Matt Murton
From SoSH
| Born: | October 3, 1981 |
| Birthplace: | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida |
| Height: | 6' 1" |
| Weight: | 220 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 2003: 1st Round (32nd Pick) by the Boston Red Sox |
| College: | Georgia Tech |
| High School: | Eagles Landing HS (GA) |
| Teams: | Chicago Cubs 2005 - Present |
Matthew Henry Murton (born October 3, 1981) was drafted by the Red Sox in 2003. After making a name for himself in the Sox system, Murton was dealt to the Chicago Cubs in the notable Nomar Garciaparra deadline trade in 2004. Murton broke into the majors in 2005 with the Cubs. He has spent much of his young career as a backup outfielder, but also has started a number of games in left field, showcasing a good batting average and decent power in limited at-bats.
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Overall Career
After The Trade, Murton started 2005 with the single-A Daytona Cubs, before moving up to the AA West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. On July 8, he was called up to the majors, along with Adam Greenberg, replacing the struggling Corey Patterson, and Jason Dubois. On the same day, he went 2 for 2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly against the Florida Marlins in his major league debut. He continued his success in the majors, hitting .321 with two stolen bases, seven home runs, and an on-base-percentage of .386 in 51 games in 2005 and became one of the only highlights of a disappointing Cubs 2005 season.
His surprise success, as well as red hair and clutch hitting made him a fan favorite and earned him nicknames, such as "Thunder Matt", "Big Red" and "The Big Murt." He went from being one of the lesser known prospects in the Cubs organization in early 2005 to being the starting left fielder on the Cubs 2006 team.
Some Sox fans have questioned Murton's inclusion in the Garciaparra deal, feeling that giving up Garciaparra should have been enough, and including a rising prospect was unnecessary in finalizing the trade.
Moment in the Sun
- On August 3, 2006, Matt Murton went 4 for 4 with 4 doubles and 5 RBI in game 2 of a double-header against the Arizona Diamondbacks, matching a Major League record for doubles in a single game.
Awards
- In 2004, Baseball America named him the NY-Penn league's 13th best prospect.
- Following the 2005 season, was ranked the 12th best prospect in the Southern League by Baseball America.
Transactions
- June 3, 2003: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (32nd pick) of the 2003 amateur draft. Player signed July 8, 2003.
- July 31, 2004: Traded as part of a 4-team trade by the Boston Red Sox with Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs. The Minnesota Twins sent Doug Mientkiewicz to the Boston Red Sox. The Montreal Expos sent Orlando Cabrera to the Boston Red Sox. The Chicago Cubs sent Brendan Harris, Alex Gonzalez, and Francis Beltran to the Montreal Expos. The Chicago Cubs sent Justin Jones (minors) to the Minnesota Twins.
External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
