Washington on starting Murphy v. Perez

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 9:05 AM CDT Comment 28 comments

Marlon Byrd, out of the starting lineup for the first two games of the Rangers' series with the Mets, could be back on the field on Sunday at Shea Stadium.

Without the designated hitter, the Rangers had to use Milton Bradley in right field for the first game of the series. Manager Ron Washington is reluctant to use him in both games of the doubleheader.

"I'll probably have Marlon back out there," said Washington, who has been known to change his mind.

He was also second-guessing himself on Saturday for not starting Byrd, a right-handed hitter, on Friday against left-hander Oliver Perez. Washington went with David Murphy, a left-handed hitter, instead. Murphy was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, including one with the bases loaded, against Murphy.

"Looking back on it you could say that I should have had Marlon in there," Washington said. "I went with my guy and my gut usually doesn't fail me. It failed me there."

0 recs | Comment 28 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I just wonder

How many and which managers actually 1. acquire knowledge of hitter splits/situationals and 2. implement that knowledge on the lineup card each day.

Maybe I’m too naive, but I get the feeling that a lot of managers—maybe even most—manage “by their gut” and give lots of deference to “their guys”, numbers be damned.

I just doubt there are a lot of AJMs managing (and I don’t mean that negatively).

by brettgardner on Jun 15, 2008 9:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that is probably...

up to their coaches to get them that info. I think you may be right though about many managers ignoring the numbers at times and just going on instinct.

Yeah it is a bad move to start Murphy against every lefty, but at least his “gut” is starting to realize it.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Jun 15, 2008 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

hindsight is great

ain’t it? You can make a post like that after every game. I hope you do.

Stats don't lie

by Longhorn on Jun 15, 2008 10:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think his point was that

He knew, and Washington should have known, that it wasn’t a great idea BEFORE the game. I doubt he’d change his mind about it even if Murph had hit for the cycle.

For what it’s worth, I don’t really want to see Murph consistently platooned, mostly because I don’t expect to stay in contention this year, and if you’re serious about Murphy being a starter next year, you’d like to get him as much practice against his biggest weakness as possible, even at the expense of lots of 0-fers.

by brettgardner on Jun 15, 2008 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It isn't hindsight

Do you think starting Murphy against Perez, and sitting Byrd and Boggs, is the right move? Do you think hitting Murphy 5th in that situation, if you do start him, is the right move?

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes

why not? the stats that EG provide show that that was the right player at that time. I don’t care if he looked silly earlier in the game, let him hit. And, like someone mentioned, no RH had a hit against perez that game. And now, you’ll come back with, it’s only one game, that’s not a huge sample size, and you’ll point out to Perez’s numbers over this year. Then i’ll bring up his splits over his career. Then, we’ll just go in circles. I don’t mind the move. I just can’t believe we’re arguing about freaking Marlon Byrd in the lineup, freaking Marlon “we should have traded for matt murton” Byrd.

Stats don't lie

by Longhorn on Jun 15, 2008 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

the stats that EG provide show that that was the right player at that time

I disagree.

And personally, I’d have started Boggs instead of Byrd, but either of them are better options against Perez than Murphy. Murphy shouldn’t be starting against LHPs.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Murphy

Byrd is 1-9 in his career against Perez so he hasn’t exactly had alot of success against him. So that leaves two rookies. One that is a leading ROY candidate whos had some success against lefties of late and another who has been in a slump of late.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 15, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The fact that Byrd is 1 for 9 against Perez...

...means nothing to me.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But yet

you point to Murphy not hitting lefties well and that does matter to you?

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 15, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

Big difference in sample size. Particularly when Murphy has a history of not hitting lefties in the minors, either.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big difference?

Murphy and Boggs had never faced Perez. Byrd had a whopping 9 times. In those 9 times he had 1 hit. Its not like Perez had been allowing righties to smash the ball against him. He has been equaly tough against both sides of the plate this year. So why not let one of your rookies take a hack at him? And between the two of them Murphy has been a leading ROY candidate and has had success against lefties recently whereas Boggs is 2-14 over his last 4 games. Might as well let Murph get a shot. I think if it would have been someone else up at the plate with the bases loaded and done the exact same thing then we wouldn’t be having this debate. But because Murph struck out its become a bad decision to start him.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 15, 2008 11:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You play the percentages

which say that Boggs has a better chance of success than Murphy. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve faced Perez: unless it’s a significant sample, that stat is negligible.

"Typical woman. 'Give me' 'Give me' 'Give me'

I’ll give ya something.

1. A backhand
2. A stuffing
3. $500 if you promise never to post here again"

~ The Immortal, BG

by Chase Irwin on Jun 15, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was a bad decision to start Murphy...

...as soon as I saw him in the lineup. I think he should be sitting against most lefties. And I certainly think he should be sitting in an N.L. park, when not sitting him means both Byrd and Boggs are on the bench.

I don’t think that the fact Boggs is 2 for 14 in his last 4 games, or that Byrd is 1 for 9 against Perez, trumps the more macro issues.

As for this comment:

He has been equaly tough against both sides of the plate this year.

Perez is allowing a 580 OPS against by lefties this season, vs. an 863 OPS by righties.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

what about his career ops against?

Stats don't lie

by Longhorn on Jun 15, 2008 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Career

768 OPS for righties, 725 OPS for lefties.

Murphy can’t hit lefties. Byrd and Boggs can. There was no reason to start Murphy.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

too simple

He had just hit a grand slam against a very tough lefty just a couple days earlier. You are overstating your case.

"You’re the only here who contributes schtick only." - brettgardner

by trza on Jun 15, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

what about these guys? all at age 26

all lefties vs lefties:

player A: .222/.296/.292

player B: .203/.256/.381

player C: .216/.281/.315

player D: .233/.255/.344

Would you say all these LH batters should not be starting against LHPs? Or, as you would want them to be, a ‘platoon player’? Which one would you take if you had to choose?

Stats don't lie

by Longhorn on Jun 15, 2008 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know one is David Ortiz...

...because you’ve been beating that particular drum for a while now…

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 15, 2008 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

and A is not really fair, it’s Josh
B is Ortiz
C is Blalock
D is Murphy

I’m just saying, i don’t think Murph should be branded a platoon player already.

Stats don't lie

by Longhorn on Jun 15, 2008 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lets not confuse

David Murphy with Davis Ortiz or palyers A-D. He is David Murphy!

Brandon Boggs 2008 Texas Rangers ROY

by RangerMad on Jun 15, 2008 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wash

I imagine his thinking was probably influenced by the grand slam Murphy jacked against a very tough lefty a couple days earlier. It was a probably a mistake to start Murphy, but an understanable one.

"You’re the only here who contributes schtick only." - brettgardner

by trza on Jun 15, 2008 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

at least he admitted the mistake

sorta.

by SteveP on Jun 15, 2008 10:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

showed remorse

at least

Go Vote for Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Bradley and write in Murphy. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2008/ballot_reg.html - Vote up to 25 times on as many email accounts as you can think of!

by tdi1985 on Jun 15, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks great in all...

but we will see if he can learn from his mistakes or if he keeps going with his guys instead of who is the right guy.

by baylor on Jun 15, 2008 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Afterall...

“Ron Washington knows baseball” said Ron Washington. RW is a nice guy. He has been around baseball for many years. Maybe he willlearn from his mistakes. Unfortunately, he needs to make mistakes before he learns.

Brandon Boggs 2008 Texas Rangers ROY

by RangerMad on Jun 15, 2008 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mistakes?

I was hoping that with all of the years that he has been in baseball that he would not have to learn from simple mistakes such as this.

by baylor on Jun 15, 2008 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

that since Murphy has started all games of this series now, this is slightly less of an issue because Wash seems to want to give Murphy as many ABs as he can this season. If he was going to bench him for one game of this series, I would definitely have chosen the Perez one.

by Gdawg on Jun 15, 2008 5:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs