A Perfect Homecoming : Mulliniks, a Former Angel, Goes 3 for 3 at Anaheim to Lead Blue Jays’ Win

In three seasons with the Angels, Rance Mulliniks compiled a .229 average, hit five home runs and had 35 RBIs. In 1978, his second year in an Angel uniform, he drove in just six runs.

Thursday night at Anaheim Stadium--the scene of not many fond memories for Mulliniks--the veteran infielder reappeared with the Toronto Blue Jays and might have matched his 1978 season RBI total if Manager Bobby Cox had let him have more than three at-bats.

Mulliniks, who platoons at third base with Garth Iorg, made the most of those three trips to the plate, though. He doubled twice, singled once, scored twice and drove in a run as the high-flying Blue Jays came from behind twice to beat the Angels, 5-3.

There were more than a few raised eyebrows in the press box when Cox sent the right-handed hitting Iorg up to pinch-hit for Mulliniks against Angel southpaw Pat Clements with a runner on third and one out in the sixth. But Mulliniks wasn’t surprised.

Last year, Mulliniks had eight consecutive hits in a series at Minnesota and was standing at the plate with a 3-1 count when the Twins went to a left-handed reliever. Cox didn’t hesitate then, either. He sent up Iorg, who grounded out on the first pitch.

When Cox platoons, he platoons .

“There was never a doubt in my mind . . . either time,” Cox said. “When you’ve got a guy out there, you’ve got to take your best shot at getting him (home).”

Mulliniks smiled when reminded of the incident last year.

“We had a guy on third that time, too,” he said. “I knew both times he was gonna hit for me, but if the situation had been reversed, I would’ve been hitting for Garth.”

Mulliniks, batting .319 on the season, is hitting .522 in his last 23 at-bats and .359 in his last 145 times up. He is fifth on the team in RBIs with 36. But he only hits against right-handed pitching.

“Everyone would like to play every day,” he said. “But the concept of baseball is to win. It has to be a team effort, and you’ve got to pull together. I really don’t think you can be selfish and successful in this game.”

Mulliniks, like everyone else in a powder blue uniform these days, is a hero in Toronto, where the beloved Blue Jays can do no wrong. But Mulliniks’ accomplishments have not gone unnoticed by the general public, either.

Mulliniks finished fourth in the All-Star balloting among third basemen, a remarkable accomplishment for a player who has started less than two-thirds of Toronto’s games and has just slightly more than half as many at-bats as Blue Jay second baseman Damaso Garcia.

“I think someone was stuffing the ballot boxes,” Mulliniks said. “But really, it’s nice to know some people think you’re a decent player. There are a lot of guys more deserving than me.”

Cox isn’t so sure.

“You’ve got your (George) Bretts and your (Wade) Boggs, but Mulliniks is having an outstanding year. He’s probably out-homered and out-RBIed Boggs. I think he deserves to be on the team.”

There were a few years that Mulliniks was more concerned about playing on a major league team than an All-Star team.

After hitting just .147 for the Angels in 1979, he was part of deal that sent Willie Aikens to Kansas City for outfielder Al Cowens, shortstop Todd Cruz and pitcher Craig Eaton. Mulliniks had a pair of lackluster seasons with the Royals, during which he saw very limited action.

Then, in 1982, Kansas City traded him to Toronto for pitcher Phil Huffman and, at age 26, Mulliniks began to blossom. He was acquired as a utility infielder and a left-handed pinch-hitter, but he has steadily become a more and more integral part of the Blue Jays.

And his success has paralleled Toronto’s. In 1982, he hit .244 and the Blue Jays finished sixth. In ‘83, he hit .275 and Toronto took fourth. And last year, he batted .324 and the Blue Jays finished second.

“I struggled for a long time,” Mulliniks reflected. “Things didn’t work out here (in Anaheim), but the Angels drafted me and gave me a chance. I didn’t play much in Kansas City, but I learned a lot about hitting from Hal McRae.”

Cox, who said he tried desperately to obtain Mulliniks to play shortstop for the Braves when he was managing Atlanta, is beaming about his third base combination these days.

“Between the two of them, they’re hitting about .650,” he said. “That was a helluva deal when we got Mulliniks, a helluva deal.