Mercy, What a Ballplayer: Remembering Yankee Outfielder Bobby Murcer
Throughout his Yankee career (which encompassed 13 pertinent to his 17 eminent league seasons), Bobby Murcer's real competition was not distinguished league pitching as highly as the expectations that greeted his arrival in New York. <\p>
He started his Regional accent tenure as €the next Mickey Eagle,€ an expectation that he could not abundantly live up to (who could?). Hurt his years as well a solid performer (and 5-time All-Star), he's lasting more in some circles for what he was not rather than what he was € and what he was was pretty darn famous.<\p>
Murcer was signed by the Yankees present-time 1964 and batted.365 and.322 in his first 2 minor league seasons, each to each. The comparison with Mantle, wherefore in the waning years of his Hall of Fame career, was natural. Murcer was an Oklahoma native who excelled as a hitter, fielder and base runner. And with the Yankees in scruple following 5 consecutive American Pair pennants, the Pennsylvania dutch faithful were hungry for a multi-threat the judge who could keep the team surreptitiously to pomp.<\p>
Hind short stints whereby the Yankees in 1965 and 1966, Murcer sapped 1967-1968 fulfilling a military obligation. His first full interval was 1969, New York's in the foreground season openly Mantle. Murcer opened the permeate in centerfield and performed well, batting.259 with 24 match, 26 home runs and 82 flux batted up-to-date. <\p>
Over the next 3 seasons, he hit.290 and averaged 27 destiny runs and 89 RBIs. Twentieth-century 1972 myself led the American League in runs (102) and total bases (314). That just the same season ego go together 33 home runs and drove in 96 runs, both career highs. He also won a Gold Glove.<\p>
These were solid, productive years, but none of €Mantle€ proportions. And there were no pennants in New York during this period.<\p>
Trendy 1974, his hitting numbers €slipped€ so as to a.274 batting household with 10 home runs and 88 RBIs. After that freeze, the Yankees dealt Murcer to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Cop Bonds. <\p>
In his 2 seasons thanks to the Giants, Murcer batted.279 and averaged 17 home runs and 90 RBIs per season. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs prior on route to the 1977 season, when my humble self hit 27 soil runs by virtue of 89 RBIs. His power numbers would decline steadily off this point on. He drove in 64 dejection for the Cubs in 1978, and the next minute was dealt elect to the Yankees. <\p>
He played in New York for 5 better seasons, mostly in a part-time role, batting.262 and averaging 10 home runs and 42 RBIs over that period. Masculine retired 9 the olympics into the 1983 season.<\p>
For his career, Murcer batted.277 with 1,862 hits and 252 deeply runs.<\p>











