Longtime friends united again

03/01/2006
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Steve Murphy walked out of the Rangers Minor League clubhouse with his shirt completely drenched, offering the appearance that he had just completed a strenuous workout.
That wasn't the case.
"We were having a contest to see who could keep their head in a bucket of ice water the longest," he announced proudly. "I won ... 13 seconds. Johnny Whittleman lasted just six seconds.
John Mayberry Jr., already in street clothes, just shook his head.
"He's crazy," Mayberry said. "He hasn't changed at all."
"Junior" would know better than anybody about "Murph," since the two Rangers Minor Leaguers are in camp early after years of friendship behind them and a long road to the Majors ahead of them.
They travel it together on the basis of support and friendly rivalry rather than competition despite knowing the odds are steep that they'll achieve their goal of playing in the same outfield in Arlington.
The two have known each other since they were 13, growing up in Overland Park, Kan., playing on the same youth teams, working out at a private batting cage at Barnstormer's and starring together at Rockhurst High School.
They split in college, Mayberry turning down over $1 million from the Mariners to go to Stanford and Murphy, not drafted out of high school, playing as a freshman at Central Missouri State and then Kansas State.
But the Rangers brought them together last year, drafting Mayberry in the first round and taking Murphy in the 14th round.
Then, like old times at Rockhurst, they found themselves in the same lineup for Class A short-season Spokane, leading the Indians to the Northwest League championship.
The friendly competition picked up immediately with Murphy playing left field and Mayberry, a converted first baseman like his dad, playing right field.
"In high school we never kept up with the stats except for how many home runs we hit," Mayberry said. "Our senior year, he started off ahead and we finished tied with 10 or 11. Last year, same thing, he got off to the lead and I ended up passing him."
The statistics show Mayberry ended up with 11 home runs and Murphy hit nine.
But there is some serious controversy that needs to be resolved.
"We ended up tied," Murphy protested.
"I had 11 and he had nine," Mayberry said. "That's all I know."
"We were tied," Murphy insisted. "I hit a home run that wasn't counted and should have, and he hit one that shouldn't have counted but did."
"You weren't there," Mayberry said.
"I heard it on the radio," said Murphy, who had his season cut short with a broken hand.
"He's right," Mayberry finally admitted. "He hit one that hit the scoreboard and was clearly over the yellow line that didn't count, and I hit one they said hit the foul pole but actually hit just to the left in foul territory."
Murphy actually got the last laugh, for he was the one who was named the Northwest League's Most Valuable Player, batting .306 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 62 games.
Mayberry, starting slowly while adjusting to some suggested changes in his swing that would bring out more power, was batting .213 on Aug. 11 but got hot at the end and finished at .253 with 11 home runs and 26 RBIs.
"I like it," Murphy said. "It was different. I had never been where he's been, up there like that, everybody wanting to interview you."
It was the first instance of Murphy out-doing Mayberry, the son of former Kansas City Royals first baseman John Mayberry Sr. who has always been the star of the team.
Mayberry had been the high school All-American at Rockhurst and had gone on to one of the top college baseball programs in America. Murphy settled for a small NAIA school, winning a national championship before transferring to Kansas State.
Murphy's short biography in the Rangers media guide mentions he was Mayberry's teammate in high school. Mayberry's bio does not mention Murphy.
"Since high school I've been in his shadow but I've enjoyed it," Murphy said. "If I do good, people notice, but if I don't do good, there are no expectations. In that, I've been lucky."
They were friends in high school but that relationship has grown since being reunited with the Rangers to the point they are now roommates together.
The cultural and social significance of such a relationship might have been much more profound 30 years ago when Mayberry's father played.
The morality play being acted out now is one surrounding baseball, two high school friends now in the same organization playing similar positions and competing for the same goal of making it to the Major Leagues.
They do so with different resumes. Mayberry is the first-round pick who cost the Rangers $1.525 million. The higher investment means the Rangers will be much more attentive to making sure he succeeds but it also brings out high expectations and higher pressure.
"Basically the thing my dad conveyed to me is you can't listen to all the media expectations," said Mayberry, who has earned his degree in Political Science. "You set goals for yourself and strive hard to reach them. While expectations are high, mine are higher and if I reach them, I'll be in pretty good shape."
Murphy, still working for a Criminal Justice degree, signed for $20,000 plus college expenses, and a 14th-round pick making the Major Leagues would be simply viewed as a bonus for the Rangers.
"Along the lines of what Junior said, no matter if you're a 50th-round pick or a first-round pick, we just work hard rather than worry about expectations," Murphy said. "The way he handles himself is cold hard fact. He doesn't know what is being said about him; he just goes out and works hard."
Their friendship and mutual background serves as a support system for the two rather than driving a stake of competitiveness between them.
"Absolutely," Mayberry said. "Having Murph there gives you a level of confidence that helps you get past the uncertainty of knowing the other guy. He makes it easier."
"Technically we are competing for the same job," Murphy said. "But we've never looked at like that and I don't think he has either. We know what it takes and we try to outwork everybody but in a setting in which we are both trying to get better."
Added Mayberry, "Because we are genuine friends, instead of taking the thought process of 'I hope you mess up,' I'm able to tell Steve what I can do to make him better and he can do the same for me."
In that regard, the ultimate goal is for not one but two from Rockhurst High School to eventually play outfield in Arlington.

Source: http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/