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« Heyman's Latest: Santana, Bedard, Willis | Main | Mariners Rumors: Kuroda, Edwin Jackson »
Cubs May Shop Murton, Like Ibanez
UPDATE, 12-3-07 at 5:53pm: Geoff Baker checks in with some more info about the Cubs' interest in Ibanez. He is apparently their fallback option behind Fukudome. Baker notes the frightful possibility of using Ibanez in right field. One trade idea I hadn't considered is swapping Ibanez for Mark Prior.
FROM 12-3-07 at 9:48am:
Jim Hendry may view 26 year-old outfielder Matt Murton as expendable, if only because he's not the left-handed hitter the Cubs crave.
Murton has a respectable career line of .296/.365/.455 in 289 games. While it would be nice to see his power develop a bit, he's a decent option in right field. Outside of Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs might end up acquiring an outfielder who is no better than Murton, just because of handedness. Even though he's been solid it doesn't seem that the price tag on Murton would be terribly high.
Meanwhile, Gordon Wittenmyer notes that Brian Roberts and Raul Ibanez remain on the Cubs' wish list. Murton would be useful for the O's but it would take a lot more to get Roberts.
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No surprise there. this is from Jim on the MLB hotstove site:
"We don't have a lot of moves, but we feel the moves we need to make are just as important as the moves we made last year," he added. "We have some inventory on the 40-man roster and we'll be prepared to make a significant trade if it comes our way with the inventory. We'll grind it out every offseason like we usually do and go to camp with a better club than last season."
Sounds like he may deal a few "fan favorites"
Posted by: airassault101 | December 03, 2007 at 09:52 AM
Tampa Bay would be wise to consider Murton...I know with Crwaford in left and Upton in center they have Baldelli and Dukes for right...with Rocco's health and Elijah's attitude issues though and the lack of OBP/plate discipline throughout the line-up a guy like Murton would fit nicely. Unfortunately Baldelli and Dukes are more valuable to be kept for now and have their trade value re-established.
Posted by: Jared78 | December 03, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Murton doesn't have a good defensive reputation, although I haven't seen this demonstrated statistically.
Posted by: daveyrosello | December 03, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Agreed Tim. He's not a world beater but he is a solid bat and even though he is better against lefties he's by no means vacant against righties, .280/.346/.425. Gieven more regular at bats I believe he could on his career OBP & SlG by 4-5%.
"Even though he's been solid it doesn't seem that the price tag on Murton would be terribly high."
Meanwhile, a guy with a career line of .286/.343/.462 is set to get a 4-5 year deal worth anywhere from $50-$75M.
Posted by: chicagobubbleblog | December 03, 2007 at 10:13 AM
Not that its amazing, but I didn't realize that his career line is that good. If I were another team, I would pounce on that. He seems to me like a Brian Giles type of hitter...
Posted by: Aduncaroo | December 03, 2007 at 10:23 AM
I know, right? It's sad. He's likely to produce .280-.310/.340-.370/.450-.500 over a full season. Exactly what the Cubs don't need! He's going to be Joe Carter...dealt somewhere else and will be looked upon as a major folly in 15 years. Jendry's propensity to acquire a 'name' is frustrating.
Posted by: Outdors21 | December 03, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Murton can flat out hit, and get on base. He is among the most patient hitters on the club, with a great eye. He will not swing at crap, and makes contact. If he gets traded and develops power ala Rafael Palmeiro (without the steroids!) I will be pissed. He could definitely play every day.
Posted by: Cubs World Champs please B4 I die | December 03, 2007 at 10:35 AM
Apologies in advance for bringing things back to the Red Sox, as usual, but this would be a perfect candidate to kick the tires on as a roving outfielder.
His three-year splits show that he crushes lefties to the tune of a .909 OPS, and in an outfield with Drew and Manny, he's likely to see ample at-bats.
The Red Sox have at least one bullpen arm with diminished value but high upside (Hansen), and a pretty well-rounded farm beyond that. What are the Cubbies' most pressing needs?
Posted by: DunkinDonuts | December 03, 2007 at 11:25 AM
The Red Sox traded Murton to the Cubs because they didn't have a place for him in the outfield. If Murton doesn't stay in with the Cubs, Hendry will only send him somewhere where he'll have a spot to play.
Posted by: Cynic81 | December 03, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Two questions:
1) Are the Cubs still shopping Pie as well?
2) Does Jay Gibbons qualify as a power-hitter? He's a lefty OF.
So how about Gibbons and Roberts for Pie and Murton? The O's could even throw in some cash to pay Gibby's outrageous salary.
Posted by: silverstadium | December 03, 2007 at 12:24 PM
I wouldn't say they are shopping Pie...but I'm sure they are willing to listen. I think they could do much better than Gibbons...but you never know.
Posted by: Aduncaroo | December 03, 2007 at 12:39 PM
I really like Murton but if Lou isn't going to play him they would be wise to package him for a player who can fit in nicely with the mess Hendry has created.
Brian Roberts would seem to be the answer to their prayers as he would provide them with the speed and left handed hitting at the top of the lineup that they so covet; allow them to move Soriano down in the lineup; and free up DeRosa for use in a true utility role.
The Cubs also have an abundance of young position players they could move including Murton, Pie, Patterson, Cedeno or even Theriot. Left hander Sean Marshall is currently the odd man out in the rotation yet he could be desirable to the Orioles who are fielding offers for Bedard.
If the Cubs can't make some trades involving many of these young players they have who are blocked at the major league level they have major issues.
Posted by: wisc | December 03, 2007 at 01:35 PM
I would much rather see the Cubs trade Pie. Matt Murton is a solid everyday player. He hits for average and is patient at the plate. I'm not sure why Lou didn't play him more last year. Pie, I fear, is another player who will never develop into a "World Series Winning" star. From other reports it sounds like Crawford and Crisp are no longer options. Have the Cubs considered bringing back Gary Mathews Jr.? I can see it now, the Cubs will wait too long to acquire a qualified left handed power hitter and they will lose out of Fukudome too.
Posted by: karena | December 03, 2007 at 01:47 PM
I am a big Murton fan, but He is the type of player you have to acctually watch play, and not base him off his stats alone.
After watching him play for a bit, you can see why Lou didn't want to start him throughout the season
Posted by: Ignignokt1 | December 03, 2007 at 02:08 PM
Karena, you are an idiot. First you value Murton over Pie, then you suggest the Cubs should bring back Gary Matthews, Jr. The Cubs never wanted Crisp and the Crawford stuff never made any sense for the Rays.
Posted by: TrueCubsFan | December 03, 2007 at 06:07 PM
Raul Ibanez in RF? Heaven help us, I like Raul but he should transition to 1B or DH very soon. He's getting older and he's slow as molasses. Ibanez makes Murton look like a gazelle.
Posted by: Gov Arnold | December 03, 2007 at 06:17 PM
I can't help but think this can't be solved quickly and efficiently, while both keeping hendry happy and providing a semblance of an intelligent move:
1. See what it would take to get Roberts, and do so, assuming its reasonable. Can't help but imagine the McPhail connections would help here. (in a dream scenario, it would help for bedard, but lets stay on topic) Then again, McPhail didn't mind fleecing us in the trachsel trade... How nice would it be to have moore and cherry back as trading chips now? Anyway, roberts would satiate Hendry's insistence on a lefty bat, with the added bonus of speed. It does bring a problem of what to do with DeRosa though.
2. Sign geoff jenkins and platoon him with Murton. Jenkins is an above average fielder who mashes righties, and would fit nicely with murton. If either one of them proves worthy of getting the lions share of at bats, so be it, but i would start with a straight platoon, with Geoff for late game Defense as well.
Posted by: passedballs | December 03, 2007 at 07:03 PM
Must I remind you "True Cubs Fan" of Wood, Prior and Patterson. Pie is on the same road.
Posted by: karena | December 03, 2007 at 07:17 PM
Wood, Prior, and Patterson?? Those are totally, totally different things. What road is that? Is that the 20 strikeouts in a game road, an 18-3 season road, or a totally bust road? I can see you saying that with Patterson, but Wood and Prior? Thats injuries, and Pie has nothing to do with their stories whatsoever. Patterson, yeah, believe me. We are all holding our breaths that it doesn't end up like that. One good thing is that Pie is already an absolute stud defensively. So like I have been saying, he only needs to hit like .250 to be valuable...which I think we can be fairly confident he can do.
Posted by: Aduncaroo | December 03, 2007 at 08:25 PM
2008 Cubs starters
Sp- Carlos Zambrano
Sp- Ted Lilly
SP- Rich Hill
SP- Jason Marquis
SP- Ryan Dempster
C- Geovany Soto
1B- Derrek Lee
2B- Mark DeRosa
3B- Aramis Ramirez
SS- Brian Roberts
RF- Kosuke Fukudome
CF- Felix Pie
LF- Alfonso Soriano
SU- Carlos Marmol/Bob Howry
CP- Kerry Wood
This is what I think it'll be and hope it happens
If anyone agrees this would be a great team and want Roberts and Fukudome give me a woo woo
Posted by: CUBBIES2008 | December 03, 2007 at 09:03 PM
mmm De Rosa and Roberts sound like a pretty weak defensive middle infield
Posted by: tuffgongcubs | December 03, 2007 at 09:14 PM
oh dear god, I didn't even realize how ugly the back of that rotation looks, neither Marquis nor Dempster has any business starting in the majors
Posted by: tuffgongcubs | December 03, 2007 at 09:20 PM
Cubbies2008, I like the lineup... just not the rotation. They need to find a solid #2/3 starter. You have to split up Lilly and Hill. Theyre bullpen should be pretty solid. Bring in some of the young guns that we have on the farm that showed promise.
Bullpen:
Eyre
Wuertz
Hart
Petrick
Howry
Marmol
Wood
Then shop Guzman and Marshall and some of the other prospects we have and get a #2 SP. Burnett? Sign Kuroda? Ervin Santana? Haren? Harang?
Posted by: RbCubsFan4Life | December 03, 2007 at 09:34 PM