Take a look at Murphy’s line today. 5/5, 2B, 3 RBI. Since his return Murphy is 8/11 (.727) with 6 RBI and 2 BB, producing a OPS of 1.860. Granted it’s in Single A St. Lucie.  Next week Daniel is supposed to move up to AAA where he will begin playing multiple positions. I will refrain from asking the question of what then… for now.
May 23
Murphy is On Fire
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16 comments
oleosmirf
5/23/2010-5:16pm at 5:16 pm (UTC -4)
the question is would you play Murphy at 2B even if he is a real defensive liability.
njstuckintx
5/23/2010-5:40pm at 5:40 pm (UTC -4)
Good question. I’ve been debating on what the cutoff is for butchers at 2B but offensive compensation. Uggla, Kent… Unless Murph is putting up some really good numbers (not saying they have to be Uggla/kent like) his D better be ok to consider putting him there.
prismo
5/23/2010-5:18pm at 5:18 pm (UTC -4)
I’ll believe he can play 2B when I see it with my own eyes…otherwise he’s pretty much worthless to the Mets except as a extra guy in a trade.
stickguy
5/23/2010-5:32pm at 5:32 pm (UTC -4)
only way to see it is to make it happen. Just give him daily tutoring, and commit to say 30 straight games at 2B, then evaluate progress.
At least if he continues to hit like a machine, it might generate soe trade interest. he has shown (to me) that he can lay a reasonable 1B, so he does have that to fall back on.
as a cheap option for a small market team, just might work.
njstuckintx
5/23/2010-5:43pm at 5:43 pm (UTC -4)
Houston. Part of the deal for Oswalt. And play him a couple games at 3B, cause they have a dire need for the corner postions. Houston will value competent INF talent higher than about any other. If I keep hounding on this any more I’m going to have to join the Oswalt to NY Addiction clinic.
rustyjr
5/23/2010-5:19pm at 5:19 pm (UTC -4)
Dl slappy and see what he can do ?
trs86
5/23/2010-5:36pm at 5:36 pm (UTC -4)
Right now he’s on schedule to play multiple positions. Lets see how that goes.
oleosmirf
5/23/2010-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
I think Murphy would be perfectly fine being the primary PH off the bench and spelling Davis every once in a while at 1B. The only problem is Carter is filling that role now and Murphy as we all know can’t play the OF (either can Tatis really) so you need another option besides Matthews in the OF.
Unless he proves he can play 2B, then there is no use for him until rosters expand
trs86
5/23/2010-5:54pm at 5:54 pm (UTC -4)
He can’t play the OF WELL, lol. I think there could be a spot for him but they would have to make some changes.
njstuckintx
5/23/2010-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
agreed. He’s not wise in the ways of multiple positions yet. Bring on the Karma Sutra of fielding!
prismo
5/23/2010-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
The issue is that Murphy basically would have the same role as Tatis. While Tatis does have some history in the OF (even last season), he hasn’t played one inning so far this season at an OF position – almost all at 1B and 3B, the exact two positions they probably feel ~alright~ about Murphy playing as a sub.
To bring up Murphy, I imagine GMJ would have to be DFA’d (not sure who else it would be). This would leave a gap on the bench for a backup OF. If they made the move, I guess Tatis would be 5th string OF…but I doubt he can play CF.
Basically, it just doesn’t make sense. The best move from a purely replacement standpoint would be to get rid of Tatis (or Ike I suppose) if they REALLY wanted to bring Murphy back up, but I just don’t see it happening.
njstuckintx
5/23/2010-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
Pretty much sums it up prismo. How’s the head feeling today. My wife still loves you, but not as much as you do her.
prismo
5/23/2010-6:31pm at 6:31 pm (UTC -4)
Haha head is fine. I slept it off. LGM
oleosmirf
5/23/2010-6:40pm at 6:40 pm (UTC -4)
can’t get rid of Tatis b/c he is only RH hitter besides Blanco on the bench and GMJ cant hit from either side.
I could see the Mets getting rid of Tatis and Matthews if Beltran comes back. That way Pagan/Francouer can be RH hitters off the bench and Murphy could come up and compliment Carter as LH off the bench.
Blanco, Cora, Pagan/Francoeur, Murphy, Carter is not a bad bench at all…
stickguy
5/23/2010-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
Simple answer is that he goes to AAA, and gets a long shot (say, a ful month straight) to play 2B. ALong with intense daily tutoring.
Not saying that a month is long enough to making him a starting ML quality 2B, but it should be neough for him to get the basics down, and more important, to get a feel for how fast he is picking it up, and whether he has the potential to become proficient enough.
then you can decide what to do next with him. Keep him playing 2B, move him around, lose him someplace, whatever. But, until he gets a serious look at 2B you really are just guessing.
As to the OF, he looked pretty darned OK in 2008 at Shea. ENough that they were willing to give him a shot in 2009. It almost seems that learning LF at Citi (apparently not an easy place to play, especially in the spring, for a lot of guys) did him in. But as a utility guy, he CAN play the OF.
I just don’t see him having a spot on the team unless they decided to replace carter with him, and with the waivers issue, more than likely they lose him. So one of them would have to get traded I think (likely carter of course) to get murphy back on the team.
That is the role he fits in, unless he becomes good enough to replace Tatis as the emergency 2B, but Tatis is also the only RH “power” bat on thebench.
So, murphy has options, and needs a position, so just leave him in AAA to play 2B until closer to the ASB to see what happens at the trade deadline.
Mr North Jersey
5/23/2010-6:28pm at 6:28 pm (UTC -4)
I will just add that while what Murphy brings to the table as a defensive 2nd baseman has yet to be seen. There is a reason he has moved around from position to position so far throughout his career and it’s not because he is so good with the glove.
Murphy if he makes the team and stays will have to hit. Which is something that still needs to be seen how good of a hitter he really is because he probably won’t be a late defensive substitution at any position but then again he just may be a defensive replacement.