THUNDERWATCH 2008

STATUS: DEAD

There's no hope for Matt Murton to be playing for the Chicago Cubs ever again. When Soriano got hurt earlier in the season, it was the perfect time to bring Murton up. When he wasn't, we cried and wailed, raped and pillaged, drank and sang around the saloon. What could Murton have possibly done to deserve this treatment? If this wasn't the time to bring him up, then when?

Prepare to have all of those feelings stirred up again. Matt Murton was not called up today to take Soriano's spot on the roster. Eric Patterson was (again). True, Patterson was hitting above .320 in the minors, but Murton was right there with him with a solid .311 average. And guess what? Outfield is Murton's natural position. And he has more Major League experience.

I guess what it comes down to is that Murton would probably be out of options had he been called up, which means that if the Cubs would have called him up, he would have had to stay on the roster for the rest of the year, or be granted free agency. But at this point, I honestly think the Cubs should just let him go. Free Murton if you will. Soriano is going to be in left for the next 5-6 years, Fukudome's got right locked up for the next few, and we know the Cubs won't try Murton in center, so what else can they do? It's pretty much a given that he will be a part of whatever trade we make at the deadline this year.

I just hope he doesn't end up in the Central, or in the NL at all for that matter. The last thing we need is for him to bring around his power and fury and take it out on the Cubs for the next 7 years.