Opinion: Daniel Murphy means Business
Last night, in a win against the Nationals, 23–year-old rookie OF Daniel Murphy was 3 for 6 with two runs scored, three RBI and a home run.
He is batting .467 through his first 11 games, with a .556 OBP.
I am trying desperately to not be so excited about this kid. Every time he gets a hit, and I pump my fist, my wife, who is a Yankees fan, says, “Don’t forget Shane Spencer and Kevin Maas.” And she makes a good point.
What’s interesting is that, from what I can tell, the Mets are far more level-headed about Murphy than most fans are. You’d think the team would be hyping him up, while patting themselves on the back in an, ‘I told you our farm system was good,’ kind of way, but they’re not.
I, on the other hand, am giddy beyond belief, though I know I should just shut up, enjoy his performance and leave it for what it is: a hot start.
The thing is, he’s just so easy for me to cheer for – so, I can’t help but be excited.
Historically, I enjoy two types of players: either the hard-working, perfectionist professional, like Edgar Martinez and David Wright, or the overt, exciting, all-around, over-the-top showman, like Rickey Henderson and Jose Reyes.
Murphy falls in to that first category, obviously.
What intrigues me most is that, as I have been writing over and over again, ‘Daniel Murphy means Business,’ as he appears to be very serious about his job.
Also, for what it’s worth, I like how he prefers to be called Daniel, not Dan or Danny, as it speaks to the seriousness and 
discipline that he clearly applies to his game.
Equally entertaining is how he delicately places his bat on the ground with both hands following a home run, much like Lance Berkman – again, professional, no flare, he just hits and does his job.
I realize he’s played in just 11 games, which is nothing in the grand scheme of a baseball career, but he has shown an advanced comprehension of hitting, and the ability to execute appropriately in a variety of situations, which is not typical of most rookies.
So, while I feel I am justified in my excitement, I am trying real hard to keep it perspective since I may have made this exact-same post about Jeff Duncan.
