Big Red

For the last two years my biggest question concerning the MLB, and one that certainly calls attention to my allegiance to a certain National League team, is how can Matt Murton not be on a major league roster?

Murton broke into the majors in 2005 after two and a half seasons in the Red Sox and Cubs minor league systems. The left-fielder logged 195 games and almost 600 at bats in his first two seasons with the Cubs, hitting .297 in 2006. Murton is also a solid outfielder, at least by the current Cubs standards (he somewhere between struggling Alfonso Soriano and regular infielder Mark Derosa—he catches the ball, whether it looks graceful or not).

Now the standard logic concerning the Cubs lineup is that they need a left-handed bat in the outfield other than Kosuke Fukodome. Felix Pie was failing miserably in this role, forcing the Cubs to bring in the 56-year-old Jim Edmonds. Edmunds was advertised as a solution to some of the teams fielding troubles and a potential left-handed slugger to platoon with Reed Johnson.

Well, through 11 games with Chicago,mostly thanks to his recent 3-for-4 day against the Rockies, Edmonds is hitting .214 overall, with only six hits against right-handing pitchers (note: he has no hits against lefties as a Cub.) Add that to his short stint earlier this season with San Diego, and Edmonds has a whopping .206 batting average against righties in ’08.

Believe it or not, Murton is a career .283 hitter against righties, with 16 homers.

Murton is ultimately a for-average hitter. And what’s so bad about that? Seems like an upgrade over Edmonds, who is currently a not-for-average hitter. When facing right-handed pitchers, why not choose between Johnson and Murton, sliding Fukodome to center when Murton starts?

Don’t like the case for Matt Murton? Can we at least agree that Pie is as good an option, plus one with potential for the future, as Edmonds? Pie covers center field without issues, and if they are both going to hit around .200, why not let the young guy continue to work at the major level?

Last note: According to Cubs.com’s Nick Zaccardi, as of May 29^th, Murton was leading the Cubs organization with a .362 batting average overall.