Dwayne Murphy

Injuries, and a long-ball love affair, curtailed the outstanding promise of Dwayne Murphy’s career. Foremost a defensive star, with six straight Gold Gloves (1980-85), the lefthanded hitter showed surprising power with 27 home runs in 1982 and 33 in 1984. Part of Oakland’s dream outfield (with Rickey Henderson and Tony Armas) from 1980 to 1982, Murphy was most effective as a line-drive hitter behind Henderson and least effective when consistently trying to hit for power. A severe back injury, suffered in 1986, and chronic foot problems, slowed the righthanded fielder. Murphy’s diminished, but still outstanding, defensive ability kept him in the major leagues.