Eddie Murray


Eddie Clarence Murray, nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman, designated hitter, and coach. He spent most of his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, and ranks fourth in team history in games played and hits. Though Murray never won a Most Valuable Player Award, he finished in the top ten in MVP voting several times. Murray has more RBIs than any other MLB switch-hitter; his 996 runs batted in in the 1980s were more than any other player.
Murray began his playing career with the Orioles in 1977 after being drafted in 1973. In his rookie season, he batted.283 in 160 games with 27 home runs and 173 hits as he was awarded the American League Rookie of the Year. The following season saw him named to the All-Star team for the first time ever as he batted.285 with 27 home runs in 161 games. Murray went to the World Series twice with the Orioles in 1979 and 1983; in the decisive Game 5 of the latter, Murray hit two home runs in the 5-0 victory for his first and only championship. In his first twelve seasons, Murray had eleven 20-HR seasons and topped 100 RBIs in five times in a six season span while winning two Silver Slugger Awards. A stormy relationship with the front office led to him being traded in the 1988 offseason to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played three seasons and batted.278 with them while winning his third Silver Slugger Award in 1990.
He then went to the New York Mets in 1992 and served as a bright spot for teams that finished in the division cellar. He then joined the Cleveland Indians in free agency for 1994, where he would serve primarily as their designated hitter. He had 17 home runs in the strike-shortened season before belting 21 for the 1995 team that saw him collect his 3,000th hit. In the first postseason run for the team in 41 years, Murray batted.232 with three home runs and a walk off hit in the 1995 World Series, although the team lost in six games. The following year saw him get traded to the Orioles midway through his final season of 20+ home runs, and it was with Baltimore that he collected his 500th career home run. He became a free agent after the year and played the 1997 season with the Anaheim Angels and the Dodgers, hitting three home runs in 55 total games. After his playing career, Murray coached for the Orioles, Indians and Dodgers.
Murray is one of just seven MLB players to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs and one of just two switchhitters in each club. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 in his first year of eligibility. In the New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Murray is described as the fifth-best first baseman in major league history. He was 77th on the list of Baseball's 100 Greatest Players by The Sporting News.

Early life

Murray was the eighth child of 12 and still has nine living siblings: five sisters and four brothers. He has often quipped that as a child he did not have to go far for a pick-up baseball game. The games were quite fierce and his older brothers never let him win. Murray played Little League baseball under coach Clifford Prelow, an ex-Dodger minor leaguer. Prelow remembers that young Murray was a well behaved player. Murray attended Locke High School in Los Angeles, where he batted.500 as a senior and was a teammate of Ozzie Smith.

Playing career

Baltimore Orioles (1977–1988)

With the Orioles from 1977 until 1988, Murray averaged 28 home runs and 99 RBI, making him a perennial candidate for the MVP award, twice finishing second in the voting. Murray's close friendship with teammate Cal Ripken Jr. was highly publicized in Baltimore at the time. Ripken credited Murray with teaching him his work ethic.
Murray was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the third round of the 1973 amateur draft and had several successful seasons in the minor leagues. He debuted in the majors on April 7, 1977, Opening Day, and played in 160 games in his first season. In 160 games, he hit for.283 with 27 home runs, 29 doubles, and 88 RBIs, while striking out 104 times. This was the only season in which he struck out over 100 times. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award despite Mitchell Page posting a better batting average and OPS. He was Baltimore's primary designated hitter, as veteran Lee May held the first base job despite being an inferior batter. In his next season, Murray was named to his first All-Star Game, though he did not play in the game, and finished eighth in the MVP balloting. He played in 161 games, swapping positions with May, and bettered his offense, hitting for.285 along with 27 home runs, 32 doubles, and 95 RBIs. In the 1979 season, Murray hit.295 along with 25 home runs, 30 doubles and 99 RBI. He finished 11th in the MVP balloting despite being left off the All-Star Game roster. He participated in his first postseason. In the 1979 American League Championship Series, he hit 5-for-12, leading Baltimore with 1 home run, 5 RBI, and 5 walks as they beat the California Angels in four games. However, Murray swooned in the 1979 World Series, hitting 4-for-26 with one home run and 2 RBIs as the Orioles lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games.
In the 1980 season, he hit.300, with 32 home runs, 36 doubles, and 116 RBIs in 158 games. The only games he missed were due to a potentially serious on-field injury. On July 13, George Brett hit a ground ball that took a bat hop and struck Murray in the eye. Brett ended up on second base and Murray was taken to the hospital and received stitches. After missing 4 games, he returned to the lineup, playing every other game. He hit better after the eye injury, batting.316 with 18 home runs in 76 games. He finished sixth in the MVP balloting that year.
While only playing in 99 games due to the player's strike, in 1981 Murray hit.294, tying for the lead lead with 22 home runs and leading the AL with 78 RBIs. He was named to the All-Star Game, hitting two groundouts in his first All-Star Game appearance, and finished 5th in the MVP balloting.
In a full season in 1982, Murray hit.316 with 32 home runs, 30 doubles, and 110 RBIs in 151 games. He returned to the All-Star Game, won his first Gold Glove Award, and finishing 2nd in the MVP balloting, his highest finish. The Orioles lost on the final day of the regular season to the Milwaukee Brewers, dashing their chance to play in the postseason.
Murray's 1983 performance was not much different, but his team fared better. He hit.306/.393/.538 with a career-high 33 home runs, 30 doubles, and 111 RBIs in 156 games. He improved his awards haul, being named to the All-Star Game, winning his a second consecutive Golden Glove, and his first Silver Slugger Award. He also repeated a second-place finish in MVP voting, trailing teammate Cal Ripken Jr. In the 1983 ALCS against the Chicago White Sox, he hit 4-for-15 with one home run and three RBIs as the Orioles advanced in four games to the World Series. In the Fall Classic, he batted 5-for-20. He hit two home runs in the series clinching 5–0 Game 5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. This was Murray's only world championship and his last postseason appearance for 12 years.
In 1984, Murray played in all 162 games for the only time in his career, hitting for.306 with 29 home runs, 26 doubles, and 110 RBIs. He walked a career-high 107 times. He continued compiling awards, being named to a fourth consecutive All-Star Game, winning a third straight Gold Glove and second straight Silver Slugger, and finishing 4th in the MVP balloting. The following year, he hit for.297 with 31 home runs, a career-best 37 doubles, and 124 RBIs in 156 games. He was named to his fifth straight All-Star Game while finishing 5th in the MVP balloting. The 1986 season, his tenth with the Orioles, was a slight regression, though he hit.305 with 17 home runs, 25 doubles and 84 RBIs in 137 games. He was named to the All-Star Game once again. This was his last selection until 1991. The following year, he hit for.277 with 30 home runs, 28 doubles, and 91 RBIs in 160 games. This was his first season with more strikeouts than walks since 1983. In the 1988 season, he hit for.284 with 27 doubles and 91 RBIs in 161 games.
Murray's relationship with Orioles management began to sour during spring training in 1986 when he accused team officials of pressuring him to return prematurely from an ankle injury. His request to be traded in late-August of that year was fueled by criticism from team owner Edward Bennett Williams who questioned his off-season work habits, defense, and lack of extra base hits.
Murray was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ken Howell, Brian Holton, and Juan Bell on December 4, 1988. The Orioles paid $1 million of the $8 million Murray was owed for the final three years of his contract. Baltimore Sun sports columnist Mike Preston called Murray's departure from Baltimore in 1988 "one of the lowest moments in this city's sports history, as sad as the Colts leaving for Indianapolis, and as embarrassing as Colts officials allowing quarterback John Unitas to wear a San Diego Chargers uniform."

Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–1991)

In his first season with the Dodgers, Murray hit for a career-low.247 with 20 home runs, 29 doubles and 88 RBIs in 160 games. He rebounded in 1990, with a.330 average, 26 home runs, 22 doubles and 95 RBIs in 155 games. He had 64 strikeouts while having 87 walks, the most since he had 84 in 1985. He received the Silver Slugger Award for the third and final time while finishing 5th in the MVP balloting. He narrowly lost the NL batting title to Willie McGee. McGee was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Oakland Athletics on August 29 but had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, hitting.335 to Murray's.330. McGee hit.274 with the A's, resulting in a season average.324, which meant that Murray led the major leagues in batting average despite not winning the NL batting title.
In 1991, his final season with the Dodgers, Murray batted.260 with 19 home runs, 23 doubles, and 96 RBIs in 153 games. Despite his dip in performance, he was named to the All-Star Game, the final selection of his career. On October 29, 1991, he was granted free agency.