Murray’s Hits Take A Backseat To Ultimate Goal
Sure, Eddie Murray has goals. The thing is, 3,000 hits wasn’t one of them.
Regardless, Murray became only the second switchhitter and only the 20th player in baseball history to reach 3,000 hits when he singled in the sixth inning of Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.
Murray’s goal is simple - he just wants to win. The way things are going for the Cleveland Indians, the team with the best record in baseball, the 39-year-old might have a chance to play on a World Series champion.
“That’s the point,” Murray said. “To be able to smile at the end of the last baseball game and say, ‘We did it.”’
Murray, who played in both the 1979 and 1983 World Series with Baltimore, said the 1995 Indians have some of the same characteristics as those teams.
“In 1983, we just knew we were going to win,” Murray said of the team that beat Philadelphia in the Series. “This team is a lot like that.”
As much as Murray talks about the team, on Friday night, the rest of the Indians were more than willing to give up the spotlight.
Murray joined Pete Rose, the career hits leader with 4,256, as the only switch-hitters to get 3,000. He reached the plateau by grounding a single through the right side off Mike Trombley.
Murray’s next hit will move the 18-year veteran into 19th place on the all-time career hit list, passing Roberto Clemente, who finished his career with exactly 3,000 hits.
After the game, Murray said he was more relieved that he was able to get the ball back from Thursday night’s first inning home run - hit No. 2,998.
He didn’t want it for himself, but for the future. About 30 balls from this season will be auctioned off this summer to raise money for Little Leagues in the Cleveland area.
“I’m just glad we got it back … we had to make a little deal,” Murray said of the bargaining with the fan who caught the ball. “It didn’t cost me too much. I’m just glad those balls can raise some money.”
Strawberry goes down swinging
One day after drawing five intentional walks in a rookie league game, Darryl Strawberry resumed swinging a bat. It didn’t do much good.
Struggling in his first week playing for the New York Yankees’ Gulf Coast League team, Strawberry, 33, went 0 for 4 against two 19-year-old pitchers in a 4-0 loss to a Houston Astros’ affiliate.
In six Gulf Coast League games this week, the eighttime All-Star is batting .188 (3-for-16) with five strikeouts.
On Friday, Detroit Tigers general manager Joe Klein sent orders for his Lakeland, Fla.-based team to intentionally walk Strawberry each time he came to bat. Klein told The Associated Press on Friday his intent was to protect young pitchers from a possible line drive off Strawberry’s bat.
Trade winds blow
It is no longer “early in the season,” a favorite chant of struggling teams. The contenders have separated themselves from the hopeless.
Front offices now come into play. Top teams need help. Bad teams look to dump highly paid veterans for prospects. These are some of the possibilities under discussion:
Detroit lefthander David Wells to the New York Yankees for third baseman Russ Davis and a minor league pitcher.
With Jimmy Key possibly out for the remainder of the season because of a shoulder injury, the Yankees need another starter. Wells’ value is at an all-time high. He is 4-0 with a 2.68 ERA in his past five starts.
The Tigers do not consider themselves contenders and believe trading Wells would help their long-range goals. The Tigers also know Wells fades after the AllStar break. In the past five seasons, Wells is 19-22 with a 4.38 ERA in the second half.
Toronto players everywhere. Righthander David Cone to California. Outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar to San Diego. First baseman John Olerud to Seattle.
Carter is on the decline. Alomar can become a free agent after this season. Olerud has hit .276 since winning the batting title at .363 in 1993. Cone, the defending Cy Young winner, is the most appealing.
A starting pitcher to Cincinnati.
The Reds have inquired about St. Louis’ Ken Hill, Minnesota’s Kevin Tapani and Cone. The Reds want another starter because they do not believe Jose Rijo and his sore right elbow can make it through the season.
Minnesota closer Rick Aguilera to Boston.
Aguilera becomes a five-and-10 player - five years with his current team and 10 years in the majors - on Friday, not last week as the Twins originally believed. Because a five-and-10 player can veto a trade, Minnesota must do something this week.
The Twins are apparently driving a hard bargain. Boston’s interest has cooled because the Twins want three top prospects.
Aguilera wants to stay in Minnesota. Twins’ general manager Terry Ryan said he is not under orders to deal Aguilera, whose option calls for a $4 million salary next season, just to cut payroll.
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