Rangers' minor leaguer Kyle Murphy

by James Quinn on Dec 29, 2007 11:56 AM CST Comment 13 comments

Hello Rangers fans. I am a regular poster at Royals Review and write about the University of Kansas baseball team at Rock Chalk Talk, the KU blog in the SBNation's family. I wanted to pass on a link to a story I posted today about Kyle Murphy, a prospect in the Ranger's system. Here is a link. I do not know anything about the Rangers blogosphere and so do not know the best site to share information about minor leaguers in the Rangers system. Murphy was a 19th round selection last year. He is a four tool outfielder. Good guy with a lot of potential. His problem has been stringing together productive seasons.

The Rangers already have one KU alumni on their 40-man roster - Travis Metcalf. I will be posting more stories on former Jayhawks and will get to Metcalf when the class of 2004 comes up in a week or so.

One last note, I followed the Reds closely from 1983 until I moved to Kansas in 2004. Geography was not the only thing that drove me away from the Reds and to the Royals. It just was too painful to continue to follow the Reds as long as Wayne Krivsky remained in charge. The man is a willful idiot when it comes to building a roster and evaluating talent. This latest trade, Hamilton for Volquez, is just the latest example of the mad house the guy in running there in Cincinnati. From my perspective this trade was a clear win for the Rangers. Enjoy Hamilton while you have him. When healthy and sober the man is one of the best young players in baseball.

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Kyle Murphy.....

was a major disappointment to those of us who follow the Rangers and KU. Metcalf quietly had a very good rookie season. His hitting stats were better the Blalock's rookie stats over a similar number of at bats. Unfortunately, Travis's chances of sticking with major league club out of spring training are not very good at this point. Rock chalk.

by doolindalton on Dec 30, 2007 12:04 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hi doolindalton,

Do you happen to know if the Rangers are bringing him back next year?

by James Quinn on Dec 30, 2007 9:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have to imagine they would

His college numbers were pretty good. He obviously struggled mightily in his first taste of pro ball, but if he can handle center field defensively like you say he can, he'll get every chance to prove he can handle the stick.

Thanks for posting this, and good luck to the kid next year.

You can never have too many plus defensive CF'rs.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 30, 2007 2:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Murphy's defense

is excellent. He played in quite a few games his junior year as a late inning defensive replacement. I can only think of one ball all year that got behind him. He has an accurate arm and hits the cut-off man consistantly. He ran well on the basepads. He was sucsessful sixteen times out of seventeen when stealing. It really is only his bat that is a question mark.

He came to KU after hitting around .400 in Juco, and then couldn't do a thing with the bat his Jr. year. He stayed hot his whole senior year, hitting for average and driving the ball down the lines. I have no idea why he goes hot and cold at the plate. I hope he figures it out soon. It would be a shame if his whole career fell apart due to what seems to amount to season-long slumps. Clearly he can hit for average when things are right for him.

One other plus about him, quiet leader. Never a problem on the team.

by James Quinn on Dec 30, 2007 4:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Rangers

have plenty of quiet leaders that are never a problem on the team... lol

"A dictatorship would be a lot easier, as long as I'm the dictator."- George W. Bush

by miles on Dec 30, 2007 4:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

You can never have too much info on the guys in the minors. Not that there's a dearth of information thanks to guys like shroomer and mjh (I'm sure I'm forgetting someone), but more's always better.

"When I was a pup, we got spanked by presidents 'til the cows came home! Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions!" LBrooks

by WyoRanger on Dec 30, 2007 1:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Travis Metcalf

He's on the 40-man roster, so he will be in spring training with the big leaguers, but as the club is currently constituted, there just isn't a place for him.

I thought they should have moved Blalock to first because of his shoulder problems and left Travis at third to see how he develops. But that's not going to happen. TM will probably be in AAA at OKC in '08 barring a trade of Blalock.

by doolindalton on Dec 30, 2007 9:54 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Metcalf and Blalock

Metcalf is less than 2 years younger than Blalock, and hasn't hit well.

I don't see how moving Blalock to first base so that Metcalf can play makes any sense. If the team isn't in the playoff race in 2008, Blalock will probably end up getting dealt at the trade deadline anyway, so if Metcalf goes to AAA and hits, he'll likely get a look.

But I thing it is quite doubtful that he'll end up being a serviceable major league 3B.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 30, 2007 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Metcalf

Adam, just because the Redskins are kicking the Cowboys butt doesn't mean you should start making up stuff. Travis hit very well for coming up at mid-season from AA and he evidently made some excellent adjustments since he hit about 60 points higher in August and September than he did in June. Give him 500 ABs and you're talking a guy capable of hitting 20 homers and hitting .280-.290.

by doolindalton on Dec 30, 2007 5:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He would be blocked by FOTF to 3B in '09

eom

Miles changes his signature too much.

by Chase Irwin on Dec 30, 2007 6:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Metcalf

.255/.307/.435 last year for the Rangers, with a .249 EQA.

And he only had an 820 OPS for Frisco in 2007.

He's not that good.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 30, 2007 7:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What irks me is

people who throw out stats and say someone can or cannot play because of those minor league stats. Jason Botts is a great example. He has put up tremendous numbers in the minor leagues. Based on those numbers he deserves/deserved a shot at the MLs. But have you seen him play? I just don't think his long loopy swing is going to tranlate to the MLs. Now look at Metcalf. He has a shorter swing. He showed some improvement when he returned from OKC. He can play defense. Metcalf just looks like a better ballplayer then Botts. Metcalf doesn't have the minor league numbers that Botts does, but, I think he will be a better ML ballplayer.

The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws. ~Rick Wise, 1974

by RangerMad on Dec 30, 2007 10:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs