Matt Murton hit over .300 with a .386 OBP and 7 home runs from the All Star break on. After a solid spring, on opening day he goes 3-5, a HR, 3 RBI and a walk. Is there any reason to believe that Matt Murton will not be a solid pro or even better?
129230
Matt Murton is a Left Fielder for the Chicago Cubs.
199652
I think you're getting at the 'staturation' (my term, or?) of baseball. I think the whole Moneyball analysis is hyper-rational, questionable in its practicality and downright dismissive of the tempo, traditions, and feel of the game. As far as pitch counts, I absolutely agree with you. More on that in a bit. However, as long as pitch counts are relied upon by managers to aid in deciding their pitching changes, I think it's necessary to include in box scores. In fact, I get annoyed when newspapers fail to include pitch counts in their roundups. \n\nBut I have to wonder about the whole notion of pitch counts. I feel like the media often hype high pitch counts  as indicative of a.)a gutsy performance, if the P gets a W or b.)a poor use of a pitcher, if the P gets a L. In the former, you have hero-hyping, which makes good copy. In the latter case you have a classic case of double-guessing, which I'm sure managers hate to no end. In the end, I think managers are cowed into keeping pitch counts relatively low not for fear of hurting their pitchers, but for fear of being deemed my management or media as unable to responsibly harness the talents of the team's "poor, fragile" pitchers (I definitely have wee Pedro Martinez in mind here). \n\nFrankly, SPs should be insulted by this. Any SP worth his cleats wants to hang onto the ball, and it is always a good thing to hear of private spats between P and MGR about a quick hook. At the same time, SPs should protect theit MGR if he is called to task for allowing a high pitch count, if he can attest that he was, indeed, feeling good. \n\nAnd that's the thing about baseball, and the stats therefrom. It's all relative. There is no arbitrary safe pitch limit across pitchers, or even for one pitcher. Factors such as pitch selection, temperature, and field conditions all come into play. One day a P may be spent at 100, the next game he's still pumping at 125. \n\nBut for newbie's information, it seems to me that 120 is often an upper pitch limit. Occasionally you'll see a pitcher crack 130. Livan Hernandez, at least once a year, will hit 150. A lot of times, a manager with a history with a certain pitcher can sometimes get away with using him a little bit more than another might be comfortable with. Interestingly, everyone knows knuckleballers can pitch all day, but for some reason quality knucklers like Wakefield seem to be coddled like any other SP. \n\nI don't buy the 'insurance' or 'fragile arm' arguments. Baseball players today are the strongest, healthiest, most athletic ballplayers in history. This goes for pitchers as much as for hitters. Yet if you analyzed innings pitched, CGs, GS, and pitch counts over the last several decades, you might conclude that within the last 20 years SPs have become spindly weaklings. The hyper-reliance on pitch counts, which might be partly due to the unfortunate development of the professional reliever definitely feeds this trend (that is, trained as such in the minor leagues and before). It is undeniable that pitchers are coddled even more so in the minor leagues, and it is possible that they just don't have the stamina that they once did. If this is the case, then I think we can point blame at the farm systems. Today's pitchers are, however, physically still capable of hard workloads if they are just given the opportunity to work up to that level. \n\nEither way, I would argue that the decline in pitching quality has several factors, chief of which is the expansion of the pitching pool. Teams employ more pitchers now than they ever have in history. 12-man squads are now typical; 10 years ago it was 11-man squads; and that was an expansion from ten. If SPs were allowed (or were capable) to last longer, there would be fewer pitchers needed, and thus you'd have a richer pool. If, at the same time, baseball's best pitchers were groomed as starters exclusively, there would
634308
Hmmm...are you looking at this season only, or careers?  I think Pedro has been getting a raw deal when he pitches, because a few games they didn't back him up with any offense, so he ended up getting a no decision or loss.  Lately they've been on such a tear I think any pitcher will benefit on the mound.  (I'm going to the game tonight, so I hope they keep the winning going!)  Glavine has ended up having the best record so far for the Mets, which is awesome for him.  I think both are on their way to the All Star Game, and I would love to see Glavine get the start.  It's really great to see an older pitcher still being consistent and getting wins.  Personally, I like Pedro better because I enjoy his goofy personality - he makes me laugh, and keeps everyone smiling!\n\nThey're both locks on the Hall, but too bad neither will go in as a Met.  I'm still hoping that Glavine will get the Mets their no-hitter, so he'll be in the Hall as a Met for that!
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Stoneman is stoned.\n\nSeriously, THAT is their answer?  Man Ram better be coming, because they're giving that chump $50 million?!\n\nHe's been on WAIVERS half a dozen times.  \n\nAt least the Dodgers got a guy who is 29 and hits .300 for that kind of money.  Hell, Matthews is a decent fielder, but hitting .247, how does that help?\n\nI love the Halos, but what the hell is that?  I'd rather they bring up a rookie than some washed up reject from Texas.\n\nI'm with you.  I don't get it.
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I think he's going to end up on the DL again he just doesn't look like he's completely healthy. His last two starts have not been that impressive. His velocity has not been up it's in the mid 80s and he's normally in the low 90s, plus he's been giving up to many home runs.\n\nJune 24\n5.2 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 4 er, 2 hr, 2 bb, 4 k, 5.74 era\n\nJune 19\n7.0 IP, 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 er, 2 hr, 1 bb, 5 k, 5.57 era
243579
A. Francouer is not having a fluke season. He is having a sophmore slump.\nB. Neither is Swisher.  This is a sign of things to come.  Billy Beane has always believed that he would be great player and now he is.\n \nShelton is a fluke\nMaddux isn't\nWe'll have to see about Arroyo. I wish the Bosox hadn't traded him!
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Last night the Yankees couldn't sniff a hit off Billy Wagner and Mario Rivera gave up two bombs.  Today Wagner couldn't find home plate and Rivera blew the Mets away.  That is why baseball is so superior to any other team sport. \n\nWhat you should be asking is why did Willie Randolph pitch Wagner in the first place with a 4 run lead?
576131
No, Kemp is not that good.  Don't take him.  And, though I am not an Angels fan, I would like to see Napoli as the starting catcher, cuz hes pretty good.
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Players to drop: Ausmus, Rodriguez (look for a 5era when all is said and done, last night for example), Tomko, why do people love this guy he is pathetic. You have hardly any speed, and one closer. That's 20% of all stats you are throwing out, so you start each week unless someone goes off 0-2. I like most of your pitchers, I would pick up at least 2 more SP, you have way too many roster spots for offense. 5 guys on bench, I could see 2 maybe 3, but I would much rather have 3 more starter/closers. I hope you are not playing Phillips over Kent right now.You need speed plug Roberts in for Dye, Dye rests as much as Bonds now. Trade too much good talent wasting away on bench, trade Tracy, Hawpe for some pitching, they are not doing you any good on the pine.
627147
I am...have been all my life.  They are playing really bad right now without Pujols.  It's kind of scary actually.  You don't know what you got until it's gone.  I don't know what happened.  They got people that can hit and were hitting with Pujols in the lineup, but now that he is out they can't hit anything...and the pitching isn't going to well either.  I still think they can reach the pennant but at this point, I don't think they can without a healthy AP.
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well, right now the angels are trying to get their pitching situation straightened out.  bartolo colon has been hurt for the better part of the spring, and john lackey has not been as good as we would have hoped.  ervin santana has been hot and cold.  the bullpen has been largely rendered ineffective, since they are relegated to mop-up duty in blowout wins and losses.\n\nthe batting has been less than stellar, as well.  garret anderson started of the season well, but the loss of bengie molina has hurt their production.  vlad is vlad, he's bee consistent, but the youngsters (casey kotchman, chone figgins) don't seem to be pulling their weight... yet!  \n\ni have all the faith in the world that anaheim (NOT la, NEVER!) will rally 'round the monkey this summer, and get to the postseason in 2006, go angels!
128079
Ervin Santana does have the stuffs, and I don't think he was bad last year - after all star break, he had a 3.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP with 9-4 record.  Four wins in September.\n\nHe is a sleeper, but the cons are \n(1) He is the 5th starter \n(2) He doesn't strike out much\n(3) Angels might not be able to give him enough run support this year.\n\nAnd it's up to you now.
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Kyle Davies pitches tonight. Huddy tomorrow. Jorge Sosa on Sunday. These are the probables.\n\nGet familiar with the sports section of your newspaper. Every time there's a new series, your hometown newspaper will print the probable pitchers for the series.\n\nRight now the rotation looks like Smoltz, Thompson, Davies, Huddy, Sosa. But I don't know if this is absolutely right as I'm not a Braves fan.\n\nPitching rotations are subject to change based on injuries or other factors. The manager usually decides the rotation. \n\nOtherwise, you can always check espn.com. Here:
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I can understand some of your selections, but Sandy Koufax???\nHe was probably the most dominating pitcher since Walter Johnson.  Sports Illustrated just picked him on it's all-time team with Johnson, Christy Matthewson and Warren Spahn. He pitched four no hitters, including a perfect game, in four consectutive years. I don't think anyone had a higher strike out  average.\n\nHe was a first ballot HOFer with only 165 wins.\n\nYou should read up on him, and reconsider.
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Dunn is great for HR's and RBI's, but he will kill your average along with no steals.\nWhile Dunn has 6 HR's and 11 RBI's in June, he only has 12 hits 21 K's.\nUnless he can snap out of this Rob Deer, Cecil Fielderesque homerun-or-nothing slump, I would look for another hitter.\nI would still look to trade Patterson though, as he hasn't done much since that streak of 9 straight games with a steal.
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I've got to agree with DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak here.\n\nSome fun history about the streak:\n\nGame 57 was against Cleveland, who boasted one of the best defensive third basemen in the game at the time.  DiMaggio was robbed TWICE on backhanded stops down the line and thrown out.\n\nThe day after game 57... DiMaggio started another hitting streak of 26 games.\n\nSo do the math... if one of those hits would have gotten through in game 57... the streak would be 83 games.  That's more than half a season.
273094
I have been a Braves fan through the worst of years. Years when they really knew how to loose (I am talking about those years prior to '91 when the streak of division titles began). I have seen them come back from worse deficits with worse teams. I am not worried yet. If they are still this far behind in July/August, then I may worry. All you have to do is go to Turner Field and look at those banners and you can see a season where everyone swore they weren't going to win for one reason or another (They lost Wholers so who's going to close? They lost Glavin and Maddox, is their starting pitching going to crumble? Smoltz wants to go back to the starting rotation, who's going to close?). There's always something. But, at the end of the season, there's always a banner.