PHOENIX – The numbers are hard to ignore: two consecutive seasons with the most wins in Major League Baseball and a 103-59 record, the first 100-plus victories in a regular season in franchise history.
Yet Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy doesn’t claim any credit for his team’s historic success.
“I feel like the luckiest guy in the world,” Murphy said. “(A record of 103-59) doesn’t happen too many times in baseball. I came into a situation (where) they didn’t need me to do it. I’m just lucky to be a part of it.”
Two former players under Murphy’s successful Arizona State baseball teams, which he coached from 1995 to 2009, wouldn’t support his reluctance to take credit.
“He’s a leader of leaders,” said former ASU infielder Raoul Torrez, who played under Murphy from 2007-2009. “He used to say that there was no single person, including himself, that was bigger than the program, and that was something that always stuck.”
The Brewers’ historic season is the latest chapter in Murphy’s extensive career that has stretched over four decades. From exactly 1,000 wins in the NCAA to back-to-back National League Manager of the Year titles with the odds of a three-peat swinging heavily in his favor according to most major betting sites and prediction platforms, Murphy is no stranger to success.
Torrez and another former ASU player, Jeff Larish, who played for Murphy from 2002 to 2005, agree that Murphy’s continued series of accomplishments in the major leagues is no surprise.
“We definitely had our battles,” Larish said. “I’m sure I frustrated him and he frustrated me, but at the end of the day, I knew what Murph’s mission was: (He) wants to beat everybody all the time, no matter what. If you’re with him, ride with him; And if you’re not, then he’s going to tell you to get off the bus.”
During Murphy’s time at Arizona State, he led the program to a 629-284-1 record and led the Sun Devils to the College World Series four times. Murphy was also crowned Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times before a tumultuous end between the two sides in 2009.
“I wasn’t a great coach,” Murphy said. “But we had some great baseball teams. I was really trying to find myself back then, trying to navigate life raising a son by myself. I was just trying like hell to be impactful. My ego was still involved, more than it should’ve been.”
Some players say that “ego” is part of what makes Murphy so successful at every level.
“It’s fun watching the games, seeing Murph and some of his mannerisms,” Torrez said. “He treated us like big leaguers and expected us to play like it. I think he was meant for that kind of a big stage.”
For others, that same ego left a lasting impression with hints of resentment. Larish recalled a baseball camp where he met Murphy for the first time. However, the exchange was long awaited and short lived, leaving Larish insulted.
“I was like ‘Dude, I will never play for this guy.’ I was completely offended. But my dad said ‘Murph is always testing you.’ He wants to know who’s going to be there when adversity strikes or when it’s crunch time, so if you can’t handle him giving you a hard time, how can he trust you in those moments?”
No matter the first impression, it’s clear that many who played under Murphy at Arizona State agree that he had an unorthodox approach to maximizing player potential.
“(Murphy) had a way of getting the best out of players,” Torrez said. “I remember multiple random nights, Murph would select a couple of guys he felt needed it, call and text and say ‘Hey, we’re gonna hit tonight at the field.’ You’d always end up leaving those sessions feeling like you were unstoppable.”
Perhaps that’s why the 103-win season doesn’t seem to surprise the players who knew him first. The relentless competitiveness, the unconventional methods and the willingness to demand more from players occurred long before Murphy was managing in the major leagues.
Perhaps that’s also why Murphy continues to deflect the credit. He may view himself as simply lucky to be part of it, but Torrez and Larish remember a coach who made sure they were ready for the moment when “it” arrived.
While the regular season record is easy to celebrate, “Murph” and the Brewers look ahead to Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres at 5:30 p.m. MST Saturday.
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