http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp...26000548&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
11/18/11 2:00 PM EST
Hall of Fame just beyond Murphy's reach
Former Braves star can't make Cooperstown on support alone
As an Atlanta resident for the past 27 years, I can tell you that Dale Murphy supporters are loud, plentiful and emotional.
Trust me. They've shown me as much in several ways, and that's not necessarily a compliment.
All you need to know is that, in the minds of Murphy supporters, he was Tim Tebow before Tim Tebow, which means this guy, who spent 15 of his 18 Major League seasons playing for the Atlanta Braves, was considered The Perfect Son wrapped in red, white and blue.
The fact that Murphy also was a prolific slugger and slick outfielder didn't hurt his popularity, either.
To hear those Murphy supporters tell it, he regularly spent time before and after home games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium walking barefoot across the nearby Chattahoochee River.
So this isn't surprising: With Murphy in his 14th and next-to-last year on the ballots of writers who vote for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Braves president John Schuerholz did an admirable thing this week. He sent a letter to Hall of Fame voters -- including myself -- in an effort to encourage Murphy's inclusion into Cooperstown.
It won't happen.
I won't vote for Murphy, and Murphy won't go to Cooperstown through the votes of others.
Nothing personal. It's just that Murphy was a good player who had a few great stretches. In order to become a Hall of Famer, you have to be a great player with more than a few great stretches.
This isn't the stuff of Cooperstown -- career batting average of .265 and fewer than 500 home runs.
Murphy doesn't even have 400 home runs. He finished with 398, and if you end with such a number as a power hitter in search of the Hall of Fame, you'd better have more than just a mediocre career batting average.
In contrast, if you're going to have a mediocre career batting average, you'd better have a ton of home runs.
More than 398, for instance.
Murphy's followers disagree, of course. So does Schuerholz. In his letter to Hall of Fame voters, he wrote (with my commentary on Schuerholz's thoughts in parentheses along the way):
"As you prepare to vote for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2012, please accept this letter in support of Dale Murphy. The Atlanta Braves organization is extremely proud of Dale's outstanding accomplishments during an extraordinary 18-year Major League career, 15 of which were spent with the Braves."
(Murphy's career went from "extraordinary" during much of his first nine years in the Major Leagues to "ordinary" the rest of the way. In 1987, for instance, he hit .295 with 44 homers and 105 RBIs for a Braves team that lost 92 games. Afterward, during his last six years, he averaged 15 homers per season while hitting .234 overall).
"Not only on the field, but off the field as well, Dale represented himself and the city of Atlanta with the class and professionalism consistent with the ideals of Major League Baseball and the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Even today, he continues to be one of our game's great ambassadors."
(No question, every Hall of Fame ballot says you must consider the "integrity" and the "character" of candidates. Murphy was the definitive poster child for his Mormon faith by not drinking, smoking, swearing or doing anything with the Braves that didn't promote the strength of his family and others. He is a worthy candidate for the Good Guys Hall of Fame, but he isn't for the one in Cooperstown).
"On the following two pages, please review Dale's remarkable accomplishments produced over what the Braves family feels is a Hall of Fame career. On behalf of our organization and Dale individually, I thank you for your consideration.
"Sincerely, John Schuerholz."
(Nice try, Mr. Schuerholz).
Schuerholz's two pages listing Murphy's accomplishments really were impressive, but only if you consider 1982 through '87.
During the beginning of that torrid run for Murphy, I covered the Giants for the San Francisco Examiner. The Giants' manager was Frank Robinson, and as an old-school soul, he wasn't exactly warm and cuddly when it came to opponents. He mostly was just silent toward them, especially on the matter of compliments.
Nevertheless, whenever the Giants faced the Braves during those glory years for Murphy, Robinson often suggested that Murphy operated as if he were from another era -- you know, back when baseball had Robinson, along with other Hall of Famers such as the Willies (Mays, McCovey, Stargell), Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle.
Robinson raved about Murphy's exceptional power to all fields, excellent range as an outfielder and splendid arm. He also loved how Murphy never left the lineup since he averaged playing around 160 out of 162 games during that six-year stretch.
Then there were those other impressive feats for Murphy during the 1980s as a whole. Nobody slammed more homers than Murphy's 308, and nobody had more RBIs than his 929. He was second in both hits overall and extra-base hits. Plus, he was third in runs scored and fourth in walks.
If that isn't impressive enough, Murphy won back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player Awards in 1982 and '83. He was picked for seven All-Star Games. He won five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers.
That said, Hall of Fame voters must judge candidates over their entire careers, not just in regard to several seasons -- which disqualifies Murphy from Cooperstown, even though he still ranks among the first persons you'd pick to help a little old lady across the street.
I've often said as much in print and on television in Atlanta through the decades, to the chagrin of Murphy supporters.
Examples are plentiful, but I'll leave you with just one.
It occurred in 1996 -- three years after Murphy's retirement -- when I was trying to buy my current house. The couple who previously owned the place was charming throughout the initial process, but when we got close to closing, they became cold and distant.
At one point, when I was checking out the house for the last time during an inspection, the husband blurted out with a frown, "Is it true that you hate Dale Murphy?"
Stunned, I said, "I'm not sure what you're referring to."
The husband added, "Well, if it's true that you hate Dale Murphy, I'm not going to sell you this house. It's really that simple."
I told him I didn't hate Dale Murphy. For one, I wanted the house, and for another, I really don't hate Dale Murphy.
I just don't think Murphy is a Hall of Famer.
11/18/11 2:00 PM EST
Hall of Fame just beyond Murphy's reach
Former Braves star can't make Cooperstown on support alone
As an Atlanta resident for the past 27 years, I can tell you that Dale Murphy supporters are loud, plentiful and emotional.
Trust me. They've shown me as much in several ways, and that's not necessarily a compliment.
All you need to know is that, in the minds of Murphy supporters, he was Tim Tebow before Tim Tebow, which means this guy, who spent 15 of his 18 Major League seasons playing for the Atlanta Braves, was considered The Perfect Son wrapped in red, white and blue.
The fact that Murphy also was a prolific slugger and slick outfielder didn't hurt his popularity, either.
To hear those Murphy supporters tell it, he regularly spent time before and after home games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium walking barefoot across the nearby Chattahoochee River.
So this isn't surprising: With Murphy in his 14th and next-to-last year on the ballots of writers who vote for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Braves president John Schuerholz did an admirable thing this week. He sent a letter to Hall of Fame voters -- including myself -- in an effort to encourage Murphy's inclusion into Cooperstown.
It won't happen.
I won't vote for Murphy, and Murphy won't go to Cooperstown through the votes of others.
Nothing personal. It's just that Murphy was a good player who had a few great stretches. In order to become a Hall of Famer, you have to be a great player with more than a few great stretches.
This isn't the stuff of Cooperstown -- career batting average of .265 and fewer than 500 home runs.
Murphy doesn't even have 400 home runs. He finished with 398, and if you end with such a number as a power hitter in search of the Hall of Fame, you'd better have more than just a mediocre career batting average.
In contrast, if you're going to have a mediocre career batting average, you'd better have a ton of home runs.
More than 398, for instance.
Murphy's followers disagree, of course. So does Schuerholz. In his letter to Hall of Fame voters, he wrote (with my commentary on Schuerholz's thoughts in parentheses along the way):
"As you prepare to vote for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2012, please accept this letter in support of Dale Murphy. The Atlanta Braves organization is extremely proud of Dale's outstanding accomplishments during an extraordinary 18-year Major League career, 15 of which were spent with the Braves."
(Murphy's career went from "extraordinary" during much of his first nine years in the Major Leagues to "ordinary" the rest of the way. In 1987, for instance, he hit .295 with 44 homers and 105 RBIs for a Braves team that lost 92 games. Afterward, during his last six years, he averaged 15 homers per season while hitting .234 overall).
"Not only on the field, but off the field as well, Dale represented himself and the city of Atlanta with the class and professionalism consistent with the ideals of Major League Baseball and the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Even today, he continues to be one of our game's great ambassadors."
(No question, every Hall of Fame ballot says you must consider the "integrity" and the "character" of candidates. Murphy was the definitive poster child for his Mormon faith by not drinking, smoking, swearing or doing anything with the Braves that didn't promote the strength of his family and others. He is a worthy candidate for the Good Guys Hall of Fame, but he isn't for the one in Cooperstown).
"On the following two pages, please review Dale's remarkable accomplishments produced over what the Braves family feels is a Hall of Fame career. On behalf of our organization and Dale individually, I thank you for your consideration.
"Sincerely, John Schuerholz."
(Nice try, Mr. Schuerholz).
Schuerholz's two pages listing Murphy's accomplishments really were impressive, but only if you consider 1982 through '87.
During the beginning of that torrid run for Murphy, I covered the Giants for the San Francisco Examiner. The Giants' manager was Frank Robinson, and as an old-school soul, he wasn't exactly warm and cuddly when it came to opponents. He mostly was just silent toward them, especially on the matter of compliments.
Nevertheless, whenever the Giants faced the Braves during those glory years for Murphy, Robinson often suggested that Murphy operated as if he were from another era -- you know, back when baseball had Robinson, along with other Hall of Famers such as the Willies (Mays, McCovey, Stargell), Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle.
Robinson raved about Murphy's exceptional power to all fields, excellent range as an outfielder and splendid arm. He also loved how Murphy never left the lineup since he averaged playing around 160 out of 162 games during that six-year stretch.
Then there were those other impressive feats for Murphy during the 1980s as a whole. Nobody slammed more homers than Murphy's 308, and nobody had more RBIs than his 929. He was second in both hits overall and extra-base hits. Plus, he was third in runs scored and fourth in walks.
If that isn't impressive enough, Murphy won back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player Awards in 1982 and '83. He was picked for seven All-Star Games. He won five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers.
That said, Hall of Fame voters must judge candidates over their entire careers, not just in regard to several seasons -- which disqualifies Murphy from Cooperstown, even though he still ranks among the first persons you'd pick to help a little old lady across the street.
I've often said as much in print and on television in Atlanta through the decades, to the chagrin of Murphy supporters.
Examples are plentiful, but I'll leave you with just one.
It occurred in 1996 -- three years after Murphy's retirement -- when I was trying to buy my current house. The couple who previously owned the place was charming throughout the initial process, but when we got close to closing, they became cold and distant.
At one point, when I was checking out the house for the last time during an inspection, the husband blurted out with a frown, "Is it true that you hate Dale Murphy?"
Stunned, I said, "I'm not sure what you're referring to."
The husband added, "Well, if it's true that you hate Dale Murphy, I'm not going to sell you this house. It's really that simple."
I told him I didn't hate Dale Murphy. For one, I wanted the house, and for another, I really don't hate Dale Murphy.
I just don't think Murphy is a Hall of Famer.
