Dwayne Murphy
Encyclopedia
Dwayne Keith Murphy is a former Major League Baseball
player who spent most of his career playing for the Oakland Athletics
as an outfielder. He is currently the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics
in 1973 and made his Major League debut in 1978. He spent nine years with the Athletics and played under managers, Billy Martin
, Sparky Anderson
, and Tony LaRussa. The A's made the playoffs in 1981, where they lost to the New York Yankees
in the American League Championship Series
. In those playoffs, Murphy hit .421 and hit one home run
in six games. Murphy's biggest offensive year came in 1984, where he hit 33 home runs and drove in 88 runs. Murphy also drew many walks, and had excellent speed on the base paths. He stole 26 bases in both 1980 and 1982.
He was also one of the best defensive outfielders of his time, receiving six consecutive Gold Gloves from 1980 through 1985. Murphy had a signature play where his hat blew off his head virtually every time he made a spectacular catch. It occasionally even happened on routine fly balls and it eventually became Murphy's trademark.
During most of his career in Oakland, he batted second in the lineup behind hall-of-famer Rickey Henderson
. Henderson credits Murphy for helping him set the single-season stolen-base record of 130 steals in 1982.
Murphy finished his career with a .246 batting average, 166 home runs, 609 runs batted in, in 1360 games. After retirement as a player, Murphy became a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks
from 1998 to 2003. He was the Diamondbacks' hitting coach when they won the World Series in 2001. In 2005 and 2006 he became hitting coach for the Syracuse Skychiefs
, the AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays
.
He was promoted to first base coach for the Blue Jays in 2008 when manager Cito Gaston
took over for John Gibbons
.
, California
, about 120 miles from Oakland
. After graduating from Antelope Valley High School
in Lancaster, California
, Murphy was drafted in the 15th round in the 1973 draft by the Oakland Athletics
. He came up to the majors for the first time in 1978 at age 23. He would spend the large bulk of his career with Oakland.
Murphy struggled in his rookie year. While he only played in 60 games that season, he managed to collect just 10 hits in 52 plate appearances (giving him an .182 batting average) and he did not hit a home run. His numbers improved as he became the A's everyday center fielder
. His power numbers grew as well. The Athletics in the early 1980s had an outfield of Murphy, Rickey Henderson
, and Tony Armas
, and many fans saw it as the best young outfield in baseball.
Murphy hit second in the lineup throughout most of his career with the A's batting behind Rickey Henderson. Henderson credits Murphy for helping him set the single-season stolen-base record of 130 steals in 1982. After Henderson stole his 119th base that season, he pulled the base up out of the ground and kept it. Afterwards, in an interview, he said, "If I could break this base in half, I'd give the other half to Dwayne Murphy." Murphy also credits Henderson with helping him have a good career. "I took a lot of pitches for him," Murphy said. "He made my career, I believe, because I let him steal and that put me in a position to knock in runs. I loved to watch him play. Let him steal second, let him steal third, knock him in. It gave me a respectable career."
Like Henderson, Murphy also had good speed. He stole 26 bases in both 1980 and 1982. He also had good power numbers. His biggest offensive year came in 1984, when he hit 33 home runs and drove in 88 runs. He was one of the best defensive players in the game, winning an incredible six straight Gold Gloves from 1980 to 1985. His signature play became a trademark of sorts for him -
his hat blowing off his head on virtually every play he made, from tracking down routine fly balls to making spectacular catches deep in the Valley.
and Philadelphia Phillies
. He played in 49 games with the Tigers in 1988, hitting .250 and hitting four home runs. In his final season with the Phillies, he hit just .218 and hit 9 home runs.
In 1990, he joined the Yakult Swallows
in Japan. Injuries limited his effectiveness, and the Swallows released him in August.
from 1998 to 2003, including serving as hitting coach in 2001, when the Diamondbacks won the World Series
. In 2005 he was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays
as a hitting coach, first for the Blue Jays' triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse SkyChiefs
, and then later as a "roving" instructor, visiting all the team's minor league clubs to help players with hitting.
He held that position when he was named the team's first base coach on June 20, 2008, in the wake of Cito Gaston
's nomination to replace the fired John Gibbons
as Blue Jay manager. Blue Jays' outfielder Adam Lind
has an intimate relationship with Murphy, "He keeps me loose," Lind says. "He can dish it out and take it, too. Some coaches you have more of a formal, professional relationship with. With him, you have fun. He talks about how good he was, and I tell him how bad he is. Yeah, he had a good career. At least that's what he keeps telling me." On October 30, 2009 he became the Blue Jays' hitting coach, following the retirement of Gene Tenace
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player who spent most of his career playing for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
as an outfielder. He is currently the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in 1973 and made his Major League debut in 1978. He spent nine years with the Athletics and played under managers, Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
, Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
, and Tony LaRussa. The A's made the playoffs in 1981, where they lost to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
. In those playoffs, Murphy hit .421 and hit one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in six games. Murphy's biggest offensive year came in 1984, where he hit 33 home runs and drove in 88 runs. Murphy also drew many walks, and had excellent speed on the base paths. He stole 26 bases in both 1980 and 1982.
He was also one of the best defensive outfielders of his time, receiving six consecutive Gold Gloves from 1980 through 1985. Murphy had a signature play where his hat blew off his head virtually every time he made a spectacular catch. It occasionally even happened on routine fly balls and it eventually became Murphy's trademark.
During most of his career in Oakland, he batted second in the lineup behind hall-of-famer Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
. Henderson credits Murphy for helping him set the single-season stolen-base record of 130 steals in 1982.
Murphy finished his career with a .246 batting average, 166 home runs, 609 runs batted in, in 1360 games. After retirement as a player, Murphy became a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
from 1998 to 2003. He was the Diamondbacks' hitting coach when they won the World Series in 2001. In 2005 and 2006 he became hitting coach for the Syracuse Skychiefs
Syracuse SkyChiefs
The Syracuse Chiefs are a minor league baseball team based in Syracuse, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals...
, the AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
.
He was promoted to first base coach for the Blue Jays in 2008 when manager Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
took over for John Gibbons
John Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
.
Oakland (1978-1987)
Murphy was born in MercedMerced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, about 120 miles from Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. After graduating from Antelope Valley High School
Antelope Valley High School
Antelope Valley High School is located in Lancaster, California, and is part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District, in northernmost Los Angeles County, California. It was founded in 1912. It is located near the western edge of the Mojave Desert...
in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
, Murphy was drafted in the 15th round in the 1973 draft by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He came up to the majors for the first time in 1978 at age 23. He would spend the large bulk of his career with Oakland.
Murphy struggled in his rookie year. While he only played in 60 games that season, he managed to collect just 10 hits in 52 plate appearances (giving him an .182 batting average) and he did not hit a home run. His numbers improved as he became the A's everyday center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. His power numbers grew as well. The Athletics in the early 1980s had an outfield of Murphy, Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
, and Tony Armas
Tony Armas
Antonio Rafael Armas Machado is a former Venezuelan professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was one of the top sluggers in the American League in the early 1980s. Twice Armas led the league in home runs, and led all of Major League Baseball in RBIs in...
, and many fans saw it as the best young outfield in baseball.
Murphy hit second in the lineup throughout most of his career with the A's batting behind Rickey Henderson. Henderson credits Murphy for helping him set the single-season stolen-base record of 130 steals in 1982. After Henderson stole his 119th base that season, he pulled the base up out of the ground and kept it. Afterwards, in an interview, he said, "If I could break this base in half, I'd give the other half to Dwayne Murphy." Murphy also credits Henderson with helping him have a good career. "I took a lot of pitches for him," Murphy said. "He made my career, I believe, because I let him steal and that put me in a position to knock in runs. I loved to watch him play. Let him steal second, let him steal third, knock him in. It gave me a respectable career."
Like Henderson, Murphy also had good speed. He stole 26 bases in both 1980 and 1982. He also had good power numbers. His biggest offensive year came in 1984, when he hit 33 home runs and drove in 88 runs. He was one of the best defensive players in the game, winning an incredible six straight Gold Gloves from 1980 to 1985. His signature play became a trademark of sorts for him -
his hat blowing off his head on virtually every play he made, from tracking down routine fly balls to making spectacular catches deep in the Valley.
Detroit (1988) and Philadelphia (1989)
After nine years in Oakland, he spent his final two seasons with the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He played in 49 games with the Tigers in 1988, hitting .250 and hitting four home runs. In his final season with the Phillies, he hit just .218 and hit 9 home runs.
In 1990, he joined the Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
in Japan. Injuries limited his effectiveness, and the Swallows released him in August.
Coaching career
Following his playing career, Murphy began a coaching career. He coached with the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
from 1998 to 2003, including serving as hitting coach in 2001, when the Diamondbacks won the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. In 2005 he was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
as a hitting coach, first for the Blue Jays' triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse SkyChiefs
Syracuse SkyChiefs
The Syracuse Chiefs are a minor league baseball team based in Syracuse, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals...
, and then later as a "roving" instructor, visiting all the team's minor league clubs to help players with hitting.
He held that position when he was named the team's first base coach on June 20, 2008, in the wake of Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
's nomination to replace the fired John Gibbons
John Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
as Blue Jay manager. Blue Jays' outfielder Adam Lind
Adam Lind
Adam Alan Lind is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He was drafted in the third round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft and was signed on June 30, 2004. He was first drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round of...
has an intimate relationship with Murphy, "He keeps me loose," Lind says. "He can dish it out and take it, too. Some coaches you have more of a formal, professional relationship with. With him, you have fun. He talks about how good he was, and I tell him how bad he is. Yeah, he had a good career. At least that's what he keeps telling me." On October 30, 2009 he became the Blue Jays' hitting coach, following the retirement of Gene Tenace
Gene Tenace
Fury Gene Tenace , better known as Gene Tenace, is a former Italian-American professional baseball player and current coach in Major League Baseball. He was a catcher and first baseman from through . Tenace was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics from Valley High School in Lucasville, OH and...
.
Trivia
- Murphy is an avid bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player. - Was notable for helping fund and produce MC HammerMC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
's first albumFeel My PowerFeel My Power is an EP by M.C. Hammer, produced by Felton Pilate and released in 1987. This album sold over 60,000 copies, which led to several offers from major labels.-Album history:...
.