Murphy has some bizzare acrobatics at times but even on the plays he looks the funniest he usually gets the out and that’s all that counts anyway.

      My take on Murphy in LF is this. He had parts of 3 or 4 minor league games in the OF. Came up here during a pennant race with no expectations. Mostly an all hands on deck situation. It’s a lot easier to play free and easy under those circumstances than when you’ve got something to lose like he did in 2009 (his starting position) Plus right before camp we acquired a potential HOFer in Gary Sheffield which would have had to have added pressure to a young player trying to establish himself, not to mention the pressure of trying to learn a new position, especially being a defensively challenged defender AND hit enough to stay up here. With nothing to lose (position wise) and everything to gain (playing time) Murphy should be able to play a little freer and easier especially since he has already established himself as a good hitter.

      1B I have no worries about his D 10 times a year. 3B probably do an OK job for the same 10 games. Plays well expand his role. Plays poorly, compress it. Even if Murphy can only pinch hit and back up 1B and 3B he’s still worth a roster spot but if he can do more…….

      He didn’t wilt in a pennant race. He didn’t crumble over a handful of really bad plays or even a barely mediocre May, June and July of 2009 and then he scorched it in August and September. Injuries didn’t get him down in 2010. A bad start and no position didn’t cause him to mope in April 2011 and .320? 66 doubles in a year and a half? I’ll suffer through some blunders, acrobatics and theatrics as long as there not too often.

      Murphy would be a somewhat interesting 2nd piece to a trade but his trade value would be so much higher if he were successful under this plan but would probably be too valuable to trade if he made it work. If it doesn’t he’d still have the same trade value mid season that he has now so what’s to lose. There isn’t much downside to giving it a shot. Doesn’t work you pull the plug. Hell you could even send him down or waive him all together if he was horrendous but Murphy can give a team a lot, you just have to protect him from himself.
      • Bayonne Mets Fan September 23, 2011 at 6:57 pm

        c’mon man! you want people to stop everything they’re doing to take time to read all of this???
        • t agee September 23, 2011 at 10:49 pm

          Why not? You expect people to read your daily drones about your childish abhorrent primate behavior.
        • JoeD 1966 September 24, 2011 at 2:09 am

          I never read his posts they’re way toooooooooooo long!
          • NJ stuck in TX September 24, 2011 at 9:24 am

            short attention span?
      • XtreemIcon September 23, 2011 at 7:23 pm

        Good ideas.
        • JoeD 1966 September 24, 2011 at 2:31 am

          God Bless you for even attempting to read all that!
      • jerseymet September 24, 2011 at 3:57 pm

        T Agee slow weedend? Your comments are longeer than the articles.
      • Drew September 24, 2011 at 10:58 pm

        I read the first 3 paragraphs or so, and I think basically what he’s saying is that Murphy can play a super-utility role, playing in about 50 games as a starter at whichever defensive position is least-likely to have to deal with fielding the ball.

        I like that idea (and managed to say it in under 100 words!).
• Metsie September 23, 2011 at 3:12 pm

  Here are the options as far as I see them….

  1 – keep trying Muphy at 2B. he won’t be as slick as Tejada or Turner with the glove but in time he will learn the position if we gethim some specialized help there.

  2 – OF and notably RF as I think he would be better off there than in LF. Duda is a better fielder than Murphy in the OF which isn’t really saying much about either! LOL It can work but it’s not the best solution.

  3 – And this is the one thats going to spark another David Wright Tirade here (and I apologize in advance for subjecting the site to that!)

  David Wright is the face of the franchise and an All Star! But he needs to take another step up if he is going to remain and be resigned to big money. I think he can and probably will. But that said I care less about the FACE and much more about the HEART as in HEART OF THE ORDER!
  I definitly feel that Sandy will be taking a long hard look at Wright next season just as he did with Reyes (who had a career year) before he resigns him. And if the decision is to not bring him back Murphy will have his natural position back!

  So I’m not too quick to trade Murphy yet, not until a decision is made in regards to Wright. 2B seems like the most logical place to play him in the meantime and I’m sure he will get more time spelling Davis at 1st and as a pinch hitter.

  The trade possibilities will revolve around guys like Tejada and Turner (whoever is left in the cold due to Murphy) My guess is Turner is likely to be traded as Tejada is younger and can play both SS and 2B.
  • Barry September 23, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    I agreed with what you wrote until the last line. I don’t see why any of them have to be traded. They need a bench, as well as starters. Turner is extremely clutch in high-pressure situations. Not easy to find players like that–as we’ve seen on the Mets. I say they are all staying, unless a team is willing to part with a terrific pitching prospect–which is unlikely.
    • Metsie September 24, 2011 at 2:33 am

      Barry I would love to keep them both but I don’t see us doing so unless Reyes goes.
      And will Turner or Tejada keep doing what we like about nthem when they are sitting on the bench?

      It’s time to make some trades and some of them will be painful as it will be with guys who deserved a chance to stay and play.
      But in the end you have to trade what you have too much of and get something you don’t have enough of and I am afraid 2B is one of those places where there is just too much at one spot.
      Havens only adds the the Quandry
• gary s. September 23, 2011 at 3:52 pm

  Trade him to the AL while his value is high.I agree his best position is the batters box.Not only is he a bad fielder, but he has zero baseball iq.He will never hit .320 again.He is more like a .285 hitter who had a career year.The same thing played out with pagan last year and he took a step back.I predict the same thing will happen with Murphy.Find a team willing to give up a good pitching prospect and be done with it.
  • metsguppy September 23, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Agreed! Murphy NEVER would have finished the season at 300 let alone 320. He can hit the ball but I haven’t seen much that warrants him playing over any other Mets player at any position. He has repeatedly hurt himself on the field doing stupid things and that is not a good sign. I would rather have Duda in the outfield and Ike or Wright at the corners. Its obvious that 2B isn’t the position for Murphy either. Trading him for pitching might be a good idea but I doubt he would bring a lot, especially coming off an injury.
• Joe D September 23, 2011 at 4:09 pm

  We have too many corner infielders in Duda, Murphy, Wright, Evans and Davis. Plus you have prospects Alderin Rodriguez and Wilmer Flores who will move to 3B. Something’s gotta give. When you have a surplus like this, usually the best bet is to trade from your strength to help fix a weakness.
  • Bayonne Mets Fan September 23, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    I like alex68′s suggestion of platooning Murphy and Turner at 3B and trading Wright. Both Murphy and Turner are more reliable in pressure ABs than Wright and my idea is to package Wright and Valdespin (because of his rep of a bad attitude) for pitching and/or a catcher or both.

    Also Murphy and Turner can also fill in at other positions so they’ll still get a lot of ABs
    • Joe D September 23, 2011 at 4:36 pm

      I wouldn’t trade Wright unless I was absolutely confident Murphy could handle 3B defensively first. Otherwise I dont do it. If Murphy does prove capable defensively, and lets not kid ourselves, he’s not replacing a gold glover here, I would trade Wright only because he would net us a higher return and we could use the $16 million Wright gets paid toward a top shelf pitcher. It wont happen though. The organization loves Wright and they are going to wait as many years as it takes for for the farm to develop an ace, and won’t go out and sign one or trade for one even if one was available.
      • Donal September 23, 2011 at 4:50 pm

        “hey are going to wait as many years as it takes for for the farm to develop an ace, and won’t go out and sign one or trade for one even if one was available.”

        I wouldn’t say that.

        The plain fact is, this team has more work to do than sign an ace or anything like that. And yes, bringing up your own should be the first option.

        However, when the foundation is solid and the Mets are legit WS contenders, if a big time starter becomes available, then they should try to acquire him.
        • metsguppy September 23, 2011 at 9:29 pm

          Yeah because getting Santana was a great idea! He brought so many championships with him!
          • JoeSmith September 23, 2011 at 10:58 pm

            Come on, tell me you were pissed off the day they signed him – give me a break.
            • JoeD 1966 September 24, 2011 at 2:21 am

              Maybe if he could’ve made 162 starts we would’ve won a championship.This team needs 25 guys with Johans heart.
• NJstuckinTX September 23, 2011 at 4:35 pm

  You could always shift Wright to 2B, put Murph at 3rd. TRDMB can get credit for that out of the box thinking.
  • metsguppy September 23, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    So you want to move the all star, gold glove player to make room for the new kid who has injured himself twice? That makes no sense.
    • NJ stuck in TX September 23, 2011 at 10:03 pm

      Utley did it (moved to 2B from 3B). I’m not saying I 100% (or even 25% for that matter) endorse it, but Wright could probably handle 2B better than Murph and it gets both those bats in the lineup.

      Just trying to think outside the box. The idea won’t hold water, I know, but it beats rehashing the same crappolla time and again.
• Metsr1 September 23, 2011 at 6:33 pm

  The only way I keep Murphy is if someone builds a time machine and sends him back in time. In this way he could tell mommy and daddy that he needs a glove and not to just drop him off at the batting cages. Otherwise send him to an AL team in need of a DH with gap power and no base running IQ or other baseball insticnts.
• NYM September 23, 2011 at 8:33 pm

  I think Turner is pretty much a non-factor as far as a starting role goes. He’ll be the bench guy.

  Though I’d rather they both stay, I think the most likely scenario is that either Wright or Reyes is gone next year, which would then open up another spot in the infield. Either Murph at 3b and Tejada at 2b or Tejada at SS and Murph at 2b.
  • metsguppy September 23, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    I agree about Turner. He looks like a good bench player. I think its more likely the Mets won’t keep Reyes (who knows if will get the money he wants) and keep Wright. Murphy just doesn’t look like he has a place on the team. He isn’t versatile. He can only play 3B and the Mets aren’t going to move Wright if he is on the team. He can’t play 2B as we all know. Ike looks like a lock at 1B and the outfield just isn’t a good place for Murphy either. Unless the Mets trade Wright (which could happen but would cost them what little fanbase they have left if Reyes isn’t resigned) the Mets have to really think about Murphy.
    • NJ stuck in TX September 23, 2011 at 9:57 pm

      Murph is more versatile than you think. He can play many positions. Not well, but he can play them. He’ll be on this team for sure, especially with his injury making him basically a non-trade option.

      Unfortunately Ike is too good at 1B to move him to RF. Really, unless Murph can somehow show better D or be a hitting machine, he’s not going to be an every day 2B. If only he could pick up OF…
      • t agee September 23, 2011 at 11:11 pm

        As soon as Murphy is able he should be tracking flyballs and line drives all winter long so he could eventually earn a platoon with Bay. That really is his best opportunity to get extended time at one position, at least until Lagares or even Ratliff get up here.
        • NJ stuck in TX September 23, 2011 at 11:18 pm

          I agree, especially considering Havens is knocking on the door at 2B.
        • JoeD 1966 September 24, 2011 at 2:18 am

          I think we saw enough of Murphy in the OF to know he can’t play there.I never saw anyone fall down as much as he did during that experiment.He’s a DH playing in the NL which means he’ll be a super sub if he’s not traded.
• Metstheory22 September 24, 2011 at 10:16 am

  Remember, Murphy NOW has two bad knees. Problems down the line.
• OmarFan September 24, 2011 at 11:49 am

  Murphy’s best position is
• OmarFan September 24, 2011 at 11:50 am

  3B! There’s no way this kid is going back to 2nd. Let’s quit the fantasy right there. Either Murph gets to 3B or we find him a spot in the outfield to play.
• jerseymet September 24, 2011 at 4:00 pm

  We’ve talked about Murph all season. Trade Wright give third to Murph.
  • NJ stuck in TX September 25, 2011 at 11:31 am

    I’d be hesitant to trade away the face o’ the franchise and above average 3B player for a guy who’s had 1 decent season batting and we really have no clue what he’ll be after another knee surgery. Let’s see how Murph recovers before we start going all radical change happy.
    • Metsie September 25, 2011 at 11:36 am

      Agree which is why I said next season Wright (and Murphy too) will go through the same evaluation proccess Reyes went through this year.

      Knowing how Sandy likes Sabers and OBP My guess is he will look to see if Wright hits more HRs or gets his BA up to around .300 which would increase his OBP as well.

      Wright will be playing for a new contract next year and Murphy will be playing to prove the knees are good and the .320 is not a fuke.
• darth minaya September 27, 2011 at 8:47 am

  Murphy has run out of knees to blow out playing 2B.