Eddie Murray

Played For
Baltimore Orioles (1977-1988)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1989-1991)
New York Mets (1992-1993)
Cleveland Indians (1994-1996)
Baltimore Orioles (1996)
Anaheim Angels (1997)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1997)

All-Time Rankings
Eddie Murray ranks #4 among the Top 50 all-time at 1B. Rankings ⇒

Best Season: 1982
Murray was essentially the same player from 1981-1984, when he was at his peak. His adjusted OPS (adjusted for league and his park), was 156 each of those years. He was on his way to perhaps his best season in homers and RBI in 1981 when 1/3 of the schedule was wiped out by a players' strike. His career highs are 33 homers (1983), 124 RBI (1985), 115 runs (1983), 37 doubles (1985 and 1992), 107 walks (1984), .330 average (1990), .549 slugging (1982), and .414 OBP (1990).

Factoids
On May 9, 1987, Eddie Murray homered from each side of the plate for the second consecutive game, the first time that had ever happened in the major leagues.

On August 15, 1979, Eddie Murray stole home against the White Sox in the 12th inning to give the O's a 2-1 win.

Switch-Hitting Career leaders
Most Career Home Runs, Switch-Hitter
Mickey Mantle... 536
Eddie Murray... 504
Chili Davis... 350
Reggie Smith... 314
Bobby Bonilla... 287

Most Career RBI, Switch-Hitter
Eddie Murray... 1917
Eddie Mantle... 1509
George Davis... 1437
Simmons... 1389
Chili Davis... 1372

Most Career Hits, Brothers
1. Paul and Lloyd Waner... 5611
2. Felipe, Matty and Jesus Alou... 5094
3. Joe, Dom and Vince DiMaggio... 4853
4. Ed, Jim, Frank, Joe and Tom Delahanty... 4211
5. Hank and Tommy Aaron... 3987
6. Cal Jr. and Billy Ripken... 858
7. Roberto and Sandy Jr. Alomar... 3627
8. Joe and Luke Sewell... 3619
9. Ken, Clete and Cloyd Boyer... 3559
10. Honus and Butts Wagner... 3489
11. Bob and Roy Johnson... 3343
12. Eddie and Rich Murray... 3299

Scouting Report
"If the fastball is low or on the inside part of the plate, he hits it. He is extremely dangerous with men on base… he is quick enough to get around on high fastballs, but is better batting lefty on the high fastball than he is righty… is learning how to hit the curve and slider more and more each year." — from the 1984 Scouting Report

Where He Played
No player in history played more games at first base (2,413) than Eddie Murray. Murray also appeared in 573 games as a DH, six at third base, and three in the outfield.

Born
Eddie Clarence Murray was born on February 24, 1956, in Los Angeles, CA.

Batted:  Both
Threw:  Right

Primary Position:  1B

Primary Team:  BAL

College:  Cal St. Los Angeles

Major League Debut
April 7, 1977

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1977
Eddie Murray
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Jack Morris
Lance Parrish
Dale Berra
Bump Wills
Rick Honeycutt
Willie Hernandez

Nicknames
Steady Eddie

Uniform Numbers
#33 (1977-1997)

Similar Players
None, no player has ever really been similar to Eddie Murray, in fact not even close. If Jeff Bagwell could switch-hit, that would be Murray.

Related Players
Mickey Mantle, Gary Carter

Hall of Fame Voting Year Election Votes Pct 2003 BBWAA 423 85.3%

Post-Season Appearances
1979 American League Championship Series
1979 World Series
1983 American League Championship Series
1983 World Series
1995 American League Championship Series
1995 American League Divisional Series
1995 World Series
1996 American League Championship Series
1996 American League Divisional Series

Awards and Honors
1977 AL Rookie of the Year
1982 AL Gold Glove
1983 AL Gold Glove
1984 AL Gold Glove

Milestones
Murray collected his 3,000th hit against the Minnesota Twins on June 30, 1995 and clouted his 500th homer against the Detroit Tigers on September 6, 1996.

Milestones

• June 30, 1995: 3000th Hit... Hit came off Mike Trombley, and Murray became the first player to collect his 3,000th hit indoors.


• September 6, 1996: 500th HR... Off Felipe Lira.

Batting Feats

• August 3, 1977: Switch HR same game...


• August 29, 1979: 3 HR...


• August 29, 1979: Switch HR same game...


• September 14, 1980: 3 HR...


• August 16, 1981: Switch HR same game...


• April 24, 1982: Switch HR same game...


• August 26, 1982: Switch HR same game...


• August 26, 1985: 9 RBI...


• August 26, 1985: 3 HR...


• August 26, 1985: Switch HR same game...


• May 8, 1987: Switch HR same game...


• May 9, 1987: Switch HR same game...


• April 18, 1990: Switch HR same game...


• June 9, 1990: Switch HR same game...


• April 21, 1994: Switch HR same game...

Hitting Streaks
22 games (1984)
19 games (1979)
16 games (1980)

Transactions
Selected by Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the free-agent draft (June 5, 1973); Traded by Baltimore Orioles to Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Juan Bell, Brian Holton and Ken Howell (December 4, 1988); Granted free agency (October 29, 1991); Signed by New York Mets (November 27, 1991); Granted free agency (November 1, 1993); Signed by Cleveland Indians (December 2, 1993); Granted free agency (November 6, 1995); Signed by Cleveland Indians (December 7, 1995); Traded by Cleveland Indians to Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Kent Mercker (July 21, 1996); Granted free agency (November 18, 1996); Signed by Anaheim Angels (December 18, 1996); Released by Anaheim Angels (August 14, 1997); Signed by Los Angeles Dodgers (August 20, 1997); Granted free agency (October 30, 1997).

All-Star Selections
1978 AL
1981 AL
1982 AL
1983 AL
1984 AL
1985 AL
1986 AL
1991 NL

Replaced
Lee May, who was the Orioles DH in 1976. Murray took his place at DH in '77, pushing May to first base. Then, in 1978, Murray took May's first base job.

Replaced By
Murray's last full-time job was as the Orioles DH in 1996. After he left via free agency, Harold Baines was signed to fill that role for Baltimore.

Best Strength as a Player
Eddie Murray had phenomenal success throughout his career with the bases loaded. In 238 at-bats in that situation, Murray batted .399, with 19 grand slams, 298 RBI, 22 walks, and a .739 slugging percentage. We don't know if clutch hitting ability exists, but if it does, Murray had it, and it was his best strength.

Largest Weakness as a Player
Nothing obvious comes to mind.

Learn More about Eddie Murray
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