IGT, 7/20/2011, Redbirds @ Bluemets

[Guest Edgy DC]

Righthander Kyle McClellan takes a day off from the Laura Palmer investigation to oppose the Mets, who counter with R.A. Dickey.

Big question is whether Harris or somebody displaces Jason Bay.

Daniel Murphy, repsonding well perhaps to being bounced around the diamond and not having to master any position, is hitting .344 / .375 / .525 // .900 in July.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Where would this club be without Muffy? He's making me a believer again.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Where would this club be without Muffy? He's making a believer again.

I think what he's doing might actually be getting understated a bit. Especially given that he started slow and his been 'better' than his numbers suggest for more than two months.

Maybe it's talk radio morons that spend hours mentioning him in the same breath with Texiera saying that Mark is a future Hall of Famer and Murphy can't start on a good team.

Also, as many point out, Murphy can't hit lefties, but .300 .313 .438 .751 seems alright to me, if a little light on the walks.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Where would this club be without Muffy? He's making a believer again. I think what he's doing might actually be getting understated a bit. Especially given that he started slow and his been 'better' than his numbers suggest for more than two months. Maybe it's talk radio morons that spend hours mentioning him in the same breath with Texiera saying that Mark is a future Hall of Famer and Murphy can't start on a good team. Also, as many point out, Murphy can't hit lefties, but .300 .313 .438 .751 seems alright to me, if a little light on the walks.

That's one walk he has against lefties. It's more than a little light. But a sample size plate appearances are more than a little small.

I'd like to experiment with hitting him third in front of Beltran, but as he's not been walking, that may just put unreasonable pressure on him for no tangible benefit. Wright will be back later in the week to bring his .226 batting average to the middle of the lineup anyhow.

[Vic Sage]

Mike Vail had a 23-game hitting streak once.
Relax.

In the meantime, he's still hitting (not many BBs, HRs or SBs,but line-drive doubles are good, too) and playing a decent 3b. When Wright returns, I'd like to see Murph back at 1b, until he cools off, with Evans getting the occasional start against LHPs. It looks like Turner is settling in at 2b, at least for now, but will they eventually split time? Depends on Davis's ankle, Turner's bat and Murphy's glove.

Ultimately, i still see Murphy as a useful super-sub.

[Ceetar]

yeah, 1 walk. 80 PA or so, not a tiny sample at least. his BABIP is the same via the splits and he's actually hitting more fly balls lefty. 1 walk is not good, but if he can maybe be a wee bit more patient maybe he can capitalize and yank some of them out of the park?

[Vic Sage]

Ceetar wrote: yeah, 1 walk. 80 PA or so, not a tiny sample at least. his BABIP is the same via the splits and he's actually hitting more fly balls lefty. 1 walk is not good, but if he can maybe be a wee bit more patient maybe he can capitalize and yank some of them out of the park?

He was maybe a 15hr guy in a fair park... but in this park? I'd just as soon he not try to jerk anything out, seeing how trying has damaged both Bay and Wright the past 2 years. Let him get on at a .350%+ clip, with a .450%+ slugging rate, and he'll be valuable.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I was just remarking on the fact that he'd done good over these last few weeks; obviously he's a sub whose game has big flaws.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I was just remarking on the fact that he'd done good over these last few weeks; obviously he's a sub whose game has big flaws.

well, those 'last few weeks' are actually months. I'm not sure it's so obvious what his role of the future is.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Doesn't hit with enough powa to unseat Davis at 1st or Wright at 3rd; and isn't strong enough defensively to play the OF or 2B reliably. He's limited.

But yes, I come to praise his .300 hitting. I'd pretty much given up on him after failing to improve upon his strong freshman year but here he's batting cleanup and not completely screwing it up, he deserves a tip of the cap.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Willie Harris is a useful super-sub. Murph's a superuseful super-sub. Lack of power aside, he's playable for stretches at three infield positions (and occasional stick-in-your-head misplay, he's handled them pretty f*cking decently, as per UZR/Dewan/the eye test).

A bench guy? Sure. But in my mind, as a multi-position guy who can put up a .340 wOBA (albeit a BABIP-dependent one), he's a top bench guy/spot starter on a World Series winner.

[Centerfield]

If Davis were back, I'd start Murphy every day at 2nd base. Fuck defense.

In fact, the only reason I'm not advocating playing him at 2nd base every day now is because I'd like to see what Turner can do.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, if Davis were back, I'd revert to platooning Murphy at second. Fuck defense two days in three, except for late inning substitutions. (Defense needs a break from all the fucking.) And I'd find occasional time for him at first, third, and left. (Defense would get a little more riding out there.)

[Centerfield]

Yeah, actually. That works better.

[ashie62]

Vic Sage wrote: Mike Vail had a 23-game hitting streak once. Relax. In the meantime, he's still hitting (not many BBs, HRs or SBs,but line-drive doubles are good, too) and playing a decent 3b. When Wright returns, I'd like to see Murph back at 1b, until he cools off, with Evans getting the occasional start against LHPs. It looks like Turner is settling in at 2b, at least for now, but will they eventually split time? Depends on Davis's ankle, Turner's bat and Murphy's glove. Ultimately, i still see Murphy as a useful super-sub.

So does Bobby Valentine. Opined on a Sunday night 3 weeks or so back.

[G-Fafif]

La Russa's nightmare:

Jose Reyes, ss
Justin Turner, 2b
Carlos Beltran, rf
Daniel Murphy, 3b
Angel Pagan, cf
Jason Bay, lf
Lucas Duda, 1b
Josh Thole, c
R.A. Dickey, rhp

[Guest sharpie]

Thole not sticking around to see his kid's first full day on earth.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wouldn't be terribly shocked if this turns out to be R.A. Dickey's last game as a Met.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

sharpie wrote: Thole not sticking around to see his kid's first full day on earth.

"[sigh, followed by slow shaking of head]"

-Jason Bay

[seawolf17]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: sharpie wrote: Thole not sticking around to see his kid's first full day on earth. "[sigh, followed by slow shaking of head]" -Jason Bay

Followed by a 32-day DL stint because of a concussion from all that head shaking.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Duelling optimism in the ESPN preview:

"I'm always going to try to find the positive," sez McClellan.

"It's part of my nature to be optimistic," Dickey counters.

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

When in doubt, I go with the bigger sword.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Or maybe you go with the one who isn't all over the place, control-wise. Or the one who isn't getting smacked around like a cad on a soap opera.

What a farty inning.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And thanks to Dickey's Butcher Boy chopper...

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Knuckler's dancing again. Dickey works around a leadoff single with a funky, ump-aided 1-6-3 DP and weak tapper to Turner. After 3 1/2, the deficit's holding steady at 4-2.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It must be superfun hitting against a slow outfield. (Especially for a guy like Murph.)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Jason Bay out with a [crossout:2r2dx0nb]little black rain cloud[/crossout:2r2dx0nb] tight right hamstring. Harris on to strike out with RISP in his stead.

[Frayed Knot]

Keith is such a man of the people.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Lance Berkman: The Hardest Working Man In The Not-Very-Good-Defense Business