Why does LSB want me to feel bad about my love for David Murphy?

by SonnyKoufaxLSU on Apr 4, 2011 11:17 AM CDT

Let me start off by saying that I am not anti-Julio Borbon, and I’m not saying that I think that Murphy should start over Borbon. But I just like David Murphy better.
I know all the stat heads will argue WAR, UZR, VORP and all the other new fangled stats that I’m not sure I understand, but I just like Murphy better.
I guess it’s the grit.
I understand the thinking that having Borbon in center and Hamilton in left is better for the defense and better for the team long term, I have no problem seeing that. I also greatly enjoyed Borbon’s game on Saturday, when he displayed his speed on the bases and commanded center field. But I still just like seeing Murphy play.

It just seems that whenever people bring up Murphy playing more, they get ripped, as I’m sure I will for this post. But again, I’m fine with Borbon starting and I hope he develops into what we all want him to be, but I will always want Murph to get his playing time. How about trading Young and platooning Murphy and Napoli at DH?

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You shouldn't feel bad

Murphy is the better player. He’s just stuck in a situation where the team is trying to protect a fragile player at his expense.

Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball

by willamos2 on Apr 4, 2011 11:21 AM CDT reply actions

What fancy stats say that Borbon is an overall better player than Murphy?

They got about the same number of PAs last year and WAR had Murphy clearly ahead.

by Closure GT on Apr 4, 2011 11:28 AM CDT reply actions

I think

all the numbers say that Murphy is the better player too.

Borbon has the magic of “upside” and he is very, very, very fast, which usually coincides with very overrated.

"I wanted to go out there and punch Julio" - Ron Washington

by DJCahill on Apr 4, 2011 11:29 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

MOE certainly supports Murphy

"Look if you want a journalist hire a UT grad. If you want a doctor you pick a Baylor grad. If you need a vet you see an Aggie grad. And if you need a pizza you call a Tech grad." -BUBacker

by Mike E on Apr 4, 2011 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions

pluS

Ventura::Lewin::Greenberg

by BigGuns on Apr 4, 2011 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Blame Josh Hamilton's knee cartilage.

"...out of the shadows of unprecedented success, the sun shines down upon this team waiting to thrill anew." - ghostofErikThompson

by jam0152 on Apr 4, 2011 11:29 AM CDT reply actions

hambone have bad knees?

by I am Neftali Feliz on Apr 4, 2011 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions

x

"...out of the shadows of unprecedented success, the sun shines down upon this team waiting to thrill anew." - ghostofErikThompson

by jam0152 on Apr 4, 2011 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

22

"My parents actually loved to pimp me too." - LSJ

by chrisR on Apr 4, 2011 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

the shit'll work itselt out as the season progresses

by huebone on Apr 4, 2011 11:31 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Less hedging. More HSO's.

Coming Home Newcastle

by Robert L. Bishop on Apr 4, 2011 11:41 AM CDT reply actions

OT: You, sir...

I replied to your GDT comment the other day and you responded with a “boy” comment. Didn’t get a chance to tell you at the time (was on my phone and the comments were closed by the time I saw it) so I will respond now…

NICELY DONE!

That is all. Moving along.

"I love baseball. You know it doesn't have to mean anything, it's just beautiful to watch." - Woody Allen

by Suicide Prince on Apr 4, 2011 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions

who had the most PAs of any OF last year

I wouldn’t worry about Murphy getting his playing time. He has his role, and he plays it well. Putting him in the field though, weakens two defensive positions.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Apr 4, 2011 11:57 AM CDT reply actions

people keep forgetting this

Murphy is going to get 450-500 PAs this year in 100-120 games, because he’s good enough to force his way into the lineup when everyone is healthy, and at some point this year Cruz or Hamilton will get injured.

This is like people worrying this spring that Holland wasn’t going to get his starts. There are enough games to go around, and when you have a flaky, toolsy CF, and gimpy, but awesome, corners, your super 4th outfielder is going to get his games.

Go Rice Owls!
Matt Harrison - 2011 Rangers #3 Starter!

by JBImaknee on Apr 4, 2011 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions

I have no idea

"Look if you want a journalist hire a UT grad. If you want a doctor you pick a Baylor grad. If you need a vet you see an Aggie grad. And if you need a pizza you call a Tech grad." -BUBacker

by Mike E on Apr 4, 2011 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions

I would worry about him not getting 500 PAs

I honestly hope Hamilton and Cruz are healthier than last year. And Michael Young will get a lot of plate appearances this year, which means if Cruz or Hammy could have had a day off from fielding and DH’d, and Murphy was there to replace either of them, then Young will be sitting at DH. So far he has 5 PA’s in three games.

I personally see a ton of potential for Borbon, whether it ever measures out. I could see him being a Mickey Rivers type of leadoff hitter and just as good of a center fielder, but he has a way to go. Still, when I saw him legging out that triple on Saturday I was thinking, this is what this guy could be.

by Philar on Apr 4, 2011 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions

If Murphy only gets 300-350 PAs this year

We will be having a very very good year and likely have the division won by early June and formally clinched by late August

by bigsteve on Apr 4, 2011 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions

im sorry

borbon vs murphy is not a fair comparison. at all. mostly because they play totally and completely different positions.

the argument is borbon/hamilton vs hamilton/murphy

in the long run, i really dont think there is a huge difference between those 2 OF (borbon/hamilton is VERY good defensively) vs murphy/hamilton being obviously good on offense

the real question is do you want to put hamilton in CF and downgrade (signficiantly) your defense in the OF?

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Apr 4, 2011 12:27 PM CDT reply actions

Yep.

by cstorm15 on Apr 4, 2011 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions

screw the haters!

Ventura::Lewin::Greenberg

by BigGuns on Apr 4, 2011 12:38 PM CDT reply actions

I'm pretty sure the answer you're looking for is 42.

ite-Bay e-May, itches-Bay

by AfterSchoolSpecial on Apr 4, 2011 1:37 PM CDT reply actions

Jackie Robinson?

by Heebs on Apr 4, 2011 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

no, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

42 is the answer to the meaning of life…

but what’s the question?

I can't stand people who are intolerant of other people's taste in music or people who like Nickelback.

by jonas m. on Apr 4, 2011 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Probably the title of of the Fanpost?

I was being a smart ass, but that kind of lost steam due to the fact that I have to explain it. :/

ite-Bay e-May, itches-Bay

by AfterSchoolSpecial on Apr 4, 2011 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions

they don't play the same position.

by SteveP on Apr 4, 2011 2:06 PM CDT reply actions

My argument is that

those that are throwing chairs because Murphy isn’t playing over Julio need to give it some time. Not that I don’t like Murphy or even that I like Julio more than Murphy. Neither is the case. I like them both and trust that their roles will work themselves out over the next month or two.

by bdavison94 on Apr 4, 2011 3:09 PM CDT reply actions

Murphy sitting tonight

So is Moreland.

Start throwing chairs.

by Adam J. Morris on Apr 4, 2011 4:20 PM CDT reply actions

I'm good with it

the more borbon plays, the more likely we will be seeing Murphy in the second half of the season.

"I wanted to go out there and punch Julio" - Ron Washington

by DJCahill on Apr 4, 2011 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Where the games mean more.

Amirite?

"I don't really like pitchers." - Nelson Cruz

by AceJC on Apr 4, 2011 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Well

the second half players are probably the guys in the postseason, where the games do mean more.

"I wanted to go out there and punch Julio" - Ron Washington

by DJCahill on Apr 4, 2011 5:55 PM CDT up reply actions

this

Ventura::Lewin::Greenberg

If hating Rhads is wrong I don't want to be right.

by BigGuns on Apr 4, 2011 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't want you to feel bad at all...

like whoever you want to.

Just try and understand the reasoning behind others who are of the opinion that Borbon should be given a chance in CF too.

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

by slc ranger on Apr 4, 2011 6:14 PM CDT reply actions

Exactly this.

You can personally like and prefer any player, however irrationally you like. With Murphy, there is a lot to like so the love of him is not irrational. I personally love a player (Kinsler) far more than anything he has produced so far in his career. Others love one of the 3 H’s far above and beyond anything they have contributed to the team. Nothing wrong with that.

I have high hopes for Borbon, but he is going to sit 1-2 times a week. Murphy will force his way into the lineup even if everyone is healthy. Enjoy those moments, and appreciate how awesome it is to have a guy like Murphy on the bench, ready to contribute whenever he is called upon.

by Akalhar on Apr 5, 2011 9:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Get ready for polarization in 3....2....1....

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not accusing anyone of being racist, but it was brought up in last nights Diamond Talk on The Ticket that a lot of this anger over Murphy v. Borbon may have to do because Murph is a gritty, skilled, hard working white man while Borbon is the unproven, hispanic.

We all like to watch athletes that we can somehow identify with, and, for me as a white guy at least, I can identify more with David Murphy. That doesn’t mean I hate Borbon as a player or a person, and in fact looking at their numbers think that Borbon is the right choice, at least for now. But it is an interesting thought.

Now excuse me while I put in my DVD of Do The Right Thing to exorcise my white guilt.

by TequilaMockingbird on Apr 5, 2011 4:21 PM CDT reply actions

I still think it has much more to do

with how Borbon hit last year, the absurd mental mistakes, ridiculous throws, and with how much folks underrate David Murphy than racism.

"I wanted to go out there and punch Julio" - Ron Washington

by DJCahill on Apr 5, 2011 8:40 PM CDT up reply actions

murphy is clearly better with the bat than borbon

people are not very good at telling goood OF defense vs poor outfield defense unless it involves errors (as opposed to say range)

they see that borbon is a worse hitter, with a worse arm and jump to the conclusion that gritty mchustle (which is a tshirt jersey i am buying this year actually lol) is better than borbon

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Apr 6, 2011 6:53 AM CDT up reply actions

Well the Fangraphs numbers for last year say

that when you combine offense and defense, Borbon was a below average CF, and Murphy was an above average LF. And Hamilton was the best in the league at either CF or LF.

"I wanted to go out there and punch Julio" - Ron Washington

by DJCahill on Apr 6, 2011 7:32 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't know if that's what's going on in this situation

but it wouldn’t be anything new. Sports culture has a long tradition of celebrating white players for their ‘scrappiness’, can-do attitudes and work ethic while attributing the success of minority athletes to solely their inherent athletic gifts.

That being said, I think it’s a lot more likely that people don’t really know how to judge good outfield defense. I think for the majority of the casual fans, which is who the Dallas media is catering to, hitting performance will far outweigh whatever they judge defense to be.

by philclark on Apr 6, 2011 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions