Short on Sentiment, Angels Tell Veteran Murray So Long

The Angels solved their Eddie Murray dilemma Thursday by releasing the future Hall of Famer to make room for outfielder Rickey Henderson, again underlining that winning takes precedence over sentimentality.

The Angels had wanted to keep the 41-year-old designated hitter, giving him a chance to retire with dignity at the end of the season. But as they did with popular pitcher Jim Abbott in March, the Angels cut Murray, probably bringing an inglorious end to his storied, 21-year career.

“You don’t have a choice,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said. “When you talk to your staff and your player evaluations fall a certain way, the only thing you can do by going the other way is harm the club.

“From the owner, to the president, to the general manager and to the manager, everyone would like the opportunity to be sentimental. But in this game, you don’t get a chance to.”

The Angels’ problem: Murray is one of three players in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, a player who commands respect. But, in the Angels’ judgment, at 41, he couldn’t help the team enough to justify occupying a roster spot.

Murray hit .219 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 46 games, striking out 24 times and grounding into eight double plays in 160 at-bats. The former first baseman couldn’t pinch-run, was not much of a pinch-hitter, and was not up to par defensively. In fact, he had not played the field all season.

So when the Angels had the option of sending journeyman relief pitcher Greg Cadaret, the 12th man on the staff, back to triple-A Vancouver or cutting Murray, they kept Cadaret.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in this game,” Manager Terry Collins said. “He’s one of the greatest to ever play the game. . . . But we’re expecting Jim [Edmonds] and Tony [Phillips] back, and it would have been real hard to get Eddie at-bats. We felt our role players need to be able to pinch-run and play defense.”

Murray’s agent, Ron Shapiro, spoke with Murray and said Murray sounded well, under the circumstances.

“He knew this day was going to come,” Shapiro said. “Certainly, he’s played enough years to properly deal with it. . . . He’s a quiet realist--he knows when it’s time to move on.”

Murray, who ranks ninth on baseball’s all-time list in hits, 15th in home runs, seventh in RBIs and sixth in games, rode with the team from Chicago to Milwaukee after Wednesday night’s game against the White Sox.

Bavasi and Collins told Murray of the decision at the team’s hotel late Wednesday night and, in what would be a fitting end to his career, Murray left without comment to the press.

“The only shame is, people won’t realize how much he has done off the field, because he is the converse of a self-promoter,” Shapiro said of Murray, who rarely spoke to reporters. “He finishes with many records and he will be in the Hall of Fame. . . . He leaves a legacy on the field and off.”

Murray had said in spring training that he signed a $750,000 contract with the Angels because he still enjoyed the game.

“If you weren’t having some fun, you wouldn’t be here,” he said.

But Murray clearly wasn’t having much fun. He was put on the disabled list June 12 because of tendinitis in his right wrist, and the Angels didn’t activate him until Aug. 4, weeks after he was physically able to play.

Murray also cut a rehabilitation assignment short, electing to return to the Angels--unbeknown to Collins or Angel officials--after only two games for Class-A Lake Elsinore in July.

Still, that shouldn’t tarnish a career that began in 1977--Murray played his first major league game three weeks before Atlanta Brave outfielder Andruw Jones was born--and included three World Series appearances, with Baltimore in 1979 and ‘83, and with Cleveland in ’95.

“You always hate to see a player of his stature go out like this,” said Milwaukee Brewer Manager Phil Garner, whose Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Orioles in the 1979 World Series. “It’s a sad time.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Where Murray Ranks

Eddie Murray, released by the Angels on Thursday, is one of only three players to collect more than 500 home runs and 3,000 hits (Hank Aaron and Willie Mays are the others), and one of only two switch-hitters to top 3,000 hits (Pete Rose is the other). Where the career .287 hitter ranks in some key categories:

CATEGORY: NO. (RANK)

Hits: 3,253 (9th)

Home runs: 504 (15th)

RBIs: 1,914 (7th)

At-bats: 11,329 (5th)

Games: 3,017 (6th)

Grand slams: 19 (2nd)

Doubles: 560 (13th)

Total bases: 5,395 (7th)