Eddie Murray's Unique Distinction in the 3,000-Hit/500-Homer Club

And no, it's not his excellent sideburns/facial hair (although it should be).

There are several “magic numbers” within Major League Baseball that fans will immediately equate to greatness when they hear them. For position players, two of those numbers are 3,000 and 500.

Only 33 players have gained entry into the 3,000-hit club. There are also only 28 members of the 500-homer club. If we want to get even more exclusive (because why not, right?), just seven have achieved both during their respective careers:

• Hank Aaron: 3,771 hits and 755 homers

• Albert Pujols: 3,384 hits and 703 homers

• Alex Rodriguez: 3,115 hits and 696 homers

• Willie Mays: 3,293 hits and 660 homers

• Rafael Palmeiro: 3,020 hits and 569 homers

• Miguel Cabrera: 3,174 hits and 511 homers

• Eddie Murray: 3,255 hits and 504 homers

Being on this list is already special, but what makes Murray unique from the rest? Well — he’s the only switch-hitter here.

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Eddie Murray Was the Ultimate Threat from Both Sides of the Plate

Murray wasn’t the kind of guy who would bludgeon you with gaudy single-season numbers. He did win the 1977 American League Rookie of the Year Award and also led the league in homers (22) and RBI (78) in 1981 (but it was a strike-shortened season).

Although he posted five seasons of 30-plus homers during his 21-year Hall of Fame career, he never slugged more than 33 in a single season. He never registered a 200-hit season but finished with at least 170 knocks on 12 different occasions.

So, it was his yearly consistency (hence, the “Steady Eddie” nickname) that got him to where he eventually landed. While the majority of his production came as a left-handed hitter, Murray was a solid contributor from both sides of the plate.

• Career vs. RHP: .293/.369/.491 with 2,233 hits, 362 homers, 1,341 RBI and 1,139 runs scored in 8,684 plate appearances

• Career vs. LHP: .276/.340/.445 with 1,022 hits, 142 homers, 576 RBI and 488 runs scored in 4,133 plate appearances.

Murray Also Spread His Production Across Several Teams

Despite spending 13 of his 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Murray suited up for five (!) different teams as a big leaguer. That just feels like a lot for someone who was as consistently productive as he was.

Murray slugged 343 of his 504 homers for the Orioles. He added 65 in four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, another 50 in three years with Cleveland and 43 in two seasons with the New York Mets. He only appeared in 46 games during his final season with the Anaheim Angels but added three more taters to his ledger.

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