Random Topps Card of the Day: 1983 Topps Traded #79T Dale Murray

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, May 18, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1983 Topps Traded #79T.
• Player Name, position, team: Dale Murray, pitcher, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: July 7, 1974.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1982 stats (Blue Jays): 56 G, 111 IP, 8-7, 48 R, 39 ER, 60 SO, 32 BB, 0 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 11 SV, 3.16 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Expos #18th, June 1970. Traded by the Blue Jays to the Yankees 12/09/1982. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 10. This is his eighth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Was credited with Victory in 8-4 win vs. Rangers, 4-27-82. Hurled scoreless ball for Win June 1, 1982."
• Commentary: Dale Albert Murray (not to be confused with Braves legend Dale Murphy) was an extremely effective relief pitcher who pitched in the mid-70's through the mid-80's. He even led the league in games pitched with an unbelievable (probably at the time) 81 games in 1976, meaning that he made at least one appearance in half of the Expos' games that season. The native Texan really enjoyed his time in Canada as he played for both the Expos (1974-76, 1979-1980) and Blue Jays (1981-1982), combining for a 30-28 with 201 strikeouts, an ERA of 3.17, and a 1.355 WHIP. In between his stints with Montréal, he spent time with the Reds and Mets. The Blue Jays traded Murray and minor leaguer Tom Dodd to the Yankees in exchange for outfielder Dave Collins, pitcher (and future MLB traveller Mike Morgan), and a first baseman prospect named Fred McGriff. In Murray's first year in the Bronx, Murray appeared in 40 games and 94.1 innings of work. He earned a 2-4 record with 45 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.48. He stayed with the Yankees until 1985, when he was released and subsequently signed with the Texas Rangers. But after one game in which he allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in one inning of work (what would wind up being his final major league appearance), he was sent down to the Rangers' AAA team in Oklahoma City, finishing his career with the 89ers and retiring after the season ended.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 9.

Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1973 Topps #78. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama