Jack Armstrong

Pat Murphy changed the course of my life, more than any other person... And I hated him for it for a long time. Quick story about how getting kicked off the ASU baseball team in college changed the course of my life for the better. These last few weeks have been weird for me. Watching this person who I had such a challenging relationship with get celebrated endlessly in the media is a weird phenomenon. Out of high school I signed a scholarship to play baseball at Arizona State. Much to mother's dismay i turned down more "educationally oriented" opportunities to play for the #1 team in the country. It was baseball heaven. The walls covered with the retired numbers of all time legends, Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson etc. etc. My freshman year my roommate was Dustin Pedroia! You couldn't ask for anything better as a 18 year-old dreaming of becoming a pro. Murph was tough. No non-sense, kind of a dick, but the kind of coach you really want approval from. (I see this even in the Brewers players today) My freshman year I didn't get to play, I was pissed, felt like I deserved a shot but there were more senior guys that he felt like deserved continued chances even when they struggled. He was always very loyal to "his guys". There began to develop this sort of weird divide on the team between the older and younger players. The freshman were all very close and a few of us resented some of the chances repeatedly given to the older guys. In addition, we were immature, partied too much, didn't take school serious enough and acted entitled. (I can see this now in reflection). The culmination of all this internal conflict manifested after the "Rookie Show". A tradition at ASU where all the freshman had to make comedy skits and perform them in front of the whole team. A group of us freshman made a video mocking the "Leadership Team", a group of juniors/seniors that met together with murph after practices. Bad idea. I remember playing the video and no one laughing. Terribly awkward. The night ended and I didn't think too much of it, dumb skit but whatever. The next day Murph called me up to his office and told me he was kicking me off the team. He said it was the most offensive skit he'd seen in all his years and that someone needed to take the blame and he believed I was the ring leader. I'll never forget leaving that office and walking home. I was mortified. My whole life was just flipped upside down. I ended up transferring to UCI, where we made the school's first ever run to the college world series where we eliminated ASU and Murph in a walk off win in the 13th inning. It was peak redemption arc for me personally. That same week I was drafted by the yankees, got to play in Charleston, where I met my wife and the rest is sort of history. A real butterfly effect moment on how my life could have been different. For so long I had such a negative view of my experience with Murph. I thought I got screwed. But when you watch someone succeed at so many levels, ultimately ascending to the highest level of the profession, while being adored by everyone around them you have to stop and reflect on whether or not YOU might have been the problem. Regardless the wound is long healed and I have come to appreciate the experience. So cheers Murph CONGRATS on an incredible run.