Free Matt Murton

I've been informed that indeed, the Cubs brass do read this website and have promoted Matt Murton. No word on who is getting sent down. Kidding about the Cubs brass reading this website, but our pal Steve Holley at Inside the Ivy is the one giving me the news and he's with the team currently in New Orleans. We can only assume it's Eric Patterson being sent down.

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Matt Murton
Cubs Roster Moves
Submitted by Rob G. on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 6:22pm
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Comments

Submitted by The Joe
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 6:25pm

Yay. Welcome back Orange Guy.

One down, Mumia and Tibet to go.

Submitted by Little Nate Lewis
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 7:04pm

Marty not backing down.....

"Cubs fans need to get a life."

Submitted by Fireball
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:22pm

Marty is a sad, bitter old man who can't get over the fact that his precious little snowflake wasn't selected to replace Harry Carey.

Submitted by 10man
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:16pm

anyone who has to tell someone else to "get a life" probably doesn't have much of one either.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 7:12pm

Great!

For the Marissa Miller fans out there who didn't get to see her throw out the first pitch, the Chicago Tribune has a photo of her after she jumped on Ryan Dempster...enjoy!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2008-04/...

Submitted by Rory
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:19pm

This is Dempster's year - Marissa is hot!

Submitted by 10man
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:17pm

That's one catch you don't drop!

Submitted by CPH2133
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 10:09am

Kinda looks like Dumpster is going in for the kiss

Submitted by carmelo
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 7:31pm

Murton is not in tonight's line-up for Iowa---Vitters got called up to Peoria today

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 7:49pm

naturally, he's being called up, like the post says...it isn't April 1st.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:04pm

Watching the Brewers-Reds game here in Madison. Sheets left mid-game with a sore tricep. Was pinch hit for in the 6th after only giving up 2 hits through 5. He then left the dugout for the clubhouse.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:10pm

that's a shame, baseball is better when Ben Sheets is healt....

just can't do that with a straight face, HAHA Brewers!!!

Submitted by 10man
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:19pm

Hopefully Sheets will be back sometime AFTER Prior gets back.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:16pm

first time in his 20 year career...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:19pm

another HR tonight, both my fantasy teams approve...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:07pm

heavens to betsy...he hit another one; 4 HR in 2 games

Submitted by carlosrubi
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:22pm

Did Vitters deserve the callup?

Submitted by Jeff_Pico
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:25pm

Well Vitters is a first round pick whether he 'deserved' a callup to A ball or not, they have some millions invested in him so I'm sure he will get plenty of chances at every level in the minors.

Submitted by carlosrubi
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:35pm

Yeah, but he's also an eighteen-year-old who doesn't need to be rushed through the minors when we've got a third baseman set for years. If he needs to spend half of 2008 in EXST, then leave him there. I haven't seen a single article that says that the Cubs are completely sure he's ready to face A-ball pitching.

Submitted by Raisin101
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:19pm

Vitters goes 3/4 with 3 doubles and commits a throwing error in his Peoria debut.

Submitted by Charlie
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:48pm

Regardless of whether or not Vitters deserves and/or will benefit from the call-up, Peoria now has two legitimate right-handed hitting prospects--Vitters and Donaldson. When they have games where the put it together, those guys could be dangerous in a-ball. Of course, there will likely be a number of games in which one or both of them looks absolutely lost.

Tony Thomas is off to a nice start in Daytona, though he's struck out a lot.

Keeping track of Iowa Cubs games isn't nearly as much fun this year as it was last. No Hoff-power so far, no Fontenot, no Pie, no Soto, no Marmol, no Marshall. Gallagher can only play once every five games--who else can I get excited about? Well, I am still a fan of Josh Kroeger's potential, though he's getting old to be talking about potential.

Jake Fox seems like an unusual minor league figure to me. What does one do in the minors to prepare for a career as a right-handed pinch-hitter, emergency corner outfielder/infielder, and emergency-emergency catcher?

Submitted by Chifan
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:28pm

Levine implied the same thing on his MJH spot with Murt. They just did not feel Epat was going to be of much use with 3 out of the next 5 verus lefties.

Submitted by RowdyYates
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:49pm

Eh, they looked at Fontenot and Patterson (since a lefty bat would be nice) but neither looked good. So it's DeRo back to 2B with Murton headed to LF.

Submitted by Jeff_Pico
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 8:53pm

I wouldn't count on Murton being the everyday LF until Soriano returns, I think we will see all kinds of different lineups with Derosa, Fontenot, Murton, Johnson and Pie. Maybe even a Ward sighting in Right and Fuku in center.

Submitted by 10man
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:23pm

I hope we find the Yeti or Loch Ness before we ever find Ward in RF again. He looks lost out there.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:25pm

I just thought he looked fat out there...

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:39pm

MURTON!!!!

Excellent, excellent news.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:39pm

Fontenot probably sent down.

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 9:56pm

latest Steve Holley update...

http://cubs.scout.com/2/747641.html

METAIRIE, La. -- Cubs outfielder Matt Murton was a late scratch from the initial starting lineup in Friday's game between Class AAA Iowa and New Orleans -- a move that might indicate Murton is headed to Chicago. The lineup change was announced roughly one hour before the scheduled 7:05 p.m. (CT) start.

Iowa manager Pat Listach declined to say whether Murton will be recalled by Chicago, but the outfielder was not in uniform for Friday's Iowa Cubs game at New Orleans. Through 13 games, Murton batted .317 (13-for-41) for Iowa.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 10:06pm

well I wouldn't lie to you guys and Steve gives me all kind of info that he tells me I can't run. In this case, he explicitly said I could run it and be sure to give him credit.

He then sent me an email 20 minutes later, that he talked to Listach who wouldn't confirm it, but certainly didn't deny it either...something along the lines of "maybe so".

Murton will be in Chicago tomorrow.... 

Submitted by Cubnut
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:00pm

Tribune reporting that Reed Johnson gets its shot at leadoff on Saturday v. Gorzelanny.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:09pm

I'll guess the lineup

CF Johnson 

SS THeriot

1B Lee

3B Ramirez

RF Fuku

2B DeRosa

C Soto

LF Murton

I'd put theriot 8th, Murton 2nd, but Theriot's had a few nice games in a row and I'm guessing that's the lineup Lou will go with.

Murton vs Duke

10/22 .455/.500/.682  (2 2b, 1 HR)

vs Gorzelanny

4/10 .400/.500/.600 (2 2b) 

 

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:12pm

the cubs already hinted at this move when Epat got called up and looking at the schedule: Pirates, Mets, Rockies, Nats...all those teams have a few lefties in the rotation, although I'm unsure how it's going to play out after the Pirates series.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:26pm

when do we get to start beating up on the Giants?

Submitted by 10man
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:27pm

Does anyone think that EPatt being called up was the last straw for Matt, and he's a nice guy and everything but why else would he keep those photos of Lou and Dusty if he wasn't going to use them?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:34pm

Richie Sexson up with a man on and two outs...already homered twice tonight.

Nails a hanging slider to center that Torii Hunter brings back into the park for the Angels win. Fun stuff.

Might of hit right at the top of the wall, but really damn impressive...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 11:52pm

Todd Wellemeyer pitched over 100 innings for the first time in his career Friday night and moved to 2-0 after a seven inning, four hit performance.

Wellemeyer allowed only one run and struck out six. His ERA sits at 3.24. Granted, he was facing the Giants, but Wellemeyer looked great. He kept the ball down and worked ahead all night. Of the 107 pitches he threw, 72 were strikes. He has suddenly become a very nice-looking option in NL-only leagues. Especially because he'll face the Pirates next time out.

Submitted by Jeff_Pico
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 12:16am

I'm not really surprised Wellemyer has had a nice stretch, he always had good stuff but walked too many people, his career walks per 9 innings is about 5 but this year he's got it down to about 3.. if he can keep up that kind of reduction he might be a different pitcher, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 10:17am

Does anybody remember the transaction that made Wellemeyer and ex-Cub? Cause I sure don't.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 10:47am

March 28, 2006: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Florida Marlins for Lincoln Holdzkom (minors) and Zach McCormack (minors).

June 9, 2006: Selected off waivers by the Kansas City Royals from the Florida Marlins.

May 15, 2007: Selected off waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Kansas City Royals.

...as I recall Wellemeyer was traded by the Cubs because he was out of options.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 3:15am

http://cubs.scout.com/2/747641.html

here's your confirmation...

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 9:08am

The pesky redhead returns! He's been jab, jab, jabbing @ Iowa [13 singles, 10 bb's, zero rbi's]& is ready to start throwing haymakers in Chicago...good luck, 'pesky', AKA, 'le petit orange'...

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 3:42pm

As we saw today, he's really got that infield dribbler stroke of his down. When was the last time Matt Murton actually squared up a pitch??

Submitted by Rory
on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 11:17pm

I like that Murton too but I just wish that he could learn to be a better outfielder. I don't expect much but Murton has got to understand that his future will depend on him having the ability to play the outfield well left field and right field. In addition, it wouldn't hurt if he could try on a first baseman's glove and see if he could make himself a bit more valuable. A weak hitting poor fielding left fielder will only get him so far.

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